Kitchen Trivia and Lemon Pudding Cake

9/18/13 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Last week the Chatterbox looked into the depths of her email inbox and found some interesting trivia from readers. Today we’ll look at some of the many ideas that Cook’s Corner readers had to offer.

One of the main topics of food conversation this year seemed to revolve around the antioxidant qualities of lemons—especially frozen lemons. Some of the healing claims were so over the top that I can’t address them here but almost all of the emails mentioned freezing lemons to eliminate waste and enhance the taste of many foods.

Right now I have a bag of lemons in my refrigerator that is going to go to waste if I don’t do something with them. So, I’m going to act on the suggestion from many readers and first wash the lemons and then freeze them. Then, once the lemons are frozen, they can be removed as needed, shredded whole (no need to peel them) and sprinkled on a variety of foods—everything from ice cream to zucchini.

The theory behind this concept is that lemon peels contain 5-10 times more vitamins than the lemon juice itself. By freezing the whole lemon we get the benefit of all those healthy nutrients. So, I popped three very large lemons in the freezer, left them overnight and brought them out to be shredded.

The results were interesting. First, the lemon zest (outer peel) came off quickly and plentifully. Personally, I couldn’t stomach the white pithy part. I peeled it and tossed it. The remainder of the lemon grated fairly easily but was basically fluffy, frozen lemon juice. I don’t think I’ll be doing it again. Too labor intensive for the results.

However, I had to use up the frozen lemon juice so I made my favorite lemon Betty Crocker Lemon Cake Pudding recipe. It’s quick, easy and delicious. Try the recipe at the bottom of the column. Then, while that is baking you can check out these other handy hints from readers. We’ll start with some baking tips.

Here’s an oldie but goodie: For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting. I also unwrap Hershey’s mint kisses and place them on top of hot brownies. As they soften I spread them over the chocolate. Delicious!

Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. 
Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such
 as peanut butter or corn syrup and watch how easily it comes right out.

If you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. It will double in size.  You not only eat less sugar and calories per serving but you can frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount.

If you like rich and moist scrambled eggs or omelets add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream to the eggs and then beat them up.

To make your banana ripen slowly, take them apart when you get home from the store. They ripen quicker when still connected.

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.  Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking. Drain thoroughly!

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic, and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy—no soggy micro pizza.

If you’re planting a garden this month, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers. Put layers around the plants overlapping as you go. Cover with mulch, and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic; they will not get through wet newspapers.

At this time of year I have lots of pesky fruit flies and I’ve tried everything to make them go away. I have mixed results with this hint so give it a try. Take a small glass, fill with ½” Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. The flies are drawn to the cup and they can’t swim. Or so it claims.

LEMON PUDDING CAKE

1/4 cup flour, sifted

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind (I lemon)

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 egg yolks, well beaten

1 cup milk

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place pan of hot water in oven large enough to fit baking dish.

Sift dry ingredients together in mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon rind and juice; 2 egg yolks and 1 cup milk. Mix well. Fold in beaten egg whites. Do not over mix. Pour into 1 round quart size baking dish or 6 custard cups. Set in pan of hot water (1-inch deep). Bake 50 min. Remove from water and serve warm or cold with sweetened whipped cream.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.

Say "Cheesecake!"

 

9/4/13 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

No matter how you slice it cheesecake is a popular dessert at our house. And this week it’s a hot topic of conversation because it’s my husband’s birthday. As usual, I asked him what he would like for dessert on his big day and he looked at me, like, “Really, Betty? Jeannie Hand’s cheesecake, of course.”

The answer is always Jeannie’s cheesecake. It is probably the richest, densest, sweetest, most calorie laden cheesecake recipe on the face of this earth. And did I mention expensive? Three pounds of cream cheese, seven eggs, whipping cream and sugar make my waistline expand and my budget conscious mind swirl.

Although no one would call cheesecake a health food, it was once considered a good source of energy. Ancient Greeks put together flour, wheat, honey and cheese, formed it into a simple cake and served it to athletes during the first Olympic games in 776 B.C. Over the centuries, simplicity changed as beaten eggs and cream cheese were added to the mix.

But not all countries use cream cheese. Many put their own spin on cheesecake. Italians use ricotta cheese while the Greeks use mizithra or feta. Germans prefer cottage cheese and the Japanese use a combination of cornstarch and egg in their filling.

Here in the U.S. New Yorkers love their cheesecake and they even claim bragging rights for the original recipe. New York’s cheesecake’s unique flavor comes from adding extra egg yolks to the cream cheese mixture. No fancy toppings are needed.

In Chicago, sour cream is added to make a creamy cake. Philadelphia cheese cake is my favorite—it is lighter and creamier than New York style and can be served with fruit toppings. In St. Louis, their signature is a gooey butter cake with an added layer of cake topping on the cheesecake filling.

Following is the recipe for Jeannie’s fabulous cheesecake. Also a very yummy sounding Apple Pecan Cheesecake made in a baking dish that would be perfect for serving a crowd. I will probably be making the Philly New York Cheesecake recipe. It calls for less sugar and I will use Neufchatel low-fat cream cheese. Then I’ll top it with the birthday boy’s favorite canned cherry pie filling.

Here’s wishing my sweetheart Chuck Kaiser a very Happy Birthday! Enjoy!

JEANNIE’S FABULOUS CHEESECAKE

CRUST

1/4 pound butter

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

Preheat oven to 350° F. Melt butter. Add sugar, egg yolk and flour. Pat 1/2 of mixture on bottom of 9” Springform pan and the remaining half up sides. Bake 10 min. or until golden brown. Remove from oven and increase heat to 450° F.

FILLING

3 pounds cream cheese (six 8 ounce packages)

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup flour

5 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 cup whipping cream

Juice of one lemon

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons almond extract

Slightly warm cheese to soften it. Add all ingredients and beat with mixer until smooth. Pour into pan. Set timer and bake for 12 min. Turn heat off and leave the cake in the oven for 2 hours. Do not open oven door. No peeking! After two hours, remove from oven and heat oven to 350° F.

TOPPING

1 pint sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Spoon onto baked cheesecake and spread evenly. Bake an additional 8 min. Let cool and then refrigerate 1-2 hours or until serving time. Serves 12 (or more).

PHILLY NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided

3 tablespoons butter, melted

5 packages (8 ounces each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 can (21 ounce) cherry pie filling

1 teaspoon almond extract

Crust: Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, flour and butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch Springform pan. Bake 10 min. and remove from oven. Leave oven on.

Filling: Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and vanilla in mixer bowl on medium speed until well-blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on slow speed just until blended. Blend in sour cream. Pour over crust.

Bake at 350° F. 65 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Topping: Empty cherry pie filling into small bowl. Add almond extract and refrigerate. Spoon over pie just before serving or on individual slices. Recipe says it serves 14. I don’t think so!

APPLE PECAN CHEESECAKE

Crust:

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil. Mix crumbs, butter and sugar; press onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 min. Remove.

Filling:

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 pounds (4-8 ounce packages) Cream Cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in mixer until blended. Add sour cream, blend; Add eggs on at a time, mixing on slow speed after each just until blended. Pour into crust.

Topping:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

4 cups chopped, peeled apples

3/4 cup pecans, chopped

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together and sprinkle over batter. Bake 1 hour or about 65 min. Cool. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve. Makes up to 16 small servings.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! 

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.

Summer Suppers

8/21/13 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

 So, what’s for dinner?  Well, it’s summertime and many afternoons, I look at the clock and ask myself that question. At that time of day take out pizza, KFC and even frozen TV dinners sound good…but I live too far out of town for that! So I’m forcing myself to turn over a new leaf and decide in the morning what’s for dinner.

Concentrating on dinner in the morning is not easy. I’d much rather be on the go, out in the sunshine, watering plants, picking flowers or walking the dogs down to the lake. So I decided to dedicate one morning a week planning meals. I sweetened the pot by granting myself a guilty pleasure—television.

I am not a morning TV person but I do like “Live! With Kelly and Michael.” Problem solved. I turn on Live! And use it as background to keep me focused on the task at hand. I get to laugh, get caught up with the latest Hollywood gossip and somehow focus on the task at hand—meal planning (and cooking) for the week.

The first summer dinner I planned a really tasty fresh vegetable soup and most of the ingredients came from our garden. I did all of the prep work in the morning and then finished it off an hour before dinner. Store bought sour dough rolls and fresh cantaloupe rounded out a very healthy meal. Delicious!

In a pinch, I combine quesadillas with simple soups and salads for a satisfying quick dinner. I’ve even come up with a different idea for picnic sandwiches—sliced pork loin on baguettes. I cook the pork ahead of time and put together a potato salad or a pot of baked beans. Everything comes together quickly at the last minute.

Fresh fruits have been plentiful but lurking in my freezer are some packages of blackberries and blueberries from last year. So mixed cobblers have also been on the menu. Fresh peaches and strawberries needed to be used up. Thinking outside of the box I combined them with some blueberries, sugar and flour, topped the mixture with a cinnamon-streusel topping and voila-dessert. Enjoy!

GARDEN VEGETABLE SOUP

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, scrubbed and sliced

2 medium stalks of celery, sliced into moons

1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise; cut in 1/2 “ pieces

1 large Red or Idaho Gold potato, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon Italian seasonings

1 can vegetable broth (or chicken)

5 cups water

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash or two of Tabasco Sauce

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, carrots and celery; sauté stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 min. Add the zucchini and sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 min. Add the potato, sauté, stirring occasionally about 3 min.

Add the Italian seasonings, broth, water, tomatoes and barley. Bring soup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add the beans and continue to simmer until hot. Add salt and pepper. Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary. Add Tabasco and simmer until ready to eat. Serves 6

THREE CHEESE QUESADILLAS

4 flour tortillas (8 inches)

2 tablespoons butter

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions,

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced

2 teaspoons ripe olives, chopped

Garnish:

1/4 cup salsa

Sour Cream

Spread butter over one side of each tortilla. Spread cream cheese over unbuttered side on half the tortillas. Sprinkle with cheeses, onion, cilantro and olives. Top with remaining tortillas, buttered side up.

Cook on a griddle over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges. Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired. Yield: 4 side servings.

PORK PICNIC SANDWICHES

2 to 3 pound pork tenderloin roast

1/2 cup Italian dressing

2 teaspoons garlic salt with parsley

2 teaspoons black pepper, coarsely ground

1/2 cup mayonnaise mixed with 1/8 teaspoon tarragon

Fig Jam or other fruit chutney

5 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced

Red onion slices, separated

Chopped Romaine lettuce

2 small baguettes French bread

Note: May substitute Lemon Tarragon Mayonnaise (recipe below) for Fig Jam or chutney.

The night before: Place pork tenderloin roast in large re-sealable plastic bag. Whisk together dressing, salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour dressing over roast and refrigerate until morning.

Drain, and place roast in Crockpot and cook several hours until very done. Add liquid if necessary. OR if you prefer, bake in the oven. Set aside to cool.

To prepare sandwiches: Slice baguettes into four-inch pieces and halve lengthwise; reserve extra bread for something else. Slice pork and cheese. On bottom bread slices, layer fig jam, sliced pork, cheese, red onion and lettuce. Spread top bread slice with mayonnaise. Serves 6.

MIXED FRUIT COBBLER

FILLING:

4 cups fresh peaches

3 cups fresh strawberries

1 cup (frozen or fresh) blueberries

3/4-1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/3 cup flour

STREUSEL TOPPING:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup soft butter or margarine

In small bowl combine topping ingredients until crumbly.

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Mix fruits together with sugar, lemon juice and flour. Pour into 8x8x2” Pyrex baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with streusel topping and bake 35-45 min. or until fruit begins to bubble. Serves 6.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! 

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes

 that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.

County Fair Cooks

8/7/13 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

County Fair food

 A few years ago I picked up a “County Fair Cookbook” by Stallworth and Kennedy. I expected to find Blue Ribbon recipes. Instead, I discovered that the book was more about the people behind the recipes than it was about award winning food. The recipes are from different regions with interesting tidbits about their servers.

Next week I’ll talk more about county fairs—including our own W.O.E. Heritage Fair. But today I’m going to fill up this space with a wide variety of recipes from the states of Maine, Vermont, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Oregon. The recipes are interesting and so are the people that submitted them. For-instance, did you know that the famous artist Grandma Moses was also a prize winning cook?

We’ll start with Loretta Greene in the far northeastern state of Maine. Loretta’s vintage kitchen is one of the biggest draws in the Farm Museum at Fryeburg, Maine’s Fair. She comes from a farm family and cooks on a wood stove at home because it’s practical and enjoyable. At the Fair, she also cooks on a wood stove but in a big way. One year she gave out 7,240 samples of beans, rice pudding and apple crisp! That didn’t count the peanut brittle, biscuits and johnnycakes that were also available for tasting.

INDIAN PUDDING

6 cups whole milk

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup molasses

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Heat 4 cups of milk until scalding or until little bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Add the cornmeal slowly, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens. Stir in molasses and salt; remove pot from heat. Pour into 9x13x2-inch Pyrex or earthenware baking dish. Pour on the cold milk; no need to stir it. Bake 3 hours. Serve 4-6, warm or cold with whipped cream.

Grandma Moses (1860-1961) represents the Mid-Atlantic. Born in New York, she is one of the most celebrated painters of her era and was also a good cook. At fairs, she won blue ribbons for her jams and jellies but none for her paintings! The Bennington Vermont Museum has many of her recipes. The following was written in her journal. If you are game to try making macaroons, here’s her recipe.

GRANDMA MOSES’ MACAROONS

Whites of 9 eggs, beaten to a froth

1 lb blanched almonds, pounded

1/2 lb sugar

Nutmeg and mace to your taste

To be baked 1 hour on paper

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the blanched almonds and sugar and blend with 1/2 teaspoon each of freshly grated nutmeg and pounded mace. Fold in the egg whites. Place the mixture in a pastry bag and squeeze out small drops about 1-inch across, placed 2 inches apart on the paper. Bake 30 min. When cool, dampen the underside of the paper with a moist cloth and remove the cookies.

Down South, in Kentucky, Jeanne Kemper is known as the “Pie Queen.” She and her husband run a dairy farm but also grow tobacco. “We’d be down and so would a lot of other people without it. Milk prices are way low…and tobacco pays the bills.” One year she baked 15 pies to take to the State Fair but miscalculated and was a day late! She said they sure had a freezer full of pies. I used to serve a variation of this pie in our restaurant. The pecans and chocolate chips float to the top of the creamy filling.

KENTUCKY BOURBON PECAN PIE

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

2 tablespoons Kentucky Bourbon (or vanilla)

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar. Gradually beat in the melted butter and corn syrup. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and bourbon (vanilla). Pour mixture into pie shell. Bake 40-50 min. until the filling is almost set. Serves 6, warm or cold with whipped cream.

Mary Silvers represents the Payne County Fair in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Her potato salad recipe with a cooked dressing is reminiscent of the ones that I grew up eating with my Missouri family.

MARY SILVERS’ POTATO SALAD

The Boiled Dressing:

4 eggs, well beaten

1/2-1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon mustard

The Salad:

10 medium potatoes, boiled, cooled and peeled

4 hard boiled eggs

1/2 cup chopped (red) onion

3 good-sized sweet pickles, chopped

Small jar diced pimiento

1 teaspoon celery salt (or more) to taste

Make the dressing: Place all ingredients in a saucepan and mix well. Bring mixture to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until the dressing has thickened. Cool slightly.

Make the salad: Cube the potatoes and dice the hard-boiled eggs. Combine in a bowl with remainder of ingredients. Pour the dressing over and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Serves 8.

Finally, from Oregon and the Tillamook County Fair we have Mildred Davy’s tasty surprise recipe.

CHEDDAR CHEESE PUFFS SURPRISE

2 cups grated sharp Tillamook or other cheddar

1 stick butter at room temperature

1 cup sifted flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

48 small green stuffed olives, well drained

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Blend the grated cheese and butter. Stir in dry ingredients. Mold 1 teaspoon of the mixture around each olive. Chill the puffs until firm. Arrange on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 15 min. or until browned. Makes 48 puffs.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes

 that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.