CRANBERRY ORANGE CRUSTY BREAD

 This is wonderful if you are a cranberry orange fan...chewy, crusty and even better as toast the next day.  It did need some alterations from the original Crusty Bread. 

2 oranges - grate off all the peel and juice
Add the juice and water to make 2 1/4 C. 
Mix in a good size bowl with 2 C. Flour
2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. quick yeast
stir with a wisk until smooth.

Add 2 T. oil

2 T sugar
Add the grated orange peel and 1 to 1 1/2 C. dried cranberries
Stir in 2 more cups of flour until all is moistened.
Cover with a lid or plate and let sit on the counter for at least 12 hours.

When ready to bake heat your cast iron pot for 30 minutes at 450.
Pour your dough onto a pile of flour and pull up the edges.  When the pot is heated remove the lid and spray the bottom with Pam.  This is not necessary with the white bread but the sugar in the cranberries caused them to stick.   Plop in your dough and cover and return to the oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.  (This is also a lower temp. than the white bread.  Mine burned a bit on the bottom probably the sugar caused it to bake hotter.   Remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes or until brown. 

I baked this in an unfamiliar oven and don't know if it baked hotter

If you make focaccia spread the dough into a large cookie sheet and let rise in a warm oven for 20 minutes.  Spread 1/4 C. butter and sprinkle with white or brown sugar if desired.  

























If you want to comment via e-mail - charmandy@comcast.net

If you want to comment via e-mail - charmandy@comcast.net

STRAWBERRY MOUSSE CAKE OR PIE

Strawberry Mousse Cake or Pie

1. Chop fresh strawberries coarsely in a food processor to make 3 cups. 

2.  Soften 2 T. gelatin (2 packages) in ¼ C. cold water for 5 minutes.  Nuke for 20 seconds and stir until dissolved.

3.  Beat 1- 8 oz.  block of cream cheese with 1 C. white sugar and the warm gelatin until smooth and creamy.

4.  Stir in the chopped berries until well blended.

5.  Whip 1 C. cream until stiff.    Beat in 1 generous T. of instant vanilla pudding mix or Ultra Gel.

6.  Fold into the strawberry mixture and blend.

7.  Pour into a 10 inch pie crust (I used this Pie Crust or pour over a yellow cake baked in a 11x15 inch pan. (see my favorite yellow cake) You can poke large holes in your cake if desired.   (This is too much for a 9x13 pan) Chill until set. 

8.  You can make a strawberry sauce to spoon over the pie or cake by crushing some strawberries, adding some sugar  and a little Ultra Gel to thicken if desired.

The Best Yellow Cake

I have tried a lot of yellow cake recipes and this pleasantly surprised me and is similar to my favorite Chocolate Cake . It is simple to stir up and very moist.  It works great with this recipe. 

1. In a largish glass bowl bring 1 C. of water to boil in the microwave

2.  Stir in 1 1/2 C. white sugar

3.  ½ C. vegetable oil (I like light olive oil)

4.  3 eggs.

5. 1 tsp. salt

6.  4 tsps. baking powder

6.  2 tsp. good vanilla

7.  Beat in 2 C. of flour and 1 scant cup whole milk. 

8.  1/4 C. corn starch  This batter will be somewhat 
thin. 

Bake 350 until the center is firm and the cake is lightly browning, don't underbake.  Bake in a 11x15 inch pan or two 10 inch round cake pans.

    

CRUSTLESS ASPARAGUS QUICHE

When spring comes my heart turns to asparagus.  We picked it on the ditch banks when I was a kid and I learned to love it, especially creamed on mashed potatoes.  But this Asparagus Quiche is a close second in my heart.  This year I found a quiche without the crust and thought I would give it a try because it is loaded with fat as it is and the crust makes it downright wicked.  I also changed the half and half to whole milk and actually didn't miss any of those fat grams.  

Crustless Asparagus Quiche

1.  Soften but don't melt 1 T. butter and rub it around the bottom and sides of a 10 inch pie pan.

2.  Spinkle with 1/2 C. of soft bread crumbs chopped in a processor.  You could probably use Panco.  Sometimes I put a layer of stiff crackers like Town House Pita for a bit more of a crust.  

3.  Grate 6 oz. Cheese.  I like Swiss in quiche but you could probably substitute others.  Sprinkle in the bottom and sides of the pan. 

4.  Add 4-5 slices of chopped bacon if desired.  Precooked works great here.

5.  Trim a bunch of asparagus (3-31/2 cups) into 2 inch pieces and steam for 1 or 2 minutes.  This is just a blanch as it will cook more in the oven.  Scatter over the cheese.

5.  Beat together 5 eggs, 1scant tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and  2 C. Whole Mile (use half and half if desired)  Pour over the top.  Bake 350 for 30-40 minutes or until the center is set.  I usually cut a hole in a piece of foil to keep the edge from getting over brown.

 I didn't put the foil on soon enough for this and the edges got a little dark but it was still good.

The leftover pieces reheat beautifully in the microwave and taste even better the next day.

COCONUT CRUNCHY COOKIES

These are my favorite cookies.  They are reminiscent of some my mother used to make.  I like to try to remove some of the butter and add oil in a cookie recipe and this worked nicely.  My husband doesn't like coconut so I made half without it and they were good. 

Beat together until creamy:

½ C. soft butter

¼ C. oil (I use light olive oil)

1 C. White Sugar

1 C. brown sugar

2T. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Add:

1 ½ C. flour

1 1/2  C. quick oatmeal

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 scant tsp. salt

Stir in:

1 C. shredded coconut

2 generous C. corn flakes

1. C. toasted almonds or pecans or walnuts

1 12 oz. pkg. Chocolate chips or less if desired

I like to make big cookies here so Bake 350 for 12-13 minutes.  Sometimes I like a little underbaked cookie but not these because I want the crunch.  They should be nice and brown on top. 

SANDWICH AT CAPE COD

16X20 oil on linen canvas board.  From my photo.  On Cape Cod, the city of Sandwich near the Dexter Grist Mill.

CROCK POT APPLE CRISP

1.  Peel and slice 7 medium apples

2.  Toss with:  ¼ tsp. salt, 1 T. corn starch 1 tsp. cinnamon, ¼ tsp. nutmeg and 2 T. melted butter ½ C. dried cranberries or raisins if desired.  (you can also add 1/3 C. of caramel bits, which are very good here.)

3.  Put in the bottom of a Pam sprayed crock pot.

4.  Mix together the topping:  ¼ C. melted butter, ½ C. brown sugar, ½ C. rolled oats, ¼ C. flour,  ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ C. broken pecans or walnuts (optional)

.

5.  Sprinkle over the apples and bake on low for 2+ hours.  Check to see if the apples are soft in the middle of the pot, bake longer if not. If you want the top crisper take out the pot and put it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.   Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

SNICKER CHEESECAKE BITES

These are a perfect little piece of something reminiscent of Snicker Pie but much easier and also like one of my favorites but without the snickers  Oreo Cheesecake bites

 

These Snicker Bites are awesome!  The recipe came from here  but I changed a few things, making them small bites instead of bars because they are so rich.

1.  Melt 2 T. butter and add 20 finely crushed Oreo cookies.  

2.  Press into the bottom of a 9 inch pan which has been covered  including up the sides, with foil sprayed with pam.  

3.  Beat 2 blocks of room temperature cream cheese with 1/4 C. of sugar and 2 tsps. vanilla and 2 eggs.  It will take 2-4 minutes to get it smooth and creamy. (I questioned so little sugar but it is perfect because the candy adds so much sweet)

4.  Fold in 14 fun size Snickers chopped into small pieces or 28 mini bars cut into 4 pieces each.  

5.  Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes. (they will be lightly browned on the edges and top)  Cool 

6.  These are good as is or you can melt 1or more C. milk chocolate chips or semisweet, if you prefer, and frost the tops after they have been cut into 1 1/2-2 inch squares.  They freeze well.  

Update:  I made these again recently and used Milky Way bars.  Then I toasted about a cup of almonds and chopped them quite coarsely  and after painting on the melted chocolate I dipped them in the nuts.  Wow!

 

KALE SALAD WITH LEMON DRESSING

I have not been a big fan of Kale because it just seemed too scratchy and tough but I wanted to give it a try because this looked like it had possibilities but I made some changes.  The lemon dressing was good.  I liked the honey better and you might want to make it sweeter. (I did after my husband said it was too sour.)  I added the apples but can see other fruits.  The star of the show was the pecan topping.  I think I will use this on other things.  I like the pecans visible, not too fine and a little more Parmesan.  The kale softens a lot by adding the dressing at least 15 minutes or so before serving.  I didn't add the bacon but my husband would love it.

Salad - toss together :
1.  About 12 ounces of Kale, coarse stems removed and chopped small.
2.  2 apples in bite sized pieces or pears, grapes, oranges or a combination...and avocados are nice. 
3.  1/2 C. dried cranberries

With Avocados

Dressing - mix together:
1.  1/4 C. olive oil
2.  1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
3.  1 T. honey (or more if you like sweet)
3.  1/8 tsp. salt and pepper
I like to make a double batch of dressing and keep it ready for making little salads for my husband and me.  

Pecan Topping :
1.  1 C.  pecans,  walnuts or even cashews
2.   1/2 C. coarse grated Parmesan cheese
3.  2 T. olive oil
4.  A pinch of salt and pepper 
I put this all in a small processor and chopped for 10 - 15 seconds.  You don't want it too fine.  (I had made a double batch and tossed some with some hot thin spaghetti...WOW!)

Toss the dressing as desired and let sit for 15 minutes or more before serving. I like to serve this in individual servings with the nut mixture sprinkled on the top and bacon if desired.  

This is a larger, richer version Creamy Lemon Dressing that I made the second time.
1.  Juice  2 lemons about 1/2 C.
2.  Add  2/3 C. light olive oil
              1 generous tsp. fine grated lemon peel
              1/3 tsp. salt or more to taste     
              Some generous grates of black pepper
              1/4 C. honey                      2 tsps. ultra gel
Ultra gel is a thickening agent that you can get at most grocery stores now.  I know Walmart has it and it has many handy uses.  It keeps the ingredients emulsified. Put everything into a pint size wide mouth container and blend with and immersion blender or in a regular blender.