Spiritual Influences and Remembering a Friend.

August seemed to be a month where the spirits of San Juan County influenced my writing.  For example, the article I just wrote on Three Sisters Stew; research on Paiute and Ute foods began at the beginning of the month.  Just as I thought I had a handle on a particular item, something stayed my hand, and research began anew. 

After receiving a nice supply of yellow squash, it hit me that harvesting would be starting, and that got me thinking about The Three Sisters – corn, beans and squash.  Following the “yellow squash road”, my research led me to Three Sisters Stew, and I was able to tie it into the Paiute and Ute cultures.  To my surprise, the article came out the same week as the announcement and scheduling of the annual Ute Tribal Bear Dance down in White Mesa.  Yes, I believe the spirits of their ancestors influenced me, and you will be hard pressed to have me think otherwise.

Then I started researching formations, in Utah, that happened to be named after foods.  In San Juan County, we know about “Cheese and Raisins” (June 28, 2018 article), and the “Hamburger Rock” camp site near Canyonlands – Needles district, but how many know about the birthday cake?

…and this is where remembering a friend comes into play.  August 26, 2024, a dear woman, to many a person, passed away suddenly.  Amy Watkins Kensley was so much to so many; a friend, sister, mother, teacher, mentor, and simply an amazing woman.  Amy was teaching at Monument Valley’s Tse'Bii'Nidzisgai Elementary School; at first 4^th grade, and then eventually 3^rd grade.  In 2015, she and her adorable 4^th grade students helped me with local legends for a few of my travel blog articles.

Along Route 163 there are two formations which, with their help, I was able to discover the names of; "Coyote's Misstep" and "The Birthday Cake". 

 

The first formation is a simple red sandstone square, and here is the legend behind its name. Coyote one day caught his cousin, Badger, fooling around with his mate.  He chased him, up onto a ridge, but Badger was able to get away.  Coyote became so furious that he kicked at the earth below his feet so hard, he knocked a piece of the ridge miles out to what is now Route 163.

 

Now, when I wrote up this story, Amy read it to her class to make sure I got all the details right.  Their responses were, “Perfect!”, “Yee, she got it right!” and she said they were smiling so much from knowing that I had listened to them, and paid attention.  As a thank you, I sent them a 5-pound Hershey bar to be split up between them all; and that caused even more smiles.

The second formation, however, doesn’t have much of a story. The "cake" is named by locals simply because it does look like a square tiered birthday cake. It definitely is what it is.  …and then it happened.

I was asked, alright, begged, by, the teenage daughter, of another friend, to bake her a birthday cake for her party.  I hemmed and hawed, I was not a good baker, how could I do this and not embarrass myself, or poison anyone!?!  But the insistence was pushed and I caved.

She wanted something unique, not the typical, and boring, sheet cake, but something to “blow the mind”.  The cake and frosting were scratch made, and it actually gave me nightmares for several nights in a row.  I plotzed over screwing it all up, but everyone seemed to enjoy it, so I must have done well. 

 

The cake was huge, and compared to one of the Red Rock formations in our area; great, since I had “The Birthday Cake” formation in mind.  It consisted of three tiers, two single layers and one double layer; chocolate pudding sat in the middle of the bottom double layer and single middle layer; a layer of mini-marshmallows sat between the middle and top layers.  There were two types of frosting, first a vanilla buttercream, and after refrigerating the cake, I covered it with a vanilla whipped cream frosting.  Sprinkled cocoa powder over the tops and sides; a sprinkle of chopped Andes candies and a few Oreo cream cookies finished off the topping.

 

So, spirits of San Juan County, thank you for influencing my writing during the month of August, especially in remembering my dear friend, Amy Watkins Kensley, who I miss very, very much.

Here are the basic cake and frosting recipes.

Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

Cake Batter:

1 ½ cups flour

3 Tbsp. baking cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. chocolate syrup

¾ cup milk

¾ cup melted butter

2 eggs

Frosting:

12 Tbsp. butter, softened

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

½ cup baking cocoa powder (for dark-chocolate frosting) or vanilla powder (for white-vanilla frosting)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 Tbsp. room temperature milk

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Cut out two circles of parchment paper that fit within two 8” cake pans; spray cake pans with nonstick baking spray; line bottom with paper circles.

In a large bowl, sift flour and mix in cocoa, baking powder and sugar.  In second bowl, beat together syrup, milk, butter and eggs; do not get mixture frothy by over beating.  Pour wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients; mix on medium speed till smooth.  Pour half of batter into each cake pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes; until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out cleanly.  Let cakes cool before flipping out of pans; remove parchment paper before frosting cakes.

While cakes are baking, make the frosting; cream together the butter and sugar; add cocoa, vanilla extract and milk; mix until smooth, but do not over mix.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to firm up; frost cakes after they have cooled.  There will be enough frosting to frost the tops and sides of both cakes; stack cakes on top of one another; total height should be about 3 inches with frosting.

Makes 12 servings.

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

 

Traditional British Pub Food.

See that title, well, it’s not 100% correct.  When it comes to the word “traditional”, it’s geared towards the foods that are well known for that part of the United Kingdom.  Also, it has to be taken into account that other countries influenced each other.  Those, in England, did not stay put, as could be said for Scotland, Ireland and Wales, with a smattering of isles here and there.

Oh, and don’t forget all the invaders from Northern Europe (those Vikings were a randy bunch), and the Romans that marched through (the originators of the One World Order ideal).

When I write about British recipes, they are the typical ones I have seen depicted in television shows, movies, or written in one of my favorite genres, British mysteries.  I have already shared a few, San Juan Record, July 03, 2018 – The Cornish Pasty; June 26, 2024 – English Style Fish and Chips; and March 19, 2025 – The Ploughman’s Lunch.  When it comes to Shepherd’s Pie though, do a search on my food blog and you will find recipes that use the traditional ground lamb, and the not so traditional ground beef, elk, venison and alpaca.  Remember though, when I say “British”, it also refers to the influences from the surrounding countries of the United Kingdom.

So, if my kitchen was a typical pub kitchen, what would be on the menu?  Besides what I mentioned above, there would be: Bangers and Mash, Bubble and Squeak, Toad in the Hole, Yorkshire Pudding, and variations of Shepherd’s Pie, one featuring chicken.  Reading the first three recipe names, I bet you are wondering if I am cooking up food, or creating a weird new comic series. Yes, they are actual names of recipes which I will share with you.  By the way, the main meat ingredient for those three recipes is sausages; oh, those Brits just love their sausages.

 

Bangers and Mash

Bangers and mash is a traditional dish consisting of sausages and mashed potato. The dish is usually served with onion gravy, but may also include fried onions and peas.

 

 

 

 

Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and squeak is a dish made from cooked potatoes and cabbage, mixed together and fried.  Since cabbage contains a lot of water, it tends to make "bubbly" and squeaking noises as it wilts and cooks.

If, after making the first two recipes, you happen to have loads of mashed potatoes and chopped cabbage available, how about going Irish?  Colcannon, aka Irish Mashed Potatoes, is an Irish mashed potato recipe made with greens (cabbage, kale or mustard greens), scallions, and plenty of butter and cream.

 

 

 

Toad-in-the-Hole

 Toad in the hole is a traditional dish consisting of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter, usually served with onion gravy and vegetables. Historically, the dish has also been prepared using other meats, such as rump steak and lamb's kidneys.

 

 

 

Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding is a baked pudding (more a bread than a dessert pudding) made from a batter of eggs, flour, and milk, traditionally served with roast beef or as part of a roast dinner in British cuisine. It's known for its puffy, crispy exterior and soft, slightly doughy interior. The batter is similar to pancake batter but thicker, and it's often cooked in hot fat, traditionally beef drippings, which contributes to its savory flavor. 

 

Yes, I have a traditional Yorkshire Pudding baking tin which consists of 6 cups/compartments, that are not attached like a typical muffin tin pan.  Metal rods hold each cup separate from each other.  They are deeper than muffin tins, so the puddings can rise up higher, crispier on the outside, and fluffier, yet still doughy, on the inside.

 

 

 

Shepherd's Pie/Cottage Pie

Cottage pie is a meat pie, traditionally made with ground beef, vegetables, and gravy, topped with mashed potatoes. In the USA, cheddar cheese is often mixed into the mashed potatoes.  While the terms cottage pie and shepherd's pie are often used interchangeably, shepherd's pie is traditionally made with ground lamb or mutton, and parmesan cheese is mixed into the mashed potatoes.

 

Traditional Shepherd’s Pie/Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

The Filling:

2 ½ lbs. ground lamb or beef (depending on which pie is being made)

1 large onion, diced

1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms, diced

2 Tbsp. tomato sauce or ketchup

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 (16 oz.) bag frozen peas and carrots

1 Tbsp. each crushed dry thyme and marjoram

1 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. flour

1 cup beef stock

The Topping:

6 large potatoes, peeled and cut up

4 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup milk

6 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Paprika

Preparation:

In a large skillet, high heat, brown the meat and drain excess oil.  Add the onion and mushrooms, letting cook till the onion softens.  Add tomato and Worcester sauces, frozen vegetables, herbs, pepper, flour and beef stock; mix thoroughly and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.

While meat mixture is simmering, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.  Drain and mash the potatoes, add butter, milk, grated cheese and pepper to the potatoes.

Preheat oven to 375F.  In a 3-quart rectangular baking dish, spread 1/2 potatoes on bottom of baking dish; spread out the meat mixture; top with the other 1/2 of potatoes; sprinkle paprika over top.  Bake for 30-40minutes; potatoes should be lightly browned, and the pie heated throughout.

Makes 8 – 10 servings.  

When it comes to pure comfort food, this mixture of baked potatoes, meat and vegetables is definitely a must have. 

Creating the chicken cottage pie, cooked and chopped chicken breasts were used, instead of beef.  Whole kernel corn was added to the vegetables, instead of mushrooms.  Instead of tomato sauce or ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, I used 1 (10.5 oz.) can of cream of chicken soup, plus ½ cup milk for an extra creamy sauce.  When it comes to shepherd’s pie/cottage pie, not everyone eats a red meat of some type, so chicken is a great substitute.

There are so many cookbooks geared towards English pub foods, and if you’re wanting to purchase one, I say go for the older editions.  They have the more traditional recipes listed, instead of being updated to more modern trends and fads.  "Pip pip, cheerio, and all that rot!"

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewing Japanese Desserts.

It has been a long while since I have attempted a book review of any type.  Usually, if interested in a book of any genre, I will read the reviews already written.  Depending on the amount, most either regurgitate reviews from the back of the book, or simply say, “I liked it.”, or “I did not like, or even finish it.”  Typically, depending on my own personal conclusion, it will get one to five stars on Goodreads or Amazon as I have nothing new to add to the many reviews already written.

 

So, bear with me as I review Sweet and Easy Japanese Desserts by Laure Kie.  In past articles I have written often of Japanese foods, and a sweet treat named mochi.  This baking book gives step by step instructions to create, not only mochi, but matcha, sweet buns, the doughs to create these, and delicate cakes that melt in the mouth.  The photography is clear and detailed, with many recipes depicted in step-by-step photos. 

When looking for a baking book related to Japan, I found that many used measurements in the metric system only.  In this book, both systems of metric and imperial are given in each recipe, and there are conversion charts in the back pages.  For those of us who know the term “metric”, but not “imperial”; the International System of Units or SI (the modern form of the metric system), the British imperial system, and a third one popped up in my research, American “customary”, but it looks the same as “imperial”.

In the beginning, there are sections on fillings, flours, utensils and even how to wrap the desserts for gifting.  When it comes to fillings, red bean paste and green tea matcha are popular names you might have heard.  Since we live here in the southwest, and read “red bean”, you might automatically presume it is the same type of beans we have in this area, namely kidney or pinto.  The Japanese use a red bean named adzuki, aka red mung bean, which primarily grows in Asian countries.  The dried beans are soaked in water for twelve hours, drained and covered in fresh cold water, then boiled for two hours until very soft.  The beans are cooled and crushed into a paste; smooth or chunky depending on the dessert that is to be created. 

Now many of us have used dried beans to create soups, stews or side dishes using the soak, drain and cook method, but on desserts?  The bean paste is combined with sugar; oh, yellow mung beans and white beans, called shirohana can be used for paste making also.  Do not fret, if the authentic Asian varieties cannot be found, local varieties of your area work just as well.  Yes, but how does sweetened bean paste taste?  Personally speaking, it was unusual at first; a unique flavor that kept getting better, especially combined with whatever outer layer contained it.  That is where the different flours come in, and whether a cookie, cake, or bun have been created.

Now this is supposed to be a book review, but here I am going on about making bean paste.  Guess what, I believe the review is working out well, as I am showing you how excited the descriptions and photos can make the reader.  Basically, if I was showing you the book, in person, it would be, “Look, look at this photo, I want to eat some of that right now!”, “Oh, and look at the recipe, that is so easy!”.  In essence, whether a novel or a cookbook, if it gets the reader excited, it must be doing something right.

…and here I go again with some excitement, I just found the recipe, page 84, for Japanese Cheesecake.  This cheesecake is not the typical dense variety that has to cool overnight, and you hope the top does not crack.  It is a light, airy, sponge-like variety obtained by mixing in whipped egg whites, and is also called "jiggly cake" due to its tendency to wobble or jiggle when touched.  It is not super sweet and simply melts in the mouth; great accompaniments are whipped cream and fresh fruit on the side.  For those of you who might be Pokémon fans, the character Jigglypuff is not named after this cheesecake.  His name, in Japanese, is actually Purin which translated to custard pudding; still a dessert, but not cheesecake.

Recipe sharing in this article?  Oh no, instead, if you are truly curious and want to delve into the realm of Japanese baking, buy this book.  Careful though, you may become so addicted to all the new sweets and treats, that your usual snickerdoodles will not taste as good any longer.

Mary Cokenour 

More to S’mores.

Did you ever read one of those survey questions that asked, “How old were you when you found out about ______?”  Well, here’s one for me, “How old were you when you had your first s’mores?” I was 52 years old and at a cook out at a friend’s home.  After the main meal, they called the children together and said, “OK kids, time to make s’mores!”, and I had to ask what they were.   Oh, I can feel eyes going wide, confusion on the face, and, “She’s never had s’more before!?!”, and that answer is “No”.

With summer almost here, camping and barbecuing will be in full swing, and it seems that s’mores is a big deal west of the Mississippi.  Any stores selling food products already have a display of boxes of graham crackers, bags of large marshmallows, and packs of Hersey milk chocolate bars.  Oh, and here a rant from me; I remember when those Hersey bars were sold in packs of six, and now they are only in packs of four!  Outrageous!!!

Origin of the s’more seems to have begun on the east coast, but not exactly how it looks right now.  I remember, when we had overnights at camp, the only things we roasted over the campfire were hot dogs and large marshmallow on sticks we collected from trees.  The combination of graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate came in a yellow package, sold in the cookie aisle, and were called “Mallomars”.  Family Dollar sells a similar cookie, “Eatz Fudge Marshmallow Chocolate Cookies”, that name long enough for you?  Anyway, the cookie has a graham cracker round, marshmallow on top, and the entire cookie is drenched in chocolate.  Sounds like what you all probably know as s’mores, right?

Another product that is similar to s’mores is the “moon pie”.  Moon Pies originated in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1917 at the Chattanooga Bakery. The story goes that a traveling salesman, Earl Mitchell, was inspired to create the snack after talking with Kentucky coal miners who wanted a large, filling treat for their lunch breaks. The miners suggested the snack be "as big as the moon," leading to the moon pie's name and size; and is still a popular treat in the south.

Ah, but who invented the s’mores that is popular around campfires?  In 1927, girl scout leader Loretta Scott Crew, was given credit for creating the recipe, for her troop.  She gave it the name “Some More”, and published the recipe in the Girl Scout handbook, “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts”.  The recipe retained its name for about 50 years before it was reduced to “s’mores”.  According to Colorado State University, the recipe name, either version, signifies that, after eating one, there is a strong desire for another.  Sounds a bit like Oliver Twist, “Please, sir, I want some more.”.

 

Now I am going to go one better on the simplistic s’more, and offer up a recipe for a complete dessert, S’mores Brownies.  These brownies can be created entirely from scratch, or semi-homemade using a fudge brownie mix.  Personally, I cheat and go the semi-homemade route, using the directions for cake-like brownies.  Even though the box states, for high altitude, “no change”, I still add three tablespoons of flour, or the center remains too gooey and sinks.  If you prefer, and have a fabulous homemade brownie recipe, then use it!

 

S’mores Brownies

(semi-homemade recipe for cake-like brownies)

Ingredients:

 1 (16.3 oz.) box of Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix

2 Tbsp. water

½ cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

Optional and for high altitude, add 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

9 graham crackers; four of the crackers should be broken up into dime-size pieces.

2 cups mini-marshmallow

3 (1.55 oz.) bars of Hershey Milk Chocolate, each small piece broken into halves

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly spray a 9”x9” baking pan with nonstick spray, then place 1-8”x12” piece of parchment paper long-ways across pan, turn pan and place a second piece of parchment long-ways again.  Crease paper along bottom edges of the pan; this will make removing the brownies much simpler, and help keep them from falling apart when moving to a platter. 

 

At the bottom of the pan, lay out five graham crackers, breaking pieces off to make them fit side by side, and cover the bottom.  Mix together brownie mix, water, oil, eggs, and extra flour if needed, and pour over the graham crackers, making sure to spread out evenly and smoothly. Place pan in oven and bake for 32 minutes, remove and set on towel or hot pad.

 

After 32 minutes, 350F.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On top of the, not completely baked, brownies, spread out the broken-up graham crackers.  Next, spread the mini-marshmallows, and last, but not least, spread out the broken-up Hershey bars.  Place back into the oven for another five minutes; the chocolate will get melty, and the marshmallows will begin to spread a bit, and slightly brown.

 

 

Remove pan from oven and let brownies cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan.  Carefully lift by the edges of the parchment paper and set onto a platter; carefully, using a long spatula, lift each side of the brownies and remove the paper.  To cut the brownies, use a very sharp knife as the graham cracker crust is still crispy; it does not soften up from the batter’s moisture.

 

Servings are 12 to 15, depending on how large they are cut.

 

Make it a complete dessert with ice cream and maraschino cherries.

There you have it, more to s’mores than you knew before.  Enjoy the sweet pleasure.

Mary Cokenour 

Easy Creamy Smothered Baked Tasty Casserole

In the past weeks I have seen, repeatedly, posted a recipe for Pork Chop and Potato Casserole featuring Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup.  Usually, it is a photo of the completed dish with ingredients listed, just the names, not the amounts, and “Click on this link for full recipe”.  Clink on the link and you are taken to a cooking blog, or a Facebook page, that will not give the full recipe unless you become a follower.  While I would love to see folks click “Become a Follower” on my own food blog, I do not keep the recipes as secretive as a government agency.

Not everyone wants to join a blog, or page, just to access one recipe, and nowadays it is just easier to do a search, and find it printed elsewhere, intact with full ingredient list and directions. That is exactly what I did do, a search and read many a recipe describing the writer’s take on what the recipe should entail.  While many a recipe was quite simple to accomplish, some were so complicated, it went from comfort food to Michelin star status.  Well, my blog is about adventures in creating and enjoying comfort food, so that is the path I chose to create a dish of my own.  Also, while many a recipe had the same name, many others used a more descriptive word in the beginning, usually “easy”, “creamy”, “smothered”, “baked”, or “tasty”.; hence this article’s title.

The combination of pork with potatoes goes back centuries, to every country, and its culture, that had the two food products available.  Putting them both, into one pot, was merely a way to save time in the cooking process while other chores could be finished up.  Those working outside the home environment could come back to a hearty meal, spend quality family time, before heading off to bed.

So, how did cream of mushroom soup come into the mix?  Recipes for mushroom soups were made popular during the 16^th century, mainly in France and Italy, for the royals and rich.  It was 1934 that the American company, Campbell’s put out a canned version of a creamed soup.  Open the can, put contents in a pot, add milk, heat and enjoy a bowl of smooth, filling, comfort food.  Campbell’s went further in enticing housewives to buy their products by putting easy-to-make recipes on the labels.  However, the recipe for the pork chop and potato casserole was not one of their creations.  In fact, the only origin found was references to being influenced by French and Italian cuisines that used a smooth mushroom sauce that “smothered” the pork, and “scalloped” the potatoes at the same time, in one pan.  So, who did it first?  Ask anyone, and you will probably hear it was Grandma So-and-So, or Great Grandma What’s-Her-Name; and that Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup was the base for the sauce.

When it comes to the pork chops, bone-in or boneless, can be used, but cooking times must be adjusted, since bone-in takes longer to cook thoroughly.  Depending on the thickness of the chops, brining or soaking overnight in milk, will help loosen up the meat’s fibers.  Trimming away as much outside fat as possible ensures the sauce will not become greasy.  A little fat running through the chops will melt away during the searing process, so no need to add a fat to the pan.  Personally, I prefer using the boneless chops that about ¼-inch thick as they need no brining or soaking; they are thin enough to absorb the flavors and moisture of sauces.

Potatoes used can be any type, from the buttery golden to the hearty russet; and cuts can be thinly sliced, cubed or chopped.  However, the cut of the potato should be one that goes well with the chops being used.  A thinly sliced potato will bake up much faster than a thick, bone-in chop, so you will end up with mushy or burned potatoes before the chops are done.  You want the pork chops and potatoes to cook evenly, together.

After reading many a recipe, I came up with my own which pairs chopped potatoes, sliced mushrooms and boneless pork chops together.  It is a simple ingredient list, easy directions, and the end result is a “easy creamy smothered baked tasty casserole”.  That title is too long, so I simply call the recipe Pork Chops, Mushrooms and Potato Casserole.  Enjoy!

 

Pork Chops, Mushrooms and Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

8 boneless pork chops, ¼-inch thick

2 Tbsp. oil (optional – use if skillet is not nonstick)

5 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped (1-inch pieces)

1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (2 oz.) packet onion soup mix

2 and ½ cups 2% milk

1 cup (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms, canned or fresh

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400F, spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick buttery spray.

 

Trim outside fat from pork chops; heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; sear both sides of chops, two minutes per side; remove from skillet and set aside.  If using a skillet that is not nonstick, then heat the oil before searing. 

 

 

 

 If not already done, peel potatoes and cut into one-inch pieces; cubes, triangles or mix of both shapes.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together creamed soup, soup mix and milk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In baking dish, spread out potatoes, cover potatoes with pork chops leaving space between chops, spread mushrooms over chops.  Pour soup mixture over all.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake additional 20 minutes.  Chops will be cooked thoroughly, potatoes and mushrooms softened with a smooth, bubbling sauce.

 

Makes 6-8 servings depending on size of chops.

 

Note: The creamed soup and soup mix have salt, so that is why I did not add any.  There are also low sodium brands available, if you want even lesser salt.

Mary Cokenour