crunchy pea salad

Crunchy pea salad is great on the buffet table...and is quick and easy to assemble. My recipe is handwritten on a little card...copied from a magazine decades ago...and has been prepared many times over the years. It is good served on a bed of lettuce and topped with grated cheese as a luncheon salad...or makes a great side dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 500 gram (16-ounce) package of frozen petite peas (slightly thawed)
• 1 cup chopped fresh celery
• 1/4 cup red oion, chopped
• 6 slices of bacon...cooked, drained and crumbled (or 1/2 cup real bacon bits)
• 1/2 cup salted cashews or dry roasted peanuts
• 3/4 cup ranch dressing (or Miracle Whip, if you prefer)
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Method:

1. Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl; mix well.
2. Gently fold the dressing into pea mixture.
3. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. Serves 8.
   
   Notes :

• You can make this salad well in advance, but might want to add the nuts just before serving.
• Use less dressing than called for if you prefer.
• Double the recipe for a crowd.

Mom's Rhubarb Pie

It's rhubarb season...and there is nothing quite like 'fresh from the garden' rhubarb pie at this time of the year. A few rhubarb pies have already come and gone from my kitchen this spring. Though I can't recall if this is my mom's exact recipe...it tastes like hers....hence the name.

Ingredients:

• Pastry for a 2 crust 9-10 inch pie (use your favorite recipe or purchase ready-made pastry.)
• 4 cups rhubarb...cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon sugar

Method:

1. Roll pastry to line 9-10 inch pie plate. Roll out top crust and set aside.
2. In large bowl...combine eggs, sugar, flour and nutmeg until well blended.
3. Add chopped rhubarb and stir to mix.
4. Pour into prepared pie shell.
5. Dampen edges.
6. Top with second crust.
7. Trim and crimp edge to seal.
8. Pierce top crust with fork to vent.
9. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
10. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 35o°F and continue to bake for another 40 minutes...or until filling is bubbling and rhubarb is tender.
    

A winning combination is nutmeg and rhubarb...so perfect together!

Maple Oatmeal Scones

This recipe came to me by way of an on-line recipe exchange a few years ago...and it's an awesone breakfast scone. It was sent to me by someone named Jenn...who thinks it originated with the Barefoot Contessa. Oatmeal, whole wheat flour, real butter, buttermilk and maple syrup...they are worth waking up for!

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 egg beaten with water, for egg wash

Glaze:

• 2/3 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt and sugar in mixer bowl.
3. Blend in cold butter at lowest speed until butter is in pea-sized pieces.
4. Combine buttermilk, maple syrup and eggs.
5. Add buttermilk mixture quickly to flour mixture. Mix until just blended.
6. Dump dough onto well-floured surface and and be sure it is combined.
7. Flour your hands and rolling pin...and roll dough to 3/4-inch thick.
8. Cut into triangles or 3-inch rounds with a cutter.
9. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper...and brush tops of scones with egg wash.
10. Bake for about 20 minutes...or until tops are crisp and golden.
11. When the scones are done, cool for about 5 minutes.
12. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of glaze over each scone.
13. Sprinkle with a few uncooked oats if desired.

Now here's the best part. These scones can be prepared in advance, covered and refrigerated overnight before baking. They are the perfect solution for serving something warm out of the oven for overnight guests.

Enjoy,

Bumbleberry Pie

Bumbleberry pie is a Canadian favorite...a combination of fruits...apples, rhubarb and assorted berries. With so much emphasis on eating locally grown products these days...here's a dessert that I can bake using all home-grown fruits. In season...the berries, apples and rhubarb are picked fresh in the garden. At this time of the year...they come from the freezer. Either way...there's nothing like fresh bumbleberry pie!

This recipe originated with Jean Pare of Company's Coming...a Canadian favorite...and I've changed it up a little over the years. Use your favorite pastry recipe...check out Anneliese's pastry tips on this blog...or purchase ready-made pastry at the supermarket. I usually make a large batch of pastry (recipe on the Tenderflake lard package) and freeze the pastry to use later at a moment's notice.

Ingredients:

• Pastry for a 2 crust pie
• 2 cups cooking apples, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup rhubarb, chopped
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon tapioca
• 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

Method:

1. Roll out pastry and line 9 inch pie plate. Roll top crust and set aside.
2. Combine 1 cup sugar with flour and tapioca in large bowl.
3. Add apples, rhubarb and berries. Toss well.
4. Turn into pie shell.
5. Dampen crust edge; cover with top pastry. Trim and crimp to seal.
6. Pierce top crust with fork to vent.
7. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
8. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and continue to bake for another 40 minutes...or until golden and bubbly.

Feel free to substitute other berries...try strawberries or blueberries as well. Bumbleberry filling is whatever you choose to make of it!

Steak Bake Casserole

I often enjoyed this casserole at my mom-in-law's table...many years ago. I made it recently...for old times sake...and it's still every bit as good.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. round or chuck steak, cut into 1/2" strips
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 lb. can tomatoes (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. molasses
• 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen French cut green beans
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds

Method:

1. Sprinkle meat with flour, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
2. Brown meat lightly in large skillet.
3. Add remaining ingredients except green beans and sesame seeds.
4. Simmer for 30-45 minutes (or until meat is tender), stirring occasionally.
5. Cook green beans as directed.
6. Add cooked beans.
7. Pour into 2 1/2 quart casserole.
8. Prepare muffin batter and drop by tablespoons onto hot meat mixture.
9. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
10. Bake uncovered at 400°F for about 20 minutes.

Tangy Sesame Muffins:

• 1 1/4 c. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp. oil

Method:

1. In mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and dry mustard.
2. Mix milk, egg and oil...and add to dry ingredients.
3. Stir only until moistened.
   

Notes: I used fresh green beans, cooked to tender crisp...instead of frozen French cut beans.

Cinnamon Roll Bread

On a recent visit to Granville Island Market...I noticed a bread that looked rather like an over-sized cinnamon bun in a loaf. I took picture...went home and made a copycat version.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 1 cup warm water
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 rounded teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins
  

Method:

1. Combine milk, water, sugar, salt and butter.
2. Add four cups flour and instant yeast and mix well.
3. Continue adding flour until dough is soft but not sticky...knead.
4. Place in a large, greased, mixing bowl. Cover and allow to rise until doubled.
5. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick.
6. Moisten dough with 2 tablespoons milk.
7. Mix together 1 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and sprinkle mixture on top of the moistened dough.
8. Sprinkle raisins evenly over entire surface.
9. Roll up tightly...the roll should be about 3 inches in diameter.
10. Cut into thirds.
11. Form loaves and place seam-side down into well greased 9 x 5 inch pans.
12. Let rise again for about 1 hour in a warm place.
13. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped.
14. Remove loaves from pans, and brush with melted butter or margarine.
15. Allow to cool before slicing.

I use a Bosch machine to mix the dough, and add all the ingredients directly into the machine and let it do the mixing. If you don't have a dough hook...use a mixer to 'step 2' and then knead by hand.

Enjoy plain, toasted or topped with cream cheese icing!

Cranberry Hazelnut Crackers

Included in a basket of home-made goodies from my neighbour at Christmas were these most delicious crackers...chock full of seeds, nuts and craisins. I'm still waiting for her to give me the recipe...but in the meanwhile I knew they were called rainforest crackers...and so I did my own research. I combined several recipes...and came up with a copycat version of Kristi's Christmas crackers. They are now Olympic crackers at our house...the munchie of choice while we watch the winter games.

Cranberry-Hazelnut Seed Crackers

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (500 ml) whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) flax seeds
• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) sesame seeds
• 1 cup (250 ml) pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) sunflower seeds
• 1 cup (250 ml) dried cranberries ("craisins")
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) salt
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) brown sugar
• 2 tsp. (10 ml) baking soda
• 2 cups (500 ml) soured milk or buttermilk
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) molasses

Method:

1. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Stir the milk and molasses together.
3. Pour the liquids over the dry ingredients.
4. Turn into four small greased loaf pans...or six mini-loaf pans.
5. Bake at 350 F for 45-60 minutes....or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool slightly...then remove from pans and cool to room temperature on rack.
7. Wrap loaves in foil, or place them in a sealed container overnight.
8. Preheat oven to 250 F.
9. Slice the loaves as thinly as possible...about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick.
10. Lay the slices on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper...you will need several pans.
11. Bake at 250F until crisp (about 45 minutes, depending on how thick your slices are).
12. Cool and store in sealed containers for up to 3 weeks.

Enjoy them just as they are...or serve with your favorite cheese...or spread with cream cheese. Be forewarned...they are addictive!