Memories and healthy recipes for your dinner table.
Memories and healthy recipes for your dinner table.
I have dubbed my oldest son the official watermelon picker. I was certainly not gifted my Aunt Ruth’s talent for choosing sweet ripe watermelon. The trait was passed on to my son. After we had our fill of watermelon we made watermelon popsicles. A request …
This week my son requested pound cake for dessert. I was surprised to find I have yet to post the recipe for my Aunt’s Sour Cream Pound Cake. My Aunt always had a round of her famous sour cream pound cake tucked away under the …
There is a fresh strawberry stand within biking distance from our home. The strawberries are always so juicy and sweet. Problem is I have two little ones who can down a whole flat of berries in one day. My daughter did not like the idea of using the strawberries she could be eating to make cookies. She went so far as to accuse me of making her starve to death. She reluctantly helped me chop the strawberries and prepare the batter. However, I did not hear a single complaint when it came time to eat them.
Strawberry shortcake cookies are similar to a scone or biscuit. I diced the pieces of strawberry about the size of a pea. I did not want a soggy cookie that can sometimes result from larger pieces of fruit. I also used raw sugar in the place of the sanding sugar. The effect was essentially the same just not as sparkly. If you do not have kosher salt you can substitute regular table salt decreasing the amount slightly.
Source: Martha Stewart
12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
Sanding sugar or raw sugar, for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in the cream until dough starts to come together, then fold in the strawberry mixture, just until combined. Do not handle the dough to much. It will cause the cookies to become tough. If the mixture is too dry add another tablespoon of crea to the bottom of the bowl and fold in.
Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop or two tablespoons, drop dough onto parchment lined baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if using.
Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes; or until a light golden color. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies with a spatula to a wire rack, and let cool.
*These cookies are best served the day they are made, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.*
Yields: 3 dozen Cookies.
In my hometown where I grew up there was bread factory. The smell of delicious fresh baked bread permeated the still early morning air. It was a stark contrast from the pungent aroma of rotten oranges emanating from the orange juice factory on the opposite …
“The Sun” by Cathy McClelland As the southern hemisphere of the earth approaches winter the northern hemisphere is just beginning to welcome in summer. The first day of summer begins each year on June 21st. The Summer Solstice sun reaches its maximum height on the first …
You can’t beat homemade dressing. In this recipe alone I eliminated about a 1/3 cup of oil as called for decreasing the oil to 1/3 cup instead of 2/3. I also replaced the salted herbs with non-salted herbs and omitted the sugar.
This is a recipe for an Italian dressing powdered mix. Each mix makes about four 8-oz servings of dressing. I like to combine all of the ingredients in a jar and shake to combine. It is faster to use the jar than whisking in the oil separately.
Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons salt
Mix:
In a small bowl, mix together the garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, oregano, pepper, thyme, basil, parsley, celery salt and regular salt. Store in a tightly sealed container.
For Dressing:
To prepare dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup white or red wine vinegar, 2/3 cup canola oil, 2 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons of the dry mix. Store in the refrigerator.
**The oil will separate after sitting for a period of time. Just shake or whisk the dressing to incorporate the ingredients before serving.
Variations:
– Use orange juice in place of the water with red wine vinegar.
– Use half the oil reducing the amount to 1/3 cup.
– Use the powdered mix to marinade steaks, chicken, season popcorn and chips.
– Mix Italian dressing mix into 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup sour cream to make a veggie dip.
– You can find a better deal on bulk spices and herbs at culinary shops like Smart & Final or club warehouses or Big Lots.
Photo: Party Tent, property of Lenny Steele Dancing has been my passion since I was at least three years old. I danced and leaped all over the house begging my mom to let me take ballet lessons. I was captivated by shows like Shirley Temple …
Granola is a combination of grains (particularly oats), nuts, dried seeds and fruits seasoned with spices. It makes a terrific breakfast cereal with yogurt or milk. Take some along for a quick pick-me-up snack. Homemade granola is not like the hard clusters found in cereal boxes …
Photo: Acoustic Gibson Guitar Property of McCollumGuitars.com
Factory Tours has been my favorite site this school year for field trip ideas. Factory Tours is a website dedicated to sharing factory industry tours in addition to museums, farms and off beat venues available to the public across the United States. The website is updated by supporting members who agree to scout out and submit the business information not widely publicized.
To access tour information simply click on a state. Tours are listed in alphabetical order by business name not city. Because this is a third party website always call the vendor or visit the website before planning a visit to clarify the information listed is correct. If you wish to become a contributor simply register as a member.
I am guilty of wasting money by tossing overripe fruit instead of trying to find a way to “recycle” it. I should clarify here that I do not actually throw the food in the garbage. Rather I throw it in a pile in the back …