Pretty Pavlova

Pavlova was served to us in Estonia and Finland then I made it for a Relief Society meeting dessert and now make it at home.  It's been requested in place of birthday cake by our youngest.  Here is the Pavlova recipe I use.

Raspberry Pie

ingredients
1 bottom pie crust
4 oz. light cream cheese
1 small pkg. rapberry Jello (four 1/2 cup servings)
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar to taste
4 cups clean raspberries (chilled if possible)
1 cup ice
1/2 cup boiling water

directions
Put cream cheese on counter to soften.
Bake pie shell.  I keep my Mother-in-law's bulk pie mix on hand.
Cool on rack.
Set aside 1 Tbsp. of cream cheese. When pie shell is cool,
use rubber spatula to gently and completely cover pie shell
bottom and sides with an even layer of softened cream cheese.
Leave the top 1/2 inch or so of crust plain.  Put pie crust into
fridge to chill.

Filling
Set out one cup of raspberries.
Microwave 1/2 cup of water for 1 minute.  Pour into blender.
With blender on low speed, slowly add Jello/cornstarch/sugar mix
until fully dissolved.  Add tablespoon of cream cheese.
Blend in the cup of raspberries.
Add the cup of ice and increase speed to blend thoroughly
until all ice dissolved and ingredients are completely incorporated.
If desired, continue at high speed until sauce is both thickened and
light in texture like a chiffon.

Option 1:
Fold sauce mixture into the remaining 3+ cups of raspberries and
pour into chilled pie shell.

Option 2:
Pour layer of sauce into shell.  Top with layer of raspberries.  Add
another layer of sauce.  Add raspberries.  Etc. until shell is full.

Refrigerate for 15 minutes and serve.

Savory and Sweet Pies for Supper

Tonight I used my mother-in-law's pie crust mix as the crust for both savory quiche and apple pie. So we had pie for dinner and pie for dessert!

This is the quiche base I used.
3 /4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk (or any you have on hand works)
3 large eggs
 2 oz cheese
Pour in pastry/pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until filling is just set. The center will giggle slightly when moved. I baked the apple pie at the same time at the same temperature.

 It is creamy and velvety. Add whatever meat (optional), vegetables, and cheese mixtures you desire. Tonight I simply added  feta cheese and sauteed tomatoes, onions and garlic.

At dinner when I asked "What did you learn today?", as we usually do at dinner time, our youngest said, "I learned I like quiche!"He ate 3 pieces.

Father's Day included prime rib, strawberry salad, key lime pie

When I was asking some friends for a new salad recipe, K recommended this strawberry salad everyone enjoyed when she served it at Easter, so I took it to Father's Day dinner at B&D's with a similar result.  You add strawberry jam to the dressing and strawberries to the salad.  We love strawberries and I learned to add fruit to a green salad from K! 

I thrill to find my Mother's handwritten menus of dinner parties so I'll include D's menu with the recipe below. This strawberry salad is pictured in the back left corner in the wooden bowl my Mother loved to serve salad in.


D's Father's Day Menu
prime rib w/ horseradish
mashed potatoes w/ gravy
corn
jello salad
green salad

fresh fruit:
cherries, grapes, strawberries
pineapple, honeydew and cantaloupe
Drinks: 
cucumber water
raspberry lemonade
Desserts:
chocolate pie
pineapple pie
*key lime pie

Here's a link to * Paula Deen's key lime pie recipe! Once you get there just scroll down to see the recipe and comments.  D used chopped pecans in the crust and grated white chocolate on top.

Strawberry Salad
Lion House Cookbook


Dressing:
2 T red wine vinegar
3 T sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 t dry mustard
1/2 t salt
1/2 c strawberry jam
Mix and let sit in refrigerator to let flavors blend.


Salad:
1 head of red leaf lettuce
1 pkg of spinach
1/2 c red bell pepper chopped
1 purple onion sliced
Mix these vegetable salad ingredients together.  

Then prepare the remaining ingredients but wait to add them 

along with the dressing until right before serving,
so they don't become soft or soggy.
1 c strawberries sliced
1 c cashew pieces
1/3 c bacon pieces
1/2 pkg wonton skins (cut in 1/2 (strips) and fried)

Green Smoothies

Health Tip of the Day

"Getting Fit. . . One Step at a Time"

Green smoothies are both nutritious and
delicious.  For an easy snack or meal:
combine 2 medium mangoes, 2 bananas and
1½ cups spinach and blend well. Add pure
water if smoothie is too thick.
------------------------------------------------------
Copyright. Hilton Johnson Productions, Inc.
www.healthcoachtraining.com
------------------------------------------------------

Quick Fix Raspberry Chicken

Our recipe party theme with quick fix.  I pulled out one of my Mother's quick fix recipe cook books and found this easy chicken recipe.  The instructions 

Raspberry Chicken

To broil 5-6 inches from the flame, place chicken directly in broiler pan without the rack --

1 2.5-3 lb. cut up broiler fryer chicken OR your favorite pieces of chicken (I used chicken tenders)
vegetable oil
1 10 oz. package frozen red raspberries (*quick-thaw pouch)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat broiler.  Brush chicken with oil.  Season with some salt and pepper.  Place chicken, skin side down or remove skin, on broiler rack.  Broil 5-6 inches from heat 20 minutes or until browned; turn.  Broil 10 minutes more.  Meanwhile, thaw raspberries; drain, reserving syrup. (*I couldn't find a package with juice so I used some raspberry jam and water as the syrup).   In saucepan blend syrup into cornstarch; stir in cinnamon.  Cook and stir until bubbly.  Stir in butter and lemon juice.  Gently stir in berries and nuts.  Serve with chicken.  Makes 4 servings.  

Huckleberry Shake in the Magic Bullet

My parents have a "Magic Bullet" that makes individual sized shakes and purees most anything. After our lunch today, my husband and Dad made Huckleberry Shakes for us.

Huckleberry Shakes
2 scoops of ice cream
enough milk to go 3/4 of the way up to top
Since we had huckleberry ice cream, they just added 1 tsp huckleberries. If you have vanilla, you'll want to add more.
2 tsp. sugar or sweetener of your choice

Mustikka Piirakka is Blueberry Pie Finnish Style

Oma means my own in Finnish.  This is one of those recipes my Mother had to make up when she came from Finland.  Blueberries are plentiful in August in Finland and grow well along the bushes nearby the also plentiful granite.  It's a wonderful thing to pick blueberries there. Well, it's not August and we didn't have blueberries on the ranch, but yet she craved that taste.  Here is her recipe. Again, I'm making this now because she was wishing she could make some.

Mustikka Piirakka

1 can Wyman's blueberries, with juice

1 reg. size cool whil carton full of frozen blueberries (or huckleberries)

1/3 c. potato starch, scant

1 c sugar

Put berries and sugar in a kettle and let them boil gently for 5-10 minutes.  Let it come to a boil.  In a little bit of cold water, dissolve potato starch.  Add to berries.  Stir well until thick.  let cool.  Spread this on pulla dough crust or another Finnish pie crust. 

Raijan Rahka Piirakka

1 T dry yeast

1/4 c. warm water

1 c. milk, scalded and cooled

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs, well beaten

4.5 - 5 c. flour

1/2 c. melted margarine

1 egg, for basting

cheese filling (see below)

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, salt, sugar and eggs. Add 2 cups flour to yeast mixture; beat until smooth. Add melted margarine, stirring to mix well. Add remaining flour gradually, beating to keep dough smooth. After added all the flour and the dough is stiff, cover and let rest 15 minutes. Knead until smooth. Place in lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubles (1 to 1.5 hours).

Pinch off balls of dough about 2 inches in diameter and place on a greased cookie sheet, leaving at least 3 inches in between the balls. Let raise until puffy, about 10 minutes, in a warm place. Flatten each ball of dough with fingers to about 3/8 inch thick. Let raise again until puffy, about 10 minutes; flatten centers of rounds, leaving edges slightly higher to hold in the filling. Brush with beaten egg and spoon 2 or 3 Tbs. of the filling into center of each round.

Bake in 375 degreen oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until filling is set and crust is golden brown. Cool and served plain or with a little red jam spread on top. (Sometimes I add a few raisins to the cheese filling before baking, as is customary in Finland.)

These freeze well. Thaw out and serve. You may also reheat in a 375 degree oven for 5 minutes.

Cheese filling:

2 eggs

1/3-1/2 c sugar

1/2 c sour cream

8 oz. package softened cream cheese,

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. lemon peel

In a small bowl with our electric beaters, combine the eggs, sugar, sour cream, cream cheese, lemon juice and lemon peel, beating until thick and smooth. Fills 20 to 24 buns.

These savory cheese buns originated in eastern Finland, but anymore they are available in even the smallest towns. usually can be found at the outdoor markets (toris).

OR you can use this other type of crust, her sister's recipe. 

Rahkapiirakka Crust

150 gr. voita 1 1/3 cubes butter
1 dl. sokeria 3/4 c sugar
1 kanamuna 1 egg
4 dl vehnäjauhoja 3 cups flour
1 tl. levinjauhetta 1 tsp. baking powder

Mix the ingredients above together and press it into a lightly sprayed round quiche pan, including up the sides, to form the crust. Now make the filling below.

Fruit and Cheese Sticks

This is such an easy appetizer for your kids to make for their own party. 

Fruit and Cheese Sticks

Ingredients:
cheese, cubed 
grapes 
toothpicks

Place a piece of cheese and a grape on a toothpick.

Show Off Salmon-in-a-Crust

Tonight's recipe party theme is "Show Off".  This came immediately to mind for me.  I've only made it a couple of times a few years ago, but my Mother used to serve this at ladies luncheons or a small group.  She was first served this on an official visit to Heinavesi by Ambrosius in a Russian Orthodox Monastery and started serving it when they returned home.  

Salmon-in-a-Crust

Lohipiirakka--Finland

Every Finnish hostess has her own version of this fish pie.

1.5 cans salmon 

2 T butter

1 T lemon  juice

2 T minced fresh parsley

4-5 T dried dill weed

salt and pepper to taste

1 t onion powder

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

3 hard-boiled eggs

1 egg, thoroughly beaten

lots of melted butter:)

Lemon wedges for garnish

Drain water off of salmon, open second can, just scoop out half of it.  In a small bowl, mix together with a fork:  salmon, lemon  juice, parsley, dill and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes.  

Cover a large ungreased baking sheet with parchment paper.  Or grease baking sheet; set aside.  Shape on end to resemble a fish tail, not less than 6 inches wide.  Arrange pastry on prepared baking sheet.  Cut pieces of dough scraps to represent fins; press in place.  Spread salmon, parsley mixture over pastry within 2 inches of the edge.  Drizzle with butter.  Now make a layerof  rice and drizzle with more butter and sprinkle more dill weed over it.  Next make a layer of chopped boiled eggs and again drizzle with butter and dill weed.  

Roll remaining half of dough to a 20" x 10" oval.  Moisten edges on bottom crust with water.  Arrange top crust over salmon layer.  Press top and bottom crust, shaping fins and tails.  Brush surface with beaten egg.  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut a hole where eye of fish should be.  Insert a small ball of dough to keep hole open.  With tips of scissors blades, cut top crust to simulate fish scales.  These also serve as air vents during baking.  Bake 35 minutes or until crust is lightly browned but still pale.  To serve, cut in crosswise slices.  Serve with melted butter, lemon wedges and Horseradish Mayonnaise.  Makes 8 servings.  

Cottage-Cheese Pastry

Rahkakuori--Finland

Use this lovely, flaky pastry for sweet or savory pies.

1 cup cold, firm butter

2 c all-purpose flour

1 small-curd cottage cheese

1-2 T ice water, if needed

In a large bowl, cut butter into flour until mixture is crumbly and pieces are about the size of peas.  Stir in cottage cheese until mixture forms a crumbly dough.  Knead lightly to shape into a ball, adding ice water a few drops at a time, if necessary.  Chill 30 minutes before rolling out. 

Keeps well in refrigerator if you'll use it within 2 days.  It freezes well, so make it ahead of time. 

Horseradish Mayonnaise

This is excellent with any cold fish.

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 cup mayonnaise

3 Tbsp. grated fresh horseradish

In a medium bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold in mayonnaise and horseradish until blended. Refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes for flavors to blend. Makes about 2 cups.

Beet Salad goes well with this.  Apple Juice is nice to serve as the drink.  Dessert could be lemon souffle. 

Beet Salad

Punajuuri Salatti

2 cans of whole beets

1 apple

1/2 tsp horseradish

Drain the beets and grate them.  Now peel the apple, remove the seeds and then grate it.  Add the horseradish and as you keep stirring it, tastes it and add until it has enough of a kick for you.  

A "Peary" Simple Dessert

My Mother used to serve us coarsely crushed graham crackers topped with real whipped cream and canned pears.  My kids have been asking for it, so tonight I made it for dessert. 

The funny thing is the boys had just come home from the neighbors where they had been playing and our youngest exclaimed, "I'm  not hungry for dinner.  I just ate about 50 (fresh) pears!"  He still ate a little bit of dinner and this pear dessert, but didn't quite have enough room for seconds.  

When we had a pear tree, we used to use fresh pears too.  Canned pears just let you serve this quick, simple, refreshing dessert anytime or any season. 

Sunday Dinner

It's so nice to have help with the Sunday meal by everyone in the family.  Today I had help with the Pork Roast and gravy by my hubby.  When I was eating it I suddenly realized it tasted so familar. It was!  He'd snuck onto our RS Blog to get the recipe used for Kahlua Pork. 

Dessert, fruit salad, veggies, and biscuits were made by our kids and I did the mashed potatoes.  Our guests set the table.  

Since it was "Fast Sunday", where we fast for 2 meals and give the money we would have used for those meals to the Bishop, who gives it to those who need it as a "Fast Offering".   I didn't want to make rolls, because of the smells, before church, so we tried Drop Biscuits. Here is the recipe we used.    

Drop Biscuits<-----click here to go to the link

2 cups All-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening
1 cup milk
Preparation:

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture is course. Add milk, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 1 dozen.

Our  youngest did a great job making his 1st fruit salad all by himself, as neither I nor Dad had much extra time to do much other than answer questions like, "Do we have more pears?" or "Can I add another banana?"  He was so proud of his combine fresh and canned salad of whatever we had on hand.  It was so worth the stickiness and peels on the table and floor:)

Fresh raspberry topped white cupcakes

Our son is the baker now and I asked him to make a quick dessert for Sunday dinner.  Although he has his own cookie recipe, it needed to be quick, so he choose a white cake mix and wanted to make frosting so I googled "butter powdered sugar frosting" 

and left him to make 
Creamy butter frosting recipe

http://southernfood.about.com/od/icingrecipes/r/bl30108o.htm

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound (3 1/2 cups) sifted confectioners sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk

Preparation:
Cream butter, salt, and vanilla, beating until light and fluffy. Add sugar gradually, beating after each addition. Add 3 tablespoons milk, beating until smooth. Beat in more milk until desired spreading consistency is reached. Makes about 2 1/3 cups of frosting, enough to frost tops and sides of of an 8-inch 2-layer cake or a 10-inch tube or bundt cake, or about 1 dozen cupcakes.

He made it with very little assistance before church.  His 2nd cousin who was visiting helped him while I made lunch.  He then frosted the cupcakes after church. He just came running  in from the back yard where he picked fresh raspberries to decorate them with. Here's a picture!