Caramel Nut Bars

http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2013/07/05.shtml

Well...early into the kitchen to fire up the oven before the humidity and heat affect the comfort zone of an air conditioned house. It has been wicked hot here, and never having been much of a hot weather kind of person, I figured I had better get these bars done in the cool of the morning.

I have to say, I LOVE salty and sweet. My Mister does as well, but he is off in the Pacific somewhere for 6 weeks, I know not exactly the location, but we have some contact still. He called yesterday and asked if I had made these bars yet, because he loves that combination as much as I. The Supremes are missing out as well, because I will not be going south to the office to share these. But I have two hungry boys next door, off for summer vacation, and I know they will be more than willing to step up to Supreme status and eat these.

My potato masher comes in handy for lots of things, and this is one of them. I did warm the butter a bit, and after blending the flour and brown sugar, this handy kitchen utensil made short work of incorporating the butter.

I did make one substitution, using agave syrup for the corn syrup, because we stay away from corn based sweeteners. The conversion was to halve the amount of corn syrup with agave. It worked just fine, and for two boys next door, 10 and 13, they will never know!

I wondered if there was going to be enough of the topping to cover, (my more-is-better sensibilities kicking in), but there was plenty to cover the crust and peanuts, so I need to stop imposing my thoughts on what is already a great recipe. Mrs. Sundberg said any type of nuts were fine, and I think when the Mr. is back home, I will do this again, using a mix of cashews, almonds and walnuts. Mmm.

They are cooling now, and when I can cut them up, I will deliver them next door and report back on the comments from the Junior Supremes.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Back with Grandpa's Wings

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2013/06/27.shtml


Finally. I am back. If anyone out there missed these posts, I apologize for the big blank space. I had quite an adventure in late February, visiting the cardiac intensive care unit, and it has taken me a while to get back to everything I left behind after that trip. Which included a very cool ambulance ride, a glow in the dark nuclear heart mapping and a chemical stress test. I am better...back to my old self, and ready to begin again.

I have eaten wings in my life, but never have been this up close and personal with them. Having to cut them apart was a wrestling match, and I think the wings might have won. Although they turned out fine, tasted wonderful, and in the end it didn't matter that I really didn't know what I was doing! I chose to bake them, because that is what I do with most foods when I have the choice over frying. I also peppered them before baking, because we like pepper, and I broiled them at the end to crisp up the skin and bring them closer to the fried version. Worth it, in the Mr.'s opinion, as he is a wing-eating expert.

This butter/hot sauce was very good, extra hot sauce for the Mr., again, because he has eaten a LOT of wings, and goes for the spicy, hot flavors in just about everything. He could not stay out the the kitchen while this was going on, so it's his hand doing the mixing. The only reason he did not cut the wings is because he was on the phone when I was ready to prep them. I needed to do the work in order to share this, so I had to wait for my chance. :-)

The Super Buffalo Blue Cheese Sauce was amazing. I grew up in a home that used Miracle Whip®, so mayo is not my go-to, but when the recipe said "real mayo", I used Duke's® which is a staple in this area. I've never made blue cheese dressing before, but love it, and this has given me a mix that I will use when ever I need blue cheese. I mashed the crumbles with a fork to disperse the flavor, and let it perk in the fridge for a couple of hours, and when the wings were done, it was ready. And good, and creamy, and delicious.

I did find this helpful video for eating the flats, which worked remarkably well, and with it, I was able to teach my wing-eating expert something new. He loved everything about this recipe, and took the rest for lunch yesterday. This recipe will be happening again at our house.

How to eat a flat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRcOY-PvOC8

And this is no generic Grandpa, it's Mrs. Sundberg's dad, so a big thanks to you to both!! :-)

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2013/01/31.shtml


I tried making sweet potato fries once, and they didn't turn out. I'm not sure why, but they were awful. This recipe was the opposite of that. With the Mr.'s stroke and bypass surgery, I am always on the lookout for healthy things, and we both like sweet potatoes. I am talking about baking them, and putting a dab of butter, cinnamon and a sprinkle of brown sugar. I have never gone the savory route, so when I saw salt and pepper, I was eager to see if I liked it. I figured that I could sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar on them if I didn't, but that wasn't necessary. Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse of good stuff like vitamins B6, C and D, plus iron, and magnesium, the anti-stress mineral, and I don't know about you, but I could use more of that in my diet.

They are a bit like cutting a rutabaga when they're raw, so a sharp knife and paying attention is important. I tried to get them as even as possible, but we all know how wonky they are. Not uniform in shape and size makes it a little difficult to cut uniform slices. Next time I am going to buy large ones and cut the ends off, because on the thinner ends they got a little well done. 

It really took very little oil to coat them, and even though there are healthy oils, moderation is always key. I used a coarse sea salt, because I like that bit of crunch from it. And I also only did one potato, because I am the only one here right now, and I would have eaten more than I should if they were there. 

Another thing worth mentioning is to make sure you don't crowd them on the pan. They tend to steam instead of bake and brown, which brings me back to one of the reasons my first batch didn't turn out well.

I tried these with Heinz Simply Ketchup. I LOVE this...it does not contain high fructose corn syrup, that insidious ingredient that has become a staple in so many foods. Not good for us, in any way. Ever. I also tried spicy mustard with horseradish. YUM to both! I will be doing these again and with some experience trimming them, I think they'll be even better!

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Apple Spice Dump Cake

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2013/01/24.shtml

I had a serious crave for dessert, and when I made this, I knew I was in T.R.O.U.B.L.E. My Mr. is on work travel, so there is no one in the house but me. This recipe and a container of vanilla bean ice cream would have meant three meals a day of it. Seriously. It is that good. And I agree with Mrs. Sundberg, canned pie filling might not be as good as homemade, but it really didn't seem to matter with this. I used the store brand, because it was the only kind of apple they had, and to my surprise, when I opened the cans, there were big slices of apple, all the way to the top. Not mostly the goo, like I had expected, but thick, whole slices. It was labeled 'spiced apple', but since it was the only choice I got it anyway, and added the full amount of spices in the recipe. It was full of spice flavors, but I liked it that way. The allspice was right there in the flavors, but I like allspice, so it wasn't overwhelming. And the pecans gave it a bit of sweetness, and after baking, they were crisp and flavorful. 

Thank goodness for neighbors! I shared it with Julia and her gang. She said, "delicious!" Going to have to make this again when the Mr. gets home.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-) 

Cheesy Chili Hashbrown Bake

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2013/01/17.shtml


Well! 5 stars for a great, comforting, cold night dish that warmed not only me, but my next door neighbors up nicely last night! That was amazing! My Mr. is on work travel, so I took the easy way out, and got chili from the deli at my local supermarket and a bag of hashbrowns from the refrigerator section. If I had made it from scratch, I would have had a LOT of chili, so I opted for ready made, to test out the deli version, and I have to say, it was wonderful. Probably way too much sodium, but I will be making this again with my own chili recipe.

This is it before baking. I added more potatoes and cheese than the recipe called for, but I come from the Land of More, and more cheese and potatoes in a dish is the way to go....and I'm not sorry I did that here!

It baked up all crispy around the edges with the chili bubbling up through the topping, and that potato and cheese topping was so good. I kind of stirred it together a little in the bowl, but really liked having more chili in one bite, and more potato/cheese in the next. So dragging my spoon around the bowl gave me the different combinations. This was SO good. And SO easy. I added parsley because I didn't have cilantro, and I added a sweet southwest mesquite seasoning. I also gave the top a dusting of chipotle chili powder before baking. I made mexican cornbread to go with, and there were three happy faces at Julia's house, along with mine at home.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Chocolate Cherry Cake

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2013/01/02.shtml

I have made this before. It is a recipe that has been around a while, I first found it in a recipe book that a friend's daughter was selling as a fundraiser for her school, when I  lived in West Virginia. Cook books that are from schools or churches seem to have the best recipes, because everyone seems to want to show their skills in the kitchen. I have found that they always seem to have the best variety of dishes to try. I actually look for handwritten books/journals/bags of recipes when I go to antique shops, or second hand stores. I have a zip bag of hand written recipes and notes from a dear, unknown woman. She added her personal thoughts to dishes, changed some things out, and generally let me know through her writings that she loved being in the kitchen. I like her. Even though I don't know her name, I like her.

Anyway...this was the last piece. I shared it with neighbors, and it is gone. I added some thawed out dark sweet cherries on the plate, just because I like them, but the cherry chocolate goodness comes through. The almond extract helps them along, and chocolate and cherry together is a delicious way to enjoy a cup of coffee. This makes a great breakfast!

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/12/12.shtml

Delicious! These are a real treat with ginger tea in the late afternoon. I love cranberries, in cookies, breads, and anything to do with Christmas. When baking, I 'helped' these into a triangle shape, and placed them close together, in a pan with an edge to it, so they would turn out more like a scone. I have to say, the white chocolate, while not a favorite of mine, was a nice surprise in these. It place of the suggested orange extract, I opted for grated orange rind. I do like cranberry and orange together. If this recipe had called for any liquid, I would probably have replaced that with orange juice as well. It's one of those holiday combinations that I love. Next batch will be going to friends with nut allergies, so the macadamia nuts will be absent. But I highly recommend this. It is great at the end of the day...put the water on to boil, you'll want some tea with these.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Bacon Cornbread and My Apologies

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/11/27.shtml

Life got away from me in the month of November. I wasn't quite prepared for it all, and I let some things take a back seat, including this blog. Instead of trying to catch up with every recipe, considering the holiday baking that is staring at me, I decided to jump in to the current post of Mrs. Sundberg, and try to forge ahead. If anyone is reading this, I promise to try and do better from now on. :-)

That said, this was a GREAT recipe to jump back in with! Bacon. Bacon. I love bacon! I have made a lot of cornbread the cheater's way, by using a mix with the leavening agents already added....I think you know which one I mean....but this was the first time I had made it from scratch. My other cornbread adventures had red pepper and onion mixed in, and things like paprika or chipotle chili powder sprinkled on top. These flavors didn't need any addition like that, so when I took it out of the oven, it was pale compared to those. But that in NO way affected the flavor of this wonderful recipe. The bacon flavor was laid nicely in the background, but definitely there, slightly sweet, with a texture that was more dense than my previous experiments. 

It joined baked chicken thighs with onions and mushrooms, and roasted tri-color cauliflower on the plate for supper. Yum. After some discussion, the Mr. and I decided that we are going to slice the remaining cornbread in half, dip it in an egg/milk bath and fry it like french toast tonight. Maybe a scrambled egg on the side and some fried potatoes. The bacon is already in there, so syrup added to it will only make it better to my way of thinking.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

BIG P.S.!!

I did slice, dip and fry this, just like french toast, and oh my, what a treat! Warm syrup, scrambled eggs and a turkey sausage patty on the side completed a wonderful meal, full of the delicious pairing of bacon/sausage and maple syrup. That was satisfying!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/10/10.shtml

Boy oh boy oh boy! What a great day for this dish! It was chilly outside, and the Mr. and I cleared the front yard of the first layer of leaves after Hurricane Sandy stripped a good bit of them off the trees behind the house. We came in and I put this together with an extra set of hands from him, which was necessary, because it all came together pretty fast.

My experience in the past with baked macaroni dishes end up with them being too dry, and not a creamy delicious mix of melted cheese. Not the case here, with a generous 4 cups of cheese, along with 3 cups of milk. It was everything a baked mac and cheese dish should be. The garlic was in the background, but there, and the bread crumb, parmesan topping was great. The shreds of parmesan browned but didn't disappear, and they added a nice texture of their own to the topping. Sort of like the crispy edges around a grilled cheese sandwich that gives a sort of smoky flavor. It was that good.

We had it with the rest of yesterday's meatloaf, to which I had added about a cup of dried, seasoned kale chips in the middle, before folding the mixture over, and placing in the pan to bake. It was so good, there was nearly no conversation at the table while we rested our weary muscles, and enjoyed a wonderful meal.

A large portion went next door to Julia's house, and she is always happy to help taste test for me. With two working parents and a 9 year old, she gets to add to the dinner table with what we share, and I like that.

My plate:

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Sweet Hubbard Squash Custard Pie

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/10/02.shtml


I am trusting that you will try this recipe, and hopefully post your experience here. The Mr. has a severe allergy to all squash, after exposure to the oil well fires in Desert Storm, and we don't have squash any more. He reacts to it by touching, as well as ingesting, so there is no wiggle room for experiments here. I am sure it is delicious, and we both miss squash, but cannot take the chance, even the residue of squash on the counter, a dish rag or a knife will cause the reaction that we avoid at all cost now. Halloween is a challenge, and there's no more pumpkin carving at our house. :-(

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-) 

Apple Pie Cake

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/09/26.shtml


This cake was wonderful! Sadly, my Mr. wasn't here to try it. He is away on work travel, having experienced an earthquake, and now a typhoon, which might send all ships out to the ocean to ride out the storm. This trip for him has been trying and he wants to be home. So telling him about this week's recipe didn't help much.

I had three Honey Crisp, and two Fuji, and that is what I used. Any baking apple would do for this, Granny Smith being the usual choice, but I encourage you to experiment with different kinds. Apple flavor comes through with many varieties, so try your favorite.

I did share some with my neighbor Julia and her family. She said I was spoiling her, but keeping it in the house would mean I would be tasting it every day. And I did anyway. It was great with coffee, and mid afternoon also was a good time to have a piece. Her family liked it, and wants the recipe.

I did sprinkle more cinnamon on top, because it's good for us, and we like the taste of it. I also made the trip to the Mr.'s office today to take his laptop for shipping back for a new logic board, and I took the two Supremes each a generous portion of this, because they are staying there, holding the line on missile defense work. They groaned in anticipation, and saying they would have it in the morning with coffee. I didn't get a photo of it after baking, and it's all gone now, so you will have to bake your own to see how wonderful it looks, and how wonderful it tastes.

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Seven Layer Bars

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/09/18.shtml

Something that strikes me is regional names for things. In Ohio I don't remember too many sweet, cookie-like recipes being called Bars. It's like the question I asked Mrs. Sundberg about the first recipe of hers I made, called Blueberry Raspberry Buckle. I had never heard that before, but it described exactly what the batter mixture did as it baked. I like the regional names that come with things like recipes. Especially recipes from years ago, that seem to reflect the literal about the dish. Seven Layer Bars makes perfect sense with this. It is layers of goodness, that, well, has a combination of things that taste good together. The Salted Caramel Chocolate Bars was one that I knew would be hard to beat, but this one is right up there with it. This one might have been good with some sea salt sprinkled across the chocolate and butterscotch chips before the coconut and sweetened condensed milk were added.

I didn't have the pan that it called for, a 9x13x2, so I made it in a 9x9 pan. A little thicker, but I just cut the bars a little smaller. I got 16 out of that size pan, and it was an ample portion because of how rich they were.

I didn't have my Supremes to taste test for me this time. My Mr. is away on work travel, over the international date line, where right now at 9:30 on my Monday evening, it's already tomorrow where he is. My daughter-in-law commented one other time when he did that kind of travel, that he should be able to send me the winning lottery numbers, and that sounded like a good idea to me!

I know the other two ballistic missile men will be in withdrawal since they won't be tasting anything for a month, but there's work to be done and my man is out there doing what he does best. I promised him that I would remake this when he gets back home.

I did, however, have two neighbor boys, Michael, 12, and Gabe, 11, step in for the Supremes. They were more than happy to take six of these off my hands and they were gone, except for saving one for Gabe's mom. I love giving treats to them. They are great young men, and I'm glad to know them both.

The recipe ingredients called for almonds, the instructions said pecans, and when I went to the store to get the things I needed, I forgot my nuts! :-) So I had walnuts in the freezer, and used them, and they were fine. I asked Mrs. Sundberg about it, and she said any kind would work. I think even chopped peanuts would be good...and then there's always cashews.

You can't go wrong with these. Easy to mix up and bake, and they taste great. 

Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars

Recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/08/22.shtml

I'll say right away that chocolate, caramel and a bit o' salt is a great combination of flavors. I have always enjoyed sweet and salty, but putting chocolate in the mix kicked this into delicious for me. I heard a long time ago, that if you want something sweet, find the very best, and enjoy a reasonable amount of it. I have tried eating a substitution for what I really wanted, and was not sated. So now if I want chocolate, I get exactly what I want...usually dark chocolate, about 60% cacao works. The recipe didn't specify dark or milk, so I used dark because I like it. Plus dark chocolate is good for our heart, brain, contains antioxidants, theobromine—which hardens tooth enamel, has vitamins and minerals, and helps control blood sugar. Like I needed a reason to eat dark chocolate.

This called for two delicious teaspoons of vanilla, and it won't be long before I have to make more. 3 vanilla beans, split, scraped, and everything put into some vodka has given me the best vanilla to add to recipes. I don't think I will ever buy commercial vanilla again. I am on the hunt for unusual vanilla beans to make the next batch.

I used crystalline sea salt because that's what I had, but I did a little looking around online, and even though salt is mostly salt, there crystalline, flaked, sea, rock, himalayan....and it goes on. Sea salt mostly comes from Portugal to Maine and California to the Pacific Rim. Having finished the baking of these, I would say that next time, and there WILL be a next time, I will use a little more salt. I like that little burst that comes mixed in with the sweetness of these, and there wasn't quite enough.

The Mr. is home for a dentist app't. so armed with a cup of coffee, he unwrapped the caramels for me. Ended up being 10.4 oz, but I think one or two for the part that stuck to the bowl was about right.

Dividing the dough, more specifically, spreading the second half on top of the melted caramel took a bit of patience. I am more of a drop and plop sort of cook, and I had to work a little with these to get the caramel covered. As you can see, the middle was a little thin. But the dough raised up over it and they turned out fine.

They sank a little in the middle as they cooled, and are a little soft in the center, but I think they will set up fine. Two pieces later, this recipe is going in the file, and will be made again and again. And yes, ice cream would be good with it, but it is fine just as it is, naked straight out of the pan.

The rest of them are going to a meeting tomorrow where the Supremes and 5 other ballistic missile people will be my unknowing taste testers. The missile stuff may be top secret, but any remarks on this deliciousness is coming straight back to the cook! 

Thank you Mrs. Sundberg. :-)

Berry Cobbler

The recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/08/13.shtml

Well, I am two recipes behind and sorry for the slip. It has been an interesting week with my Mr. having some back problems. I became his arms and legs, when something as simple as bending down to pick up his phone proved to be more than he could do for a couple of days.

But he's back at work today...yay! I have made the cobbler, and the salted caramel chocolate chip bars will be done tomorrow. The house smells wonderful and there's warm cobbler on the counter for dessert tonight. With 3 scoops of it reserved for the Supremes tomorrow. They have been so good to volunteer to be my taste testers.

This is a rich batter with the butter and sugar, but how can you have a good dessert without richness. It's all in the portion control. Something that I am pretty good at, but every so often, the spoon slips a little.

I knew when I read the recipe and saw almond extract that this was going to be cherry and not blueberry. The Mr. will eat blueberries when they are cooked in something, but this needed cherries. He was happy with that, and the pie filling that I get has a LOT of cherries in it. Not like some that is mostly the filling...what is that called anyway? Cherry goop, cherry sauce? Well, there is less of that and more of the cherries, and that's okay by me.

Letting the butter soften makes this first step much easier, but that is cooking 101 for most folks. Folding in the flour/baking powder mixture is easy after the addition of 4 eggs to the butter and sugar. (I told you it was rich.)

The directions said to spoon the pie filling on top of the cake mixture in 16 evenly spaced dollops. Well my puddles ran together a little, and there were so many cherries in that can, that I just let them run in to each other, figuring that the end product would be better for it. I was right.

I have no photos to judge the end product by, so what you see is what I got. However, there is a spoonful missing from the lower right corner, and although I wouldn't call it a cobbler so much because of the cake-y texture, I can call it delicious. The Supremes are eager to get their test containers tomorrow in between Ballistic Missile business.

Thank you Mrs. Sundberg.  :-)

Caramel Rolls Using Frozen Bread Dough

Recipe:  http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/07/23.shtml

***Mrs. Sundberg found that somewhere along the way, 'cook & serve' pudding was replaced by 'instant' pudding in this recipe. I did do a second batch by adding 1/4 cup of milk to make the sauce pouring consistency, but by using the cook & serve pudding, the amount of 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon of milk is correct, and she has edited the recipe in the link above to reflect the change. Either way, I had success with the instant on the second batch, and they were delicious!


I have never baked anything that required making dough from scratch. It seems like a lot of time invested in something that may or may not turn out, considering I was the one deciding if the warm water for the yeast was warm enough/too warm. Fear would sum it up. It's an area in which I have no experience. Maybe I'm over-thinking it, but I'm just not sure I could make it happen. So with Mrs. Sundberg's recipe last week, the hard part of the equation for me has been taken away. Up until today, my only experience with yeast was making the pizza dough packet that came in the Appian Way pizza-in-a-box kit from the grocery.

The bread dough part worked great, but the caramel sauce gave me a problem. Mine was way too thick to pour, per the instructions, but I said I wasn't going to change things, and since everything else was a go, I made them anyway, spooning the caramel sauce over each roll. The flavor was great, but the caramel didn't melt as I was hoping it would. I was able to spread it around when they came out of the oven, and that worked okay, but it wasn't the pourable quality that I expected. 

My Mr. took most of them to work, and his email this morning read: The guys are busy stuffing themselves with rolls and coffee and making yummy noises. That is about it for conversation right now, and that would be a YES, they like them.  They have volunteered to continue to eat all of your evidence until your recipes are perfect. They are real Team Players. (Kind of like I am Diana Ross, and they are my Surpremes!) They are an incredible trio, working hard to help protect our country. They're tough, no-nonsense, ballistic missile men on the outside, but soft, tender-hearted sweeties on the inside.

 But back to the rolls. The bread dough came in a package of 3, (Why do they do that? Why not 4?) so I had one more loaf. Armed with another box of pudding, I tried to decide what to adjust to make it right. I thought maybe not using all the pudding, but instead, I upped the milk to 1/4 cup. Everything else stayed the same, but I didn't cook it for the minute per the directions, I just melted the butter, stirred the brown sugar in until it dissolved, then stir, stir, stirred in the pudding and milk to make sure everything was blended well. Bingo! Smooth, pourable caramel goodness. Since I only had one loaf of bread, I put the pieces of dough into a smaller pan, and didn't use all the caramel sauce, but I wanted to make sure the proportions were right for the recipe of using two loaves of bread dough. And I need to ask Mrs. Sundberg about this...because I know she's an expert in the kitchen.

I did use a blade to cut the dough, each loaf in half, then each half in thirds, and then I cut those sections in half as well, giving me 12 rolls per loaf. Reasonable portion control, unless you factor in wanting to eat 3 or 4 of them at a time. They are very tasty and the yeast component comes through loud and clear. My Supremes already know that (part) of the remade version will be on its way tomorrow, and looking in the oven door as they bake, I see caramel roll success. I don't imagine there will be much talking while they are eating them tomorrow, and by the time that caramel roll coma wears off, it'll be a whole new day. 

Thank you, Mrs, Sundberg. :-)

Blueberry Raspberry Buckle

Find the recipe here: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/sundberg/2012/07/09.shtml

Well, it took a few stops to find whole wheat pastry flour, but Whole Foods® has never let me down. That store is wicked. So seductive in the way it's laid out, the smells that greet you when you walk in the door. And the array of samples that tempt you to cram your list into your pocket, and shop by the seat of your pants. I got out of there for under $50, and I consider that trip a success!

In the discussion of how this dessert got its name, I asked Mrs. Sundberg why it was called a 'buckle'. Her reply: "I did a bit of research once on Bettys, buckles, crumbles, pandowdies and slumps. Seems 'buckle' describes what the streusel-like topping looks as if its doing: buckling. Seriously." She also added: " 'Grunt' is one of my favorites. It's a dumpling-like pudding made on top of the stove, generally using local fruits. The name came from the east coast states and is the sound that the berries make as they cook."

She does her homework and knows more about food than just cooking it. There's a little history involved, and I like that. I've noticed that recipe names sometimes express the literal, along with quaint, regional names that reflect the maker, or the area from which it originates. Sort of a glimpse back in time. Simpler, less hectic, although it probably felt as frantic then as it does now, to the people who were living it.

Anyway, this recipe calls for fresh raspberries and blueberries, mine came from California, via Whole Foods®. I would like to say that I went into rural Virginia and picked them myself, but the outdoors and I don't always get along, plus being 20 miles from D.C., I would probably have to drive a while. The good news is that raspberries are full of good-for-you things like B vitamins, vitamin K, fiber and minerals, while blueberries are among the highest anti-oxidant fruits, with soluble dietary fiber, and many vitamins and minerals as well. Raspberries have European roots while blueberries are native to North America. I didn't know that.

We experimented with making our own vanilla a few years ago. We got a small bottle of vodka, split 3 vanilla beans, scraped the seeds out, and put them and the pods in the bottle. This one has been perking for almost 4 years, and it is SO good. It's almost time to buy more vodka.

My Mr. wanted vanilla ice cream to go with this, so I made a go-to recipe that is EASY.
2 cups heavy whipping cream
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
Whatever flavors you want, added to the milk
(This batch was 1 TBS vanilla, 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out and added to the milk)
Whip the cream until fairly stiff peaks form, fold in the milk mixture, and place in a lidded container and freeze 4-6 hours. That's it. I have also made Lime ice cream, adding the juice of 4 limes and 2 TBS of zest, and Coffee ice cream, adding 4 shots of espresso and some ground up coffee beans. Even I couldn't mess this one up. This ice cream is the 'one scoop, every once in a while' kind. It's a heavy, creamy kind that will satisfy without overdoing it. The Lime was good sandwiched between two ginger cookies and frozen, and the Coffee was good between two Dutch cocoa cookies.

 I like the fact that this recipe used fresh, seasonal fruit. I had frozen blueberries, but my goal is to follow Mrs. Sundberg's recipe to the letter. I have a bad habit of flinging other things into recipes, and if it isn't as good as I'd like, I have to figure out where I went wrong, so no straying from the original here. If someone's going to mess it up, it won't be me!

So now there is a hole in the middle of the dessert, and a fork laying on the counter. My Mr. decided to take a bite. He pronounced it delicious. We both had a helping with the ice cream, and it was wonderful. The berries held their shape, they were bright and flavorful, and that hint of nutmeg was excellent!

BUCKLE. Oh it buckled alright. Like hot Georgia asphalt. Thank you, Mrs. Sundberg. :-)

Pie Crust 101

From Mrs. Sundberg, a sure-fire pie crust recipe. We had a discussion about blueberries and their raw texture, versus their delicious, fruity goodness when baked into a pie. My Mr. doesn't care for them raw, but he's more than willing to eat them baked in some sugary goodness.  Mrs. S. was gracious enough to share her pie crust recipe with her Facebook readers.

Highly Reliable Delicious Crust for Pie

For single pie crust:

1 1/2 C sifted all-purpose (unbleached) flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c Crisco shortening baking sticks
4-5 T cold water (ice cubes in water)

For 9-10 inch double crust pie

2 c all-purpose (unbleached) flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 c Crisco shortening baking sticks
5-7 T cold water (ice cubes in water)

Sift flour & salt. Cut in shortening with pastry blender to size of small peas.
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp water over part of flour-shortening mixture. Gently toss with
fork & push to side. Repeat with balance of water mixing lightly until all is moistened.
Gather with fingers & form into ball, dividing into 2 balls for double crust pie.

Roll each ball out to 1/8 inch thickness on lightly floured surface using light strokes.
Pinch edges if split. Transfer into pie plate. Trim edge to 1 inch from edge and fold under.

IF BAKED PIE SHELL is needed, prick bottom and sides. Bake in very hot oven (450)
10 to 12 minutes until golden. If filling and crust are to be baked together, do NOT prick pastry. Pour in filling, top with second crust folding top edge over bottom edge of crust and pinch.

Cut design in top crust to keep from puffing. Bake according to recipe.


This recipe was on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mrs.sundberg


I will always link the recipes back to her article on a PHC, for acknowledgement of the source. Plus, you get to read her article, and can become a follower of her Facebook page. Good reading, great conversations, and something nice to enjoy.

I Needed A Julia

I have read Mrs. Sundberg's posts on A Prairie Home Companion for quite a while now. She is the sweetest gal, sharing tidbits and wisdom from her home, while raising children, and a husband. :-)

She also posts a recipe each week, and they are full of down-home goodness from the kitchen of someone who obviously loves to cook and bake. I, on the other hand, like the idea of that, but my attempts don't always turn out the best. I used to do very well, but it seems I have lost my base for providing a variety of good things to eat and feed our family and friends.

Enter Mrs. Sundberg.  I figured my best bet was to make the recipe she posted each week, and see if I can get my cooking and baking mojo all lined up again. With her straightforward, easy going style, I think I stand a pretty good chance of succeeding.

I decided I needed a Julia, full of kitchen experience, so I can try a new recipe a week,  and broaden my kitchen horizons. Hopefully, my Mr. will be my taste tester and sous chef if I need one. I think this is going to be an adventure I will enjoy.