Time to Plan the Holiday Sweets.

It is December 1^st as I am writing this and, being the ultimate holiday month, time to plan out what sweets to make for sharing.  Correct, for sharing.  Each year I endeavor to make enough treats to give out to those who have provided services throughout the year.  There are also the folks that Roy and I have friendly relationships with, and want to show our appreciation for having them in our lives. 

So, I will be giving you recipes for two treats that may, or may not, make the giving list this year.  All depends on my mood; the effort is always worth it though.

“Shoo, fly, don't bother me,

Shoo, fly, don't bother me,

Shoo, fly, don't bother me,

For I belong to somebody.”

This song has two origin stories, first sung by Civil War soldiers during the 1860s; secondly in 1898 by soldiers during the Spanish American War.  Both related to the swarm of flies and mosquitoes during the hot, humid summer months.  The two versions, which happened to include the “N” word, were eventually tamed down throughout the 1900s and became, oh you guessed it, a nursery rhyme.

In Pennsylvania Dutch cooking, there is a pie that would put anyone in a diabetic coma; that pie is called "Shoo Fly".  The name originates from the bakers having to "shoo" flies away from the pie, since the little buggers were very attracted to the molasses and sugar that are the two main ingredients.  "Shoo Fly" is a dense, sticky pie; extremely sweet and definitely an acquired taste.  It is best served warm with a scoop of ice cream, usually vanilla, on the side; strangely enough, the ice cream mellows out the pie's sweetness.  I did make this for a holiday party once, and it was said to be similar to pecan pie, but without the pecans, and much gooier and sweeter.

 

Shoo Fly Pie

Ingredients:

Filling

1 and ½ cups molasses

1 and ½ cups warm water

1and ½ tsp. baking soda

Topping

4 cups flour, sifted

2 cups sugar

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter, melted

2 (9 inch) deep dish pie crusts

Preparation:

On low heat, in a deep saucepan, cook together the molasses and water for 10 minutes; do not let the liquid boil.

While liquid is warming, preheat oven to 375F; cover center rack with aluminum foil in case of dripping (and it usually does). In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar and melted butter to form loose crumbs.

Add the baking soda to the liquid mixture; it will become frothy; stir well to dissolve all the baking soda. Divide the liquid between the 2 pie crusts; divide the topping between the two, slightly pressing some of the crumbs into the liquid. Bake for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350F and finish cooking pies for 35 minutes; let pies cool slightly before serving.

Serving suggestion: while still warm, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

 

Makes 8 servings.

While we did have a bit of snow for the Thanksgiving holiday, snow for the December holidays is purely magical. Anyone who lives in an area that has snowfall has, at one time or another, did the classic stick out the tongue and try to catch snowflakes on it. Come on now, you know you have, especially when you were a child, and I bet you still try it out as an adult. What about making a snowball and putting it in the freezer? Then when summertime came, you looked for it planning to surprise someone when they get hit with it?

When it comes to "eating" snow, the first thing you might think about is the snow cone; shaved or pulverized ice with flavoring poured over it and served in a paper cone. There is a particular type of "cookie" though that you can place in your mouth and let it melt into sugary goodness; or you can mash it up to use as a topping and it will resemble snow. That cookie is called a meringue; made mostly from egg whites and sugar, then baked in the oven at a very low temperature before letting it finish off as the oven cools. Meringue cookies can be made in a vast variety of color and flavor combinations; eaten as is, used as a garnish, even tweaked into a cake called a "Pavlova" which is then topped with whipped cream and fresh berries.

If you are worried about the amount of sugar needed to make meringue cookies, do not fret! The Splenda brand of sugar substitute and the natural herb Stevia can be used instead; while one cup of Splenda equals one cup of sugar, only one teaspoon of Stevia equals one cup of sugar. You will also have to use a higher temperature for the baking part of the recipe; basically, it is 225F for sugar, 300F for Splenda and 350F for Stevia.

 

Meringue Cookies

This is going to be a basic recipe for vanilla meringues; you can make different flavored meringues by substituting other flavored extracts for the vanilla. If you want chocolate meringues, add a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder; also add one cup of mini chocolate chips for a double chocolate experience.   To make colored meringues, use drops of food coloring; for example, a few drops of red for pink meringues, but add strawberry extract for that extra flavor boost.   When adding items such as mini chips or shredded coconut, gently fold into the stiffened egg whites so as to not “break” them.

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 225°F.

Beat egg whites in large, clean, metal bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until frothy; add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium-high; add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form.

Drop by rounded teaspoons about 1-inch apart onto two large baking sheets sprayed with nonstick baking spray; or use a piping bag with decorative tip to form cookies as they are piped onto the baking sheets.

Bake both sheets of meringues for 45 minutes; turn oven off. Leave meringues in the oven for one hour, or until completely cooled. Amount will depend on size of meringues being made; typically, 6 dozen if dropping by teaspoon full.

There you have it, two recipes for holiday sweets, that you may not have heard of, or even tried to make yourself.  Now you have no excuses.

Mary Cokenour

The Beef on the Battle of Waterloo.

Happy New Year 2024!  As usual, our celebration was quiet, sort of.  We indulged in take-out from Ja-Roen Thai and Sushi; their Ja-Roen Roll is quite addicting.  While Roy was at work, wishing good cheer to travelers passing through Monticello, our neighbors put on a fireworks display at midnight.  By quarter after midnight, all was quiet, so hunkering down for a relaxing sleep was the last of the New Year’s Eve to-do list.

During the weeks before the Christmas holiday, much baking and cooking was done by yours truly.  Besides the yearly treats given out, prepping and planning went into meals, not just for ourselves, but for Roy’s mother and brother down in Moab.  So, that week between Christmas and New Year’s was definitely one of limbo.  I rightly cannot say what I did, overall, during that week.  I know I had intentions, one being writing, but as I stared at the computer screen, the photos and words refused to come into focus.  It was not so much a case of writer’s block, but one of “writer’s brain vacation”.

Ah, but now it is the New Year, the bullet train of holidays is at the depot for maintenance.  The coming months will still have a holiday, or two, but none that will make us go into hyperdrive; we hope.  What did I create for the Christmas holiday of 2023?  By request, from Roy, he wondered if I would make a dish, one he had only once before, but remembered well.  That dish was Beef Wellington sans the liver pate, but stuffed with a rich mixture of mushrooms and red onions.  Recipe history time!

 

Beef Wellington and Potatoes Au Gratin

 

In Britain, the development of Beef Wellington is attributed to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, whose army helped to defeat Napoleon Bonaparte, at the Battle of Waterloo (1815).  However, the encasing of some type of meat within a dough was a technique used in France, England, and even in Poland, for centuries before hand.  Culinary historians think that the dish was named, actually, after a style of boot that the 1^st Duke wore, coincidentally named the “Wellington boot”.  Why?  Supposedly the structure of the meat within the dough, once baked, resembled the boot, and was served during the celebration of Napoleon’s humiliating defeat.  I guess this could be equated to Britian “stepping on the little guy and showing him who’s boss”.

Traditionally, the recipe for Beef Wellington comes from France.  It consists of a beef tenderloin wrapped in layers of pâté (goose liver), duxelles (finely chopped mixture of mushrooms), Parma ham (aka prosciutto), wrapped in puff pastry, then baked.  The tenderloin is typically about 1 and ½ lbs. and kept cold before wrapped in its layers and baked.  After baking for one hour, the meat is extremely rare and dripping with flavorful juices.  However, the meat can be seen as equivalent to raw, with the additional liquid from the pate and mushrooms creating a soggy texture within.  Though it looks impressive, this type of dish takes a lot of prep work if you want it to come out correctly.  Discouraged?  Do not give up before even trying!  Remember, this is a new year, and for those who like to cook, and especially try new recipes, make this your year of bravery.  What is bravery?  Being scared of doing something, but doing it anyway!  So, the new motto for 2024 is, “Be brave and do it anyway!”

Now, in our household, goose liver, or any type of liver, will not be on our menu; and we are not huge fans of ham either.  Therefore, my recipe for Beef Wellington will be just that, the way I do it, but that does not mean you cannot give the original recipe a try.  For the mushrooms, typically only white, brown or Portobello can be found, and all of them work well for this dish.  Using fancy mushrooms, like Chanterelles, can be pricey, and once diced up, well no one will be able to tell the difference between them, and a cheaper white mushroom.  For the beef, look for a lean cut, but do not allow it to break your bank; while a beautiful eye round roast could be $10/lb., a London broil, at half the price, works very well.  Also, in the original recipe, the roast is covered, raw, in layers of pate, mushrooms and ham before being encased in the puff pastry.  With my technique, the meat is butterflied open with the mushroom/onion filling rolled within the meat itself.  Once completed, and cut into slices, it still becomes a pretty presentation on the plate.

 

Gravy draped over.

Sitting atop gravy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beef Wellington

 

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. butter

1 large red onion, diced

½ lb. mushrooms, diced

¼ cup beef broth

2 lb. London broil (trim off as much fat as possible, the leaner the better)

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. crushed, dried thyme leaves

1 sheet thawed puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm brand recommended)

1 egg, beaten

Preparation:

 

In a medium sized skillet, on low heat, melt butter into oil; sauté mushrooms and onion for 20 minutes.  Raise heat to high, add broth and allow to cook down for 7-10 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut the London broil lengthwise, through the center, but not all the way through, leave about ½ inch on long side, and open up (this is butterflying open the meat).  With a meat mallet, pound out the meat to about ¼ inch thickness.  Mix together salt, black pepper and thyme, sprinkle over interior of the meat.  The mushroom/onion mixture should be cool enough to handle, spread evenly over the meat, leaving ½ inch clean around the edges.  Carefully begin to roll the meat, stuffing back any filling that might come out the sides.  Seam side up, wrap tightly in aluminum foil and place inside refrigerator for 2 hours.

 

Preheat oven to 425F.  In a large skillet, high heat, seam side down, brown meat; rotate till all meat has been browned.  Rewrap into aluminum foil, place inside pan and roast for 50-60 minutes, or internal temperature reads “Rare”.  Remove from oven and let rest; keep oven on.

 

 

 

 

While meat is resting, sprinkle flour on board, or clean counter top, and roll out puff pastry to double its original size.  Remove meat from foil, and place in center of pastry. Brush edges with beaten egg and fold pastry over long sides first from top of pastry to bottom.  Take one end of pastry, drape over meat and rest of remaining pastry.  Take other end of pastry and fold over both remaining pastry and already covered meat.  Tuck seam under the entire roll, and place inside baking pan.  If desired, indent pastry with a design, being careful not to cut all the way through the dough.  Bake 20-25 minutes, or until puff pastry is golden brown.

Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes to allow juices to redistribute inside the meat.  Cut one inch slice per serving.

Makes 10-12 servings, dependent on how long butterflied meat was pounded out to.

The directions might read a little confusing, especially wrapping the meat inside the pastry.  If you have ever made burritos, it is similar to this procedure.  As I stated before though, make 2024 the year of being brave, and no matter how difficult a recipe might read, try it anyway!

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Bake Cookies Day.

December 18^th is Bake Cookies Day according to Good Housekeeping.  On May 2, 1885, Clark W. Bryan, of Holyoke, Massachusetts, founded Good Housekeeping as a bi-weekly magazine; and became a monthly publication in 1891.  Good Housekeeping has been the go-to magazine for American women, providing information on trends, real-life and fiction stories, advice, recipes and product recommendations.  So, if they say that there is a day dedicated to baking cookies, who is going to argue with that?

Pizzelle, also known as Italian Waffle cookies, can trace their origin back to 9^th century Rome.  They are a popular cookie around Christmas time, with a snowflake design on one side; sometimes a second design on the reverse side.  Simple ingredients of sugar, eggs, flour, and butter, or oil, are used; personally, I believe using butter gives the cookies a better flavor and texture.  Flavorings are generally vanilla, anise, lemon, caramel or chocolate.  As with Black and White Cookies (a May 2018 article in the San Juan Record), a pizzella (singular) can have a combination of half vanilla, half chocolate. You can always be daring and add mint extract to the chocolate batter or finely crushed hazelnut meal to the flour. Think of this as using a basic cookie dough, or in this case, batter, recipe and adding your imagination.

Depending on the variations in ingredient amounts, and cooking times on the pizzelle press, the cookies can be either hard and crisp or soft and chewy. They are seen often at Italian weddings, rolled into a cone and filled with cannoli cream (ricotta cheese mixed with sugar). As a sandwich cookie, a filling of cannoli cream or hazelnut spread can be smeared between two cookies. However, the hard and crisp variety is too delicate to withstand a layer of firm ice cream for a sandwich; but is delicious as a crushed topping instead.  Although, a thicker made pizzella is exactly what is used to make those waffle cones you get at the local ice cream shoppes.

The average price, for a pizzelle press, is $50 and can create 2-4 pizzelle, depending on the size in diameter being "baked". There is also a variety of designs that can be pressed upon the batter; the most popular being a snowflake or star.  If you are not inclined to buy a press and make your own pizzelle; the cookies are usually available in the bakery section of major supermarkets; or online stores.

A serving of six (4 inch) cookies is about 140 calories, containing 6 grams of fat and 19 grams of carbohydrates. Pair this with fresh fruit and it makes an excellent meal in itself.  If this does not entice you, then I am clueless as to what will.  Enjoy!

Basic Vanilla Pizzelle

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

Preparation:

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until fluffy and a yellow color. Make sure the butter has cooled to room temperature before adding into the egg mixture; this will keep the eggs from curdling. Add the vanilla extract; do not over mix.

Sift together the flour and baking powder and gently fold into the wet ingredients until well incorporated.

Follow the instructions on the pizzelle press for batter measurements and proper cooking time. When done, remove to a wire rack for cooling.

Makes 2-3 dozen depending on size made.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

Redo a “Holiday” Classic

Holiday time is coming upon us and soon we will be seeing the television commercials that try and define the season for us. Unfortunately the holiday season has become very commercialized, so the original true messages of the season may not get through to many.   No lecturing this time from me, as I believe the dramatics of 2020 are bringing back much of the true meanings.

What I would like to address though is a holiday classic recipe, the Green Bean Casserole.   With my family, or most people I knew, this was not ever served for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day.   Why is it considered a “holiday classic”?  We never really see any commercials for it from Campbell's or French's until the holiday season, so it is, to me, a classic recipe because these companies say so.

The origin of the recipe came from the Campbell’s Soup Company, located in Camden, New Jersey, in 1955.  Home economist, Dorcas Reilly worked in the test kitchen, and Campbell’s needed a new idea to promote their Cream of Mushroom Soup.  Now this product had been around since 1934, but was mainly used as a filler.  It was so popular with Minnesota potluck casseroles, it was nicknamed “Lutheran Binder”.

During an interview, Ms. Reilly stated that she did not truly know how she came up with the recipe; it was mostly trial and error.  However, adding green beans to the soup mixture created an unappetizing color.   Reilly determined that fried onions on top were an easy way to add texture and color to the grey-green dish.  The fried onions also added a touch of “festive flair”, and festive meant the holiday season.

My hubby and his family, along with the Watkins family, like this dish, so I make it for them whenever I feel like it, not just because a holiday dictates it.  I was a good girl and prepared the dish using the Campbell's recipe verbatim.  Nope, did not play with it at all, the first time I made it.

Here is the original recipe from the Campbell's Kitchen website: 

Classic Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or Healthy Request®)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

Directions:

Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining onions.

Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

Serves 6

 By now, my readers know I often do not stick to recipes; I need to play!

Here is my version of the recipe and my hubby says it is better than the original by far.  It has a headier flavor from the Worcestershire, is creamier and just has an overall better flavor.  The French fried onions are crispier, since they are entirely on top of the casserole, not mixed inside and getting soggy.  Seconds are always gone after, and leftovers are slim to none.  Try my version and judge for yourself, but it is perfectly fine if you still prefer the original.

 

Green Bean Casserole
(An old classic redone)

Ingredients: 

2 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion diced
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms
3 (14.5 oz) cans French style green beans, drained
2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. each ground black pepper and paprika
2 cups French fried onions

Preparation: 

On medium heat, melt butter in small skillet; sauté onion and mushrooms till the onions just begin to soften; do not brown. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350F; spray a 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sautéed onions and mushrooms with all other ingredients, except the fried onions. Spoon into the casserole dish and spread the fried onions evenly over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes; remove from oven and let settle for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Halloween/Samhain has passed, and I hope you enjoyed making those apple cider donuts I wrote about last time.  Here comes Thanksgiving; hey, those donuts would go well with this holiday as well!  Be grateful for what you have, love those closest to you, be kind to acquaintances and strangers alike; and this too shall pass.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

Extending the Comfort of Thanksgiving Turkey.

Here we are, another holiday season has been reached with many of us wondering, “Where did the year go!?!”  It has been a difficult year for Roy and myself, so much loss and disappointment; just as the brass ring was to be grasped, it was snatched away too quickly.  While material things can be replaced eventually or simply done away with, it was the loss of our 12 year old Doberman Pinscher, Jenna, which still has me reeling with grief.  However, a New Year will be here soon enough, and we greet each year with a hearty “Welcome!” and think, “This year will be better, you just watch and see!”

For Americans, Thanksgiving is a time to come together with friends and family; to forgive and forget; to remember that life will go on, and better together, than at odds with each other.  Days ahead of cooking has commenced within kitchens around the nations; those who have more, share with those who wonder where their next meal will come from.  Personally, I still pray to a higher power that we will come together as a human race; put aside “holier than thou” attitudes and finally form a cohesive bond of togetherness.  Yes, I am a dreamer, for I know that it is more difficult to “give up” than to “give to”.

Thanksgiving is more than just a day of sharing, it’s a day full of comfort which often disappears as soon as the last slice of pumpkin pie is served.  Why?  Why not extend the comfort?  When it comes to leftovers, some cooks package it up, give it all away and think, “Thank goodness that’s over with!”  I would prefer to think, “Let me freeze some of this, and bring back that comforting meal another day.”  One recipe my husband loves, simply loves, is Turkey Vegetable Strata.  When we lived in Pennsylvania, my mother would make several trays of this dish just for him; we would freeze the trays for when he felt the desire for it.  Well, she is 2700 miles away in Pennsylvania; we're in Utah, so I needed to make this dish on my own for him; of course I tweaked the recipe.  No, I just can't leave recipes as is; have to keep playing with new ingredients.  While he does enjoy my take on my mother’s recipe, he still states afterwards, “Yours is good honey, but your mom still makes the best!”  Guess what?  I still feel the comfort and that is all that counts.

Turkey Vegetable Strata is one of those casserole dishes that takes two days to prepare.  The first day, the body of the casserole needs to rest in the refrigerator, so moisture and flavor can soak into the bread stuffing.  The second day is the baking process and to be truthful, the casserole is even better the next day after that when all the flavors have melded together...but who can wait!?!

Enough teasing, let’s get to baking and eating!

Turkey Vegetable Strata

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 cup diced mushrooms

2 Tbsp. butter

1 (10 oz.) bag herb seasoned, cubed bread stuffing (white or cornbread)

1 (16 oz.) bag frozen white corn

1 and 1/2 lbs. cooked turkey, white meat, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided in half

2 eggs

1/2 cup mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt

3 cups milk, divide into 2 cups and 1 cup

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of celery soup

1 tsp. crushed dry sage

Preparation:

In a 12 inch skillet, melt butter on medium heat; sauté onion, bell pepper and mushrooms for 10 minutes; do not let brown, just soften.

With nonstick cooking spray, spray a 4 quart baking dish.  In a large mixing bowl, combine cubed bread, corn, turkey, one cup cheese and sautéed vegetables; spread out into sprayed baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, mayonnaise (or yogurt), two cups milk and black pepper until smooth.  Pour evenly over contents in baking dish; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Next day, bread stuffing is moist and double in size.  Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large bowl, mix together soups, sage, one cup milk and one cup cheese till well combined; spread evenly over top of contents in baking dish.  Bake covered with aluminum foil for 50 minutes; uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes.  Let casserole rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

From the Cokenour Family, to you and yours, Happy Thanksgiving and let us keep the spirit of comfort throughout the years.

Mary Cokenour