Strawberry Pie and Salad recipes from Oregon

6/19/19 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Good grief! It’s almost the end of June and strawberry season. Our berries have almost come and gone and I have yet to make jam or a strawberry pie. Of course, I can always buy some at the markets but I do love watching Chuck pick fruits and veggies from our home garden. Hopefully, there are still enough strawberries on our plants for a pie.

Oregon strawberries are truly special—especially the Hood berries. “They have a little bit of romance that our other berries don’t have,” says Bruce Pokarney, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Agriculture. “It is fire-engine red, bursting with flavor, sweeter and juicier than berries from anywhere else in the United States. It is also highly perishable.

California strawberries are sturdier but if you buy the right variety Oregon can beat them for taste and quality. But not size. The website for Oregon strawberry varieties lists 12 different kinds all with different qualities: Albion, Charm, Hood, Mary’s Peak, Puget Crimson, Shuksan, Seascape, Sweet Sunrise and Tillamook. You can find more information about them with pictures at htpps.oregon-strawberry.org/variety.

If you’ve not grown strawberries before, here’s a few things to remember. Strawberries need 6-10 hours of direct sunlight. Raised beds are a good option for them but remember they send out runners and need lots of room. Do not plant them in the shade! If possible, amend your soil in advance of planning with aged manure or compost. Finally, read the instructions on the plants for best results. And remember, bugs like them too!

Simplicity and freshness are the keys to today’s strawberry recipes. Dessert, of course, is going to start off the meal planning. Today’s semi-fresh strawberry pie is new to me and so simple. First you fill the pie shell with sliced berries. Then you mash the remainder of the berries and cook them with sugar, water and cornstarch. Pour that mixture over the fresh berries, refrigerate and you’ve got a strawberry pie. Topped with whipped cream, of course.

One of my favorite ways to change-up the taste and presentation of a green dinner salad is by adding fruit. Strawberries are great for color, taste and nutrition. Your kids will even eat them! So, if you only have a few berries at a time on your bushes, add them to a green salad and you will be the cook of the day! Check out these salad recipes and see how you like them. The Strawberry Cucumber salad doesn’t even call for lettuce. It’s more like a spicy fruit salad.

Quick ‘N Easy Strawberry Pie

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked

1 quart fresh strawberries

1 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Arrange half of strawberries in baked pastry shell. Mash remaining berries and combine with sugar in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour mixture over berries in pastry shell. Chill for several hours before serving. In a small bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Serve each slice of pie with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 6 or 8.

Strawberries and Mixed Green Salad

with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Salad greens and berries

1 (10 to 12-ounce) package baby spinach or mixed greens, washed and dried
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered

Vinaigrette:
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

In a large salad bowl, add the mixed greens and strawberries, and toss together.

For the dressing: In a small glass bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, oil and poppy seeds. Whisk together in the glass bowl or shake if using a jar. Dress the salad right before serving.

Strawberry Cucumber Salad

Salad:

4½ cups (1½ pounds) California strawberries, stemmed and quartered
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
¾ cup Italian parsley leaves
4 green onions, chopped
6 radishes, thinly sliced

Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar

1½ teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sweet paprika

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

In bowl, whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients except oil. Whisk in oil until blended. To make salad: In large bowl, toss salad ingredients with vinaigrette until coated. Mound salad on 6 chilled plates, dividing it equally. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Contact Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner by email bchatty@bettykaiser.com

Robert E. Lee Cake

5/22/19 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser 

Memorial Day is more than BBQs and picnics

 

When I was a kid, Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30. Whatever day of the week that fell on the calendar. Like most kids, I thought of it as a no-school-day with a family picnic at a park.

Now that I’m older and wiser, I know it is a day to commemorate all of the military men and women who died fighting for our country’s freedom. Originally called Decoration Day it officially became Memorial Day by an act of Congress in 1971 and the date was changed to the last Monday in May. The reason was to ensure that every year the now more than 1.1 million military deaths in a dozen major wars would be honored by our nation.

Here in Cottage Grove, one way we can show our respect is by attending the ceremony on May 26. It  begins at 11 a.m. in the C.G. Armory. Afterwards, there is a procession that leads to Memorial Park at River Rd. and Main St. Attendees walking to the park are led by a bag piper, police, and members of a motorcycle club. A variety of speakers address the group and the event concludes with a 21-gun salute. It’s always very touching.

Also, a few years ago, the National Moment of Remembrance Act was put into place. Please pause at 3 p.m. on Mon. May 26, for a nationwide minute of silence to remember and honor those who died.

Then, after the ceremonies—because everyone knows that most holidays involve food—

we will all either head home for a BBQ or to the park for a picnic. 

Today’s recipe is for a delicious cake that has been around since the late 1800s and was named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee. I chose it because it combines my favorite lemon and orange fillings and frostings. Yummy!  If the cake steps seem too daunting you could probably use a lemon cake mix but prepare the filling and frosting from scratch.  It must be made the day before eating.

Enjoy— and God bless America!

ROBERT E. LEE CAKE

2 cups flour (all-purpose), sifted

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

8 eggs, separated and room temperature

2 cups sugar (granulated)

1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated

1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh-squeezed

*LEMON FILLING: SEE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW.

3 tablespoons lemon zest, grated

1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly-squeezed

1 1/2 cups sugar (granulated)

6 tablespoons butter

3 eggs, lightly beaten

*LEMON-ORANGE FROSTING: SEE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW.

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated

3 to 4 tablespoons orange zest, grated

2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly-squeezed

6 cups powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar), sifted

1/4 cup orange juice, freshly-squeezed

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cream of tartar, and baking powder; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until very thick and creamy.  Gradually add sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until mixture is smooth and pale yellow.  Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice; gently fold in the flour mixture until well incorporated.
3. In a large bowl of your electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk batter, then fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.
4. Spoon batter into prepared cake pans.  Bake approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until cake begins to pull away from sides of the pan. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes in the pan.  Loosen edges with a knife and turn out onto wire cooling racks to finish cooling.
5. Prepare the Lemon Filling and Lemon-Orange Frosting.
6. When cake is completely cool, with a long-blade serrated knife, cut each layer horizontally in half to make four (4) layers.
7. Spread Lemon Filling between layers of the cooled cake.  To keep cake from sliding to one side, insert a long wooden skewer into the middle and all the way to the bottom.  Spread Lemon-Orange Frosting on sides and top of the cake.
8. Store cake in the refrigerator until serving time.
9. Makes 8 to 10 serving.

*LEMON FILLING INSTRUCTIONS:

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar.  Bring just to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes.  Add butter and stir until it has melted.  Remove from heat and let mixture cool to room temperature.

When cool, beat eggs into the lemon-sugar mixture until well blended.  Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats a spoon.  Remove from heat. Cool in refrigerator until ready to use.

LEMON-ORANGE FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS:

In a medium bowl, beat butter until it has the appearance of thick cream.  Beat in the lemon zest, orange zest, and lemon juice.  Stir in the powdered sugar and orange juice, a little at a time; continue beating until mixture is very smooth (stir in enough orange juice to make a spreadable frosting).

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal 

with Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner

email bchatty@bettykaiser.com

Schaum Torte Recipes for Spring

4/17/19 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Note: Long time readers of this column may remember my previous Schaum Torte recipes.  The original column for them was written several years ago. Unfortunately, I will not be making desserts or even Easter dinner this year due to my recent arm injury.

However, Easter Sunday is still just around the corner and dessert is already a subject of discussion at our house. I’m always thinking of something light, tangy and lemony. My husband always lobbies for his childhood favorite, a Schaum Torte. This year, whatever we eat is probably going to be store-bought. But read on.   

In the Kaiser family, a “Schaum Torte,” is always spoken of in almost reverential terms. Their sweet holiday tradition was brought to this country by Chuck’s German immigrant grandparents and is still very popular in his hometown of Milwaukee, Wis.

For 50 years, my husband has longingly remembered the sweet confection: “It would rise high above the spring form pan and then sink in the middle, leaving a crispy top. Mom would fill it with crushed pineapple and whipped cream and slice it like a cake.” He practically salivates with each narration.

Chuck’s grandmother and mother passed away without handing down this fabulous recipe and I have spent years unsuccessfully trying to track it down.

I have a Lemon Schaum Torte recipe that I think is quite good. But Chuck said that it’s just not the same as his mother’s. So, I kept searching. I had just about despaired of ever finding what he was looking for when I discovered a discussion about Milwaukee Schaum Tortes on the Internet. Amazing!

Here’s what I learned. My torte, baked on a baking sheet, is the well-known crispy meringue method. But, baked in a spring form pan, changes the texture, creates a chewy center and nest for a filling. This is what Chuck remembers.

So, thanks to modern technology, Chuck will get an old-fashioned pineapple schaum torte for his Easter dessert (just maybe not this year). Here are two torte recipes. Make both of the recipes yours by substituting your family’s favorite fruits. Enjoy!

Milwaukee Schaum Torte

Torte shell:

6 egg whites

1-2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring.

Preheat oven at 250° for one hour.

Butter a 9-inch spring form pan

In large mixing bowl, beat room temperature egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high speed until very stiff peaks form.

Pour into pan, place in oven and bake for one hour. Turn off oven, leave door shut and let stay in the oven for another hour. Remove from oven to cool.

Betty’s Pineapple filling:

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch’

3/4 cup pineapple juice

1 cup crushed pineapple, well drained

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Gradually stir in pineapple juice. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 min. Remove from heat, stir in butter and lemon juice. Cool thoroughly.

Whipped cream:

1 cup whipping cream

¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

 Beat cream until nearly stiff, gradually add sugar and vanilla, beating until stiff.

To assemble:

Remove torte from pan. Spread filling across top and finish with whipped cream. Slice and serve 10 lucky guests.

Lemon Schaum Torte

(Serves 8)

Meringue:

4 large egg whites (reserve yolks for filling)

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 275° F. (low heat)

Line a baking sheet with parchment or plain brown paper.

Beat eggs until frothy. Gradually beat in the sugar, a little at a time, until very stiff and glossy. On baking sheet, shape meringue as desired into either a large heart or 8 individual meringue shells. Make an indentation with back of spoon to hold filling.

Bake 45 min. Turn off oven and leave inside until cool.

Lemon layer:

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

2 teaspoon grated lemon rind (zest)

Beat egg yolks in small mixer bowl until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in lemon juice and rind. Cook over hot water in a double boiler, stirring constantly until thick (5-8 min.). Cool.

To assemble: Spread meringue shells with cooled lemon torte filling. Top with about 1 cup sweetened whipping cream, stiffly whipped. Chill about 12 hours before serving.

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. Contact her by email bchatty@bettykaiser.com

PREPPING for WINTER STORMS

3/13/19 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Uh, oh! Sunday, February 27, snowflakes greeted us as we left church. As long-time residents at Cottage Grove Lake, we have learned to go into survival mode when it snows. Inevitably, we will lose power, whatever the conditions. So, we made sure that we had groceries, bottled water and that the car was gassed up. We headed home, walked in the door, and the power went off. Groan.

Living in the country I have put to good use my Girl Scout motto to “Be Prepared.” And my husband was a Boy Scout. Together we make a great team. Following are some ways for all of us to be prepared for winter living. It may be a little late for this year but it’s never too late to be prepared. You may never need this stuff, but you’ll have it “just in case.”

We Kaisers have a small generator that enabled us to go 11 days without electricity. That still meant that we had no heat, no shower, no oven to cook in, no telephone and more. It also meant that we needed copious amounts of gasoline to keep Genny the generator running intermittently.

Because I went to the grocery store just as the storm started, I had stocked up on bananas, bread, frozen stir fry meals, soups from the deli, canned meats, etc. Mostly we just ate simple stuff from the freezer because Genny generator allowed us to use the microwave and one burner on the stovetop. A sample recipe is at the end of this column.

Now, giving advice after a storm is sort of like locking the barn door after the horse has runaway. However,  just in case you need a be-prepared-refresher course, here are some basics to stock up on for another unexpected 3-11-day Snowmageddenl:

OUTSIDE:

Firewood for wood stove (we almost ran out!)

Fire Logs (backup)

Full tank of gas in car

Full 5-gallon gas cans for generator (thanks to our friends)

Tire chains (a 4-wheel drive Jeep)

Snow Shovel and strong back (or neighbor)

Bags of sand (didn’t use)

Cooler to fill with ice or snow

A camp stove to cook on

INSIDE:

Non-electric light sources. i.e. Battery-operated lanterns, flashlights

Wireless or battery-operated RADIO

Batteries for everything (we didn’t have ‘C’ for our radio!)

Matches and lighters for candles, firewood, etc.

First Aid Kit

Extra blankets, warm jackets, hats, gloves

COMMUNICATION

Good luck! Phones will and do go down

Internet only if generator is on and sometimes not then

PEOPLE FOOD:

Think non-perishables and ready-to-eat like canned soup, chicken, tuna, salmon, beans, fruit, crackers, energy bars, peanut butter, cookies!

BABY FOOD and supplies

PET FOOD and supplies

WATER:

 1 gallon per person, per day; juices, instant coffee, tea bags.

MEDICATION:

Try and keep at least 10 days on hand at all times

TOILETRIES:

Keep an ample supply of toilet paper on hand, wipes and hand sanitizers.

REFRIGERATION (it will go out with when generator is turned off)

Put meat, etc. in coolers outside in the snow.

We had intermittent electric, so I put bowls of snow in our frig and freezer, changing daily. It worked! 

Whew. Now that we’re all up-to-date on how to stock up for a snow storm, let’s eat! Following is a one-pot chicken chili dish that everyone will love.

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn

1 large red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)

1 small onion, diced

1 Tablespoon chili powder

2 cups shredded cooked chicken OR

1 can (12.5 oz) Swanson white chicken

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup

1 cup Pace Chunky Salsa

1 cup water

2 cans (15 ounces ea.) white cannellini beans, drained, rinsed

1 can tomatoes (with juice and liquid); or Rotel tomatoes.

Add garlic salt and pepper to taste

GARNISH:

2 green onions, sliced

Cheddar Cheese to taste

Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add corn, green peppers, diced onion and chili powder. Cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in the chicken.

Stir in the soup, salsa, water, tomatoes and beans in the saucepan and heat to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low.  Cover and simmer for awhile.  Serve hot, topped with the cheese and green onions.

Note: If you like a hotter chili, I substitute white chili beans for the cannellini. Season to your taste, garnish and serve with crackers. Serves 4-5.

Contact Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner

by email bchatty@bettykaiser.com

NEW RECIPES FOR COOKING with COTTAGE CHEESE

2/6/19 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Cottage cheese is one of those foods that you either like or you don’t. My family loved the creamy white blob, but my husband’s family couldn’t tolerate it. I didn’t know that. So, as a very young newlywed, my first dinner dish was a disaster. Read on.

One of the first dinners that I prepared as a new bride was all the rage. It was called “California Casserole.” Everyone I knew loved it and so did my husband. The first time I prepared the dish, he scarfed it down and asked me about the ingredients. I innocently recited the ground beef, noodles, tomato sauce, etc.

Everything was fine until I said, “cottage cheese and sour cream.” Well, you would have thought I had declared WWIII. Turns out his father was a very picky eater and despised most things dairy.  Cottage cheese and sour cream were banned from the Kaiser table and now ours. Chuck and his brothers had grown up hating food that they had never tasted.

Well, after I dried my tears, I towed the line for a while and removed them from my menu list. That severely crimped my style. So, slowly but surely, I found ways to incorporate the banned foods into our diet.  I just didn’t tell Chuck what he was eating! Now, he even happily eats cottage cheese on fruit and a sour cream onion dip suits him fine.

Cottage cheese is one of the most versatile things in my frig. I buy the 2% low fat carton that has fewer carbs (1%) but 13 grams of protein. It still tastes rich and creamy and is great in casseroles, scones, pancakes, waffles, a filling for crepes or eaten alone.

The California Casserole is now very popular and I have previously printed it so I won’t repeat myself. Recently I was hungry for macaroni and cheese and came upon the following recipe. I think it’s one of the best mac and cheese dishes ever. Give it a try. The scones recipe calls for cutting them like biscuits. I prefer the usual pie sliced way. It’s your choice. Enjoy!

CREAMY MACARONI and CHEESE

Serves 6

3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

6 tablespoons butter divided

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups milk

8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed

1-1/3 cups cottage cheese

2/3 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces) divided

1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain the macaroni and place it in a greased 9x13 baking pan.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the flour, salt and sugar, then stir until smooth. 

Gradually add in the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Reduce the heat to low.

Stir in the Velveeta cheese until melted. 

Stir in cottage cheese, sour cream and 1 cup cheddar cheese until melted.

Pour the cheese mixture over macaroni. Sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese.

Melt remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs; sprinkle over top the casserole.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

SAVORY SCALLION AND CHEESE SCONES

Makes 8-19 scones

1 cup cottage cheese

4 tablespoons milk, plus more for brushing on top

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and diced

3 scallions (or green onions) thinly sliced; about ½ cup

Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Puree the cottage cheese and milk together until smooth in a blender or food processor; set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.

Cut in the butter with a fork or using two butter knives until it looks like coarse meal. Add the scallions and stir in the cottage cheese puree. (The dough should come together, but not be too wet; if the dough is still too crumbly, you can add milk a little at a time until it comes together.)

Shape the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disk; wrap it in plastic wrap and chill 10 minutes in the freezer.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll or press the dough out to a circle about 7 to 8 inches in diameter and ¾ inch thick. Use a floured 2½ inch round cookie cutter to stamp out the scones, then gather up the dough scraps and repeat as necessary (you should get about 8 to 10 scones).

Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, lightly brush the tops with a little milk, and bake until puffed and light golden brown on top and bottom, about 14 to 16 minutes. Serve warm with butter.

Contact Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner by email bchatty@bettykaiser.com