Baking with the Girls

Emma hard at work on a kitchen counter.

Somebody had a birthday in our family and the girls made them a birthday cake ALL by themselves (almost). I had the privilege to clean the kitchen afterwards.



Jo working hard at the stove.

They did lots of mixing.



Yes they are sitting on the counter. They can climb anything.

They took turns mixing.

And the best part of making a cake?

Licking the bowl after.

The cake turned out very well. However, I have no picture of it since it disappeared as soon it was ready to be tasted. Nothing lasts in this family when it comes to food.

Freezing meals

I have been asked lately a lot about freezing meals. I know I was a little obsessed with cooking this past week but I promise this is my last post about cooking for a while. I will pick a different topic next week.

I love to cook and when I am in the kitchen I cook a lot of food. I like to have something on hand when we are too busy or if I just do not feel like spending time in the kitchen. Here are a few meals you will always find in my freezer.

TOMATO SAUCE: I wrote about my homemade tomato sauce a while back. You can use it for a ton of meals starting with pasta, Mexican food, pizza or just sauce to go with meat. I like my own tomato sauce but I did find one recipe that we all like. You can find link for it here.

MEATBALLS: I have my own recipe that is a mixture of three different recipes together. When I make meat balls I make a lot of them so they last a long time (but you can buy meat balls already done and keep in the freezer on hand).

SOUPS: Especially now when the weather is cooling down we love to sit down at the end of the day and have some nice thick soup. Our favorite is pea soup but I like to make bean soup, cauliflower soup or broccoli soup as well (I also make my own chicken stock. I like to know what is in my food and you will find that in my freeze at all times).

MEAT: I make taco meat when I get a big pack of ground beef. I cook it all then freeze it into smaller sizes to fit our family. It works better for me this way. I also keep a small bowl in the freezer for extra leftovers. You would be surprised how quickly it adds up to a whole meal for a family instead of it dumping it to the trash can. I also make all kinds of chicken and beef meals that we like and then freeze them. Then I just have to make a side dish to go with it.

DESSERTS: I have great experience with cookies, muffins and any kind of blueberry deserts. This year I also froze apple pies so I will see how that will work out.

I also keep a big bag of fish sticks (I do not make my own I get that in Costco warehouse) but I do make fresh fish at least once a week. I also keep a lot of bread in the freezer.

FRESH FRUIT: I like to freeze fresh fruit like blueberries and strawberries in the summer in 1 cup portions. I use then thoughout the year for smoothies.

Just in case you are wondering I do have a big freezer in our basement. It is very full right now but knowing my kids it will not last for a long.

PEAR and ALMOND TART

This is a recipe that caught my eye many years ago. I just loved the picture and it reminded me of European desserts. Anyway I finally tried it this Sunday. I made it for our Bible study. I had two bites. That is it. Everybody loved it and I cannot wait to make it again so I can have a bit piece for myself:) I know the recipe looks complicated but it is worth of every step (by the way I got this recipe from February 2005 Bon Appetit magazine). PEAR AND ALMOND TART

(8 servings)

PEARS*

4 cups water

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

3 medium-size firm but ripe Bosc pears, peeled (each about 7 ounces)

CRUST

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds

1/4 tsp salt

9 Tbsp (1 stick plus 1 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg yolk 1/14 cups all purpose flour

ALMOND FILLING

2/3 cup blanched slivered almonds

1 Tbsp all purpose flour

7 Tbsp sugar

6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

FOR PEARS: Bring 4 cups water, sugar, and lemon juice to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pears. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until pears are very tender, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool pears in syrup. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

FOR CRUST: Blend powdered sugar, almonds, and salt in processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter and blend until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Mix in egg yolk. Add four. Using on/off turns, blend until dough comes together in clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

FOR ALMOND FILLING: Finely grind almonds and flour in processor. Mix in 7 Tbsp sugar, then butter, blending until smooth. Mix in egg. Transfer filling to medium bowl. Cover and chill at least 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375F. Roll out chilled dough on floured sheet of parchment paper to 12-inch round, lifting and turning dough occasionally to free from paper. Using paper as aid, turn dough into 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom; peel off paper. Seal any cracks in dough. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in, making double -thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze crust 10 minutes.

Line crust with buttered foil, buttered side down, then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust until sides are set, About 20 minutes. Remover foil and beans. Bake crust until sides are golden and bottom is set, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 10 minutes longer. Cool crust in pan on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.

Spread almond filling evenly in crust. Stem pears and cut each in half lengthwise; scoop out cores. Cut each half crosswise into thin slices. Gently press each pear half to fan slices but keep slices tightly overlapped. Slide spatula under pears and arrange atop filling like spokes of wheel with narrow ends in center.

Bake tart until golden and tester inserted into center of filling comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool tart in pan on rack. Push pan bottom up, releasing tart from pan. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Cut tart into wedges; sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve.

* If you what to save time, do what some French women do in a hurry-use canned pear halves. Just drain the canned pears, dry them very well, and carry on.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Squares

I have been busy baking this weekend and I came across some new recipes that we all felt in love with and I am going to share them with you.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Squares

(makes 16)

Crust

1 Cup all purpose flour

3/4 Cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced

1 cup pecan halves (about 4 ounces)

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

Filling

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

Topping

1 cup sour cream

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

FOR CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Using on/off turns, blend first 4 ingredients in processor until coarse meal forms. Add pecans; using on/off turns, process until nuts are chopped. Add oats; process using on/off turns until mixture is moistened but not clumping. Press 3 1/2 cups crumbs onto bottom of prepared square pan (do not clean processor). Transfer remaining crumbs to lined baking sheet. Bake crumbs on sheet until golden, stirring once, about 12 minutes. Cool crumbs. Bake crust until golden, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

FOR FILLING: Blend all ingredients in same processor until smooth. Spread filling over warm crust; bake until set, dry in center, and beginning to rise at edges, about 20 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

FOR TOPPING: Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Spread evenly over hot filling. Bake until topping sets and bubbles at edges, about 5 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Sprinkle crumbs over topping; gently press into topping. Cover; chill until cold, about 2 hours.

Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Split pea soup

Split Pea Soup

(by Ina Garten)

This is one of our family favorite soups. Again it is a recipe from barefoot contessa. I make at least a double batch at a time and freeze lots of it. Enjoy!

2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1 Tb minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 Tb kosher salt
2 Tb freshly ground black pepper
4 cups medium-diced carrots (6 to 8 carrots)
2 cups medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (6 small)
2 pounds dried split green peas
16 cups chicken stock or water

In a 8-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1 1/2 pounds of split peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking. Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.
(Split pea soup will thicken considerably when it sits. Adjust the consistency by adding more stock or water.)

Tomato Sauce

I am very flattered by how many of you asked me about my tomato sauce. I do not have a recipe. I typically add whatever I find in my fridge that day. So I hope this will help a little.

Tomatoes from my garden never make it to my kitchen. My kids eat them before I even get to them (I do not blame them since there is nothing like fresh tomatoes from your own garden). So I buy tomatoes for my sauce. I always look for second grade tomatoes from farms since they are much cheaper. The only thing wrong with them is that they do not look picture perfect. They are better for sauce anyway. I usually buys boxes of them since I am already going to spend time in the kitchen I might as well do a lot of cooking. I peal them first and this is the messiest part and most work. Drop one at a time into boiling water for 30 seconds them into ice water to cool and the skin comes right off.

The main ingredients to my sauce is a lot of onions and garlic (lots of it). I saute onions and garlic and anything else I have on hand. Sometimes zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, leeks etc. I chop the tomatoes and cook everything for a while. Sometimes I puree some or I just leave it the way it is. I let it rest over night and then I freeze it. I use 1 quart FREEZER bags lay them on cookie sheets and freeze it. After that I stack them on top of each other. I know one bag is good for one pasta meal for our family. I hope this will help you a little and have fun. I need to go get some more tomatoes.

Happy Sauce making to everybody!!!

Blueberry Buckle

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar (or less)
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 cups fresh blueberries



Topping:
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 8 x 11 baking pan (sometimes I do two 8x8pans)
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Add try ingredients and milk to sugar mixture, beating well after each. Spread batter into pan; top with blueberries.
Topping
In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Using pastry blender or fork, cut into 1/4 cup butter until mixture is crumbly. (Stir in nuts.) Sprinkle of batter.
Bake at 350 for 55 to 65 minute or until cake is deep golden brown. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.
Great for freezing!!!

ENJOY

Canning, Baking, Cooking ...

I spent the whole day in the kitchen canning, baking and cooking. We went blueberry picking again and picked 12 pounds of berries. We also stopped to pick some raspberries so I was busy making blueberry and raspberry jam. I also made more blueberry buckles and to answer some of your questions yes I do freeze them. They come in very handy when I need dessert and I am running out of time. I will have to admit that this one did not make it to the freezer but into our bellies.

I also make our own tomato sauce. I know our kids are spoiled. The truth is they will not eat tomato sauce from a grocery store so each summer I have to make sure I have plenty for the entire year. It is very messy but we all love it. I freeze mine and as you can see my freezer is starting to fill up.
I still have few more jams to go and a lot more tomato sauce but it will be rewarding in the winter.

Sunday Reflections and Scones

Praise awaits you, O Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come. When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the rurmoil of the nations. Those living far away fear your wonders; where morning dawns and evening fades y ou call forth songs of joy.

Psalm 65:1-8
Sunday Scones

4 cups plus all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
3/4 lb cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons
water or milk for egg wash

Preaheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 4 cups of flour, 2 Tbsp sugar, baking powder; and salt. Blend in the cold butter at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the four-and-butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Add the chocolate chips to the dough, and mix quickly. The dough may be a bit sticky.
Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is well combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into squares with a 4-inch plain or fluted cutter, and then cut them in half diagonally to make triangles. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Brush the tops with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outsides are crisp and the insides are fully baked.
ENJOY

Grandma

We have grandma here. What a joy for the kids and for me as I am always in the need of an extra sets of hands.

Everybody in our family loves to read. We have bookshelves in every room and in the hallway (we may have some books in boxes as well). We read a lot for our school and here are the kids with grandma reading again just a few minutes after we finished school. Don't they look cozy?
Emma enjoying Nessies droppings.

Do any of you know what grandma and the kids are up to?
They are grinding poppy seeds.
In Europe we use poppy seeds in cooking a lot. Poppy seeds are much cheaper over there so each time someone comes visit us I ask for poppy seeds.
We all enjoyed pasta with poppy seeds and sugar for lunch.

Are you Jellyn'?

We sure are jellyn' and jamyn'. If you have been reading my blog for awhile you know I have been working on jams this summer. I did a lot of strawberry jam and blueberry jam. I am pretty sure we are set for a long time.

Last week we got an e-mail from one of the families in our church that they had concord grapes ready for picking if anyone was interested. I didn't think about it too much until my hubby read the e-mail an informed me that he LOVES grape jelly. So guess what I did this week. Yes I made grape jelly.

I never made jelly before so I had no idea that you had to make the juice first. That took one day. The next afternoon I made three batches of jelly. You better believe we are jellyn' in this house

On the other hand my apple pie turned out great on Sunday. However, it was all gone before I could take a picture. Next time I have to do it right away. I did make this other dessert that looked like something from Europe and sure it tasted like it too. I didn't even have the time to put the icing on it since we ate it quickly as well. I am sure I will be making more yummy apple pies. Do any of you have any experience with freezing apple deserts?

Blueberry Jam

Guess what I did this morning? Yep I was busy making blueberry jam. I promised yesterday that I will share my recipe so here we go. I use CERTO Premium Liquid Fruit Pectin. I guess that would be the big secret. And I use the recipe that is inside (with few changes). Wal-Mart has the best price for it that I know of.

Cooked Jam

ingredients:

4 1/2 cups crushed berries

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

7 cups sugar

2 pouches CERTTO (there are 2 in one box)

makes about 9 cups

1. Wash jars and screw bands in hot, soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in soucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

2. Discard stems and crush blueberries (4 1/2 cups crushed blueberries).

3. Prepare fruit. Crush berries 1 cup at a time, using a potato masher for best results. Uf using food processor, pulse to chop. DO NOT PUREE. Jam should have bits of fruit.

4. Measure exact amount of prepared fruit into 6- or 8-quart saucepot. Stir in 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice.

5. Measure exact amount of sugar into separate bowl (7cups).

6. Stir sugar into fruit in saucepot. Add 1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine to reduce foaming, if desired (I do).

7. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.

8. Stir in 2 pouches of pectin quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

9. Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Turn jar upside down for 5 minutes then turn it back up and let it set for 24 hours in room temperature.

ENJOY !!!

It is as in the instructions in the box except for the last part. Looks pretty easy so I hope you will try it as well. Let me know how it turns out.