Peach canning season is in full swing!

8/15/18 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Last week I was out at Detering Orchards in Harrisburg to pick up some peaches for canning. Just one box of peaches and a few ears of corn for dinner. The lady being checked out ahead of me was a different story. She had big boxes and bags of berries, green beans, peaches, plums and everything else that wasn’t nailed down. It took two shopping carts to get her inventory to the car. Obviously, she had a big family or was just a serious canner.

I am a selectively lazy canner. Canning is hard work and I do as little as possible. Pioneer women were amazing. There were no grocery stores to run to for a can of pears if you didn’t put them up the previous summer They were smart, thrifty and tired after working together to process hundreds of cans of meat, fruit and vegetables. We are so blessed.

I learned to can (in jars) back in the late 1970s thanks to my neighbor Sallie in Ventura, Calif. She and Jim were married at the turn of 20^th century and lived for awhile in a sod hut in Texas. Talk about pioneers! Later, they moved to different cities because of Jim’s job as an engineer with Kaiser Gypsum plants. But everywhere they moved, Sallie canned. And when they got to Calif. she taught me how to “put up” tomatoes, apricots, apples, peaches, green beans and more.

Fortunately, my husband Chuck has always been willing to help. At the end of a long day at our restaurant, when we were both pooped, we began canning together. At that time, rural Ventura was surrounded with fields and orchards so produce was readily available. Somehow, my hubby always found time to grow tomatoes and I purchased fruit and veggies from local stands.

My first canning project was a disaster. Deep in a nearby canyon was a U-pick apricot orchard. One hot summer day after work, we picked several bags of dead-ripe apricots. By the time, we got home they smelled wonderful. Inside the bags, they were hot, squished together and unusable. Note to self: Do not pick dead-ripe fruit!

So far this summer I have put-up frozen strawberry jam, blueberries, peaches and green beans. There’s only two of us eating at home most of the time, so my inventory is small. I seldom put up more than 36 jars of anything. Still, it’s work. This year I decided to not wait for the freestone peaches but to go with the semi-cling Suncrest peaches. Note to self: next year go with the freestone.

Now, if you’re not a canner...Do not despair. I freeze my blueberries and sometimes a few peaches in a sugar mix. They keep well. The following recipes are for pies that I picked up from Detering’s years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Detering are gone now, but the family carries on the business and her recipes are timeless. I especially like her suggestions on how to combine peaches with other fruits. Be sure and check out the easy turnover recipe. Enjoy!

MARIES’S EVERYDAY FRESH PEACH PIE

5 cups sliced fresh peaches (about 8 medium size)

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons tapioca

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of salt

1 tablespoon butter, cut into bits

Pastry for two=crust 9-inch pie

1 teaspoon sugar (to top pie crust)

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Mix first 7 ingredients. Line 9-inch pie pan with pastry. Pour in peach mixture. Cover with top crust. Seal, flute, prick with fork. Brush lightly with cold water. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake on lowest rack in oven for 40-50 minutes.

Peach Pie Variations

Peach Strawberry Pie: Use 3 cups sliced fresh peaches and 2 cups fresh strawberries, halved. Use ¼ teaspoon almond extract instead of cinnamon.

Peach Dark Berry Pie: Use 3 cups sliced fresh peaches and 2 cups blueberries or black berries.

Peach Apple Pie: Use 3 cups sliced fresh peaches and 2 cups apples.

Peach Pear Pie: Use 3 cups sliced fresh peaches ad 2 cups sliced pears.

DIANE’S FRESH PEACH TURNOVERS
(Recipe as found

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Filling:

3 cups sliced peaches with the juice drained off

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon together. Pour over peaches, gently mix all together and set aside.

Crust:

Sift together:

2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt

Mix well and stir into flour mixture:

3/4 cup shortening, 1 egg yolk and 1/2 cup hot water

Cut crust into 5-inch squares ¼ inch thick. Put on pan and add as much filling as needed. Fold crust to a triangle. Press edges together. Bake 40 min. After cooked you may pour icing over them. Makes 7-9 turnovers.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal with Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner

 Contact her email at bchatty@betty Kaiser.com

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Zucchini is here!

8/18/18 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Zucchini anyone?

Today’s column is all about zucchini. My husband has already walked in the house multiple times this month announcing that “Zucchini man is here!” All winter long I yearn for fresh zucchini and now I’m overwhelmed! It is in full swing so it’s time to dig out my recipes and decide how many ways we can enjoy it this summer.

One of today’s recipes is for stuffed zucchini. It was born in the 1980s when a customer walked through the door of our restaurant and gifted us with some huge 22-inch long zucchinis. “See what you can do with these,” he said. We came up with a variable ingredients stuffed Bell Pepper type filling and it immediately became our best-selling summer lunch special.

The other recipes are for simple side dishes because...who likes to cook in this heat? The final two are my favorite way to eat zucchini—a chocolate cake and a simple sweet bread that is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Enjoy!

FYI: You will love today’s first recipe because it has nothing to do with cooking! Many years ago, I solicited zucchini recipes from readers. I still have dozens of them in my file. This one was from my friend Carol Pryor. She left this earth too soon but I still laugh every time I read her tongue-in-cheek advice:

BEST ZUCCHINI RECIPE EVER

(Carol Pryor 2001)

1 bushel zucchini

1 raincoat

1 pair of sunglasses

A moderately fast car

                           

Directions: Go to s busy parking lot. Drive around until you find an unlocked car. Put the zucchini in the back seat and drive away FAST before you are discovered!

CORN and ZUCCHINI MEDLEY

4 slices bacon

2 cups chopped zucchini

1-1/2 cups fresh corn

1 small onion, chopped

Salt and pepper

¼ cup Jack Cheese

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain bacon on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside.

Sauté the zucchini, corn and onion over medium heat in the bacon drippings until tender-crisp, about 10 min. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in half of the crumbled bacon and spoon vegetables into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining bacon. Serves 4-5.

ZUCCHINI GARDEN SALAD

4 tomatoes, chopped or cut into quarters

1 medium zucchini, sliced and then halved

Fresh basil (or dried)

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup red onion, minced

Italian Dressing to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate. Serve cold on a bed of lettuce.

KAISER’S COUNTRY DINER STUFFED ZUCCHINI

1 huge zucchini

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, diced

½ bell pepper, diced

1 cup cooked brown or white rice

2 8 ounce cans Hunts tomato sauce with basil, garlic and oregano

Other seasonings: garlic salt, pepper, basil, Tabasco

Preheat oven to 350° F. and line a baking pan with foil

Wash and split the zucchini lengthwise. Scope out the middle and discard. Steam the shells in the microwave about 3-4 min. Drain and set aside.

Cook the ground beef, onion and bell pepper in a skillet until meat is done. Drain well. Add the rice and 1 can tomato sauce to the meat mixture with other seasonings as desired. Spoon into the zucchini shells and top with the other can of tomato sauce and your choice of cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted. Serves 8 or more depending on size.

CHOCOLATE-ZUCCHINI CAKE

Southern Living 2002

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

3 cups granulated sugar

3 (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate baking squares, melted

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

3 cups grated zucchini (about 5)

1 cup pecans, chopped

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine first 4 ingredients and set aside. 

Beat eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer. Gradually add granulated sugar; beat until blended. Add chocolate and oil; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture; beat at low speed until blended. Fold in zucchini and pecans. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured Bundt pan.

Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Serves 12.

Kaiser’s Country Diner Zucchini Bread

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Beat together until blended:

3 eggs

2-1/4 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups grated zucchini

Add:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons cinnamon

Spray 2 large or 3 small loaf (bread) pans with cooking oil.

Bake 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean. Cool, slice and serve at breakfast, with luncheon salads or a bedtime dessert.

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

STRAWBERRY TIME IN OREGON!

6/20/18 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Oregon strawberries: Sweeter. Redder. Better.

It’s strawberry time in Oregon! This is your official reminder that the season is short—so you’d better get them while you can. Oregon strawberries are known for their deep red color, intense sweetness and short storage life. The fresh berries stay on the vine and ripen slowly to allow the sugars to increase until ready for harvest.

According to the Oregon strawberries website, not many are sold fresh. Some are picked and sold at produce stands but mostly they are processed into sliced or whole frozen berries. That way they retain their summer freshness for us to enjoy all year long. So, if you want fresh berries, you’d better hurry and get them at a stand near you soon.

Chuck’s garden produces strawberries a handful at a time. Just enough for a bowl of cereal or maybe a couple of strawberry shortcakes. Sadly, Eden Valley Farm out Mosby Creek has no strawberries this year. They are taking orders for other berries but no strawberries. So now I’m on the hunt for another berry farm. Darn.

I love to make strawberry shortcake the old-fashioned way served on biscuits. It’s easy to whip up a batch of biscuits to serve buttered and warm, under spoonful’s of berries and whipped cream. Hint: Sometimes I cheat and use Bisquick.

Several batches of frozen strawberry freezer jam are also a must at our house. It’s quick and easy and stores in your freezer for months. We eat ours on ice cream, pancakes and anything else that needs a bit of summer sunshine. I also like a nice luncheon dish with berries. A chicken salad with berries is a nice Sunday supper dish for company. Serve with hot biscuits or fresh sour dough bread. Try it. You’ll like it! Enjoy.

 STRAWBERRY FREEZER JAM

2 cups crushed strawberries (about 1 quart whole berries)

4 cups sugar

1 package powdered pectin

1 cup water

Prepare fruit: Sort and wash fully ripe berries. Remove caps and stems; crush berries.

Place prepared berries in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and mix well. Let stand for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Dissolve pectin in water and boil for 1 min. Add pectin solution to berry and sugar mixture. Stir for 2 minutes. Pour jam into freezer containers or canning jars, leaving ½ inch space at the top. Cover containers and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours or until jam has set. Makes 5 small jam jars.

Store uncooked jams in refrigerator or freezer. They can be held up to 3 weeks in the frig or up to a year in the freezer. Do not store at room temperature. They will mold or ferment. Once a container is opened, jam should be stored in the refrigerator and used within a few days.

Note: If jam is too firm, stir to soften. If it tends to separate, stir to blend. If it is too soft, bring it to a boil. It will thicken on cooking.

STRAWBERRY CHICKEN SALAD

1/2 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped chutney (or bottled)
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 pints hulled fresh Oregon strawberries, divided
Iceberg or Butter lettuce leaves or chopped Romaine lettuce

In large bowl, combine mayonnaise, chutney, lime zest, salt, curry powder and lime juice. Add chicken, celery and onion; toss, cover and chill.

Just before serving, slice enough strawberries to make 2 cups; gently toss with chicken mixture. Line platter or individual serving plates with lettuce. Mound chicken salad in center. Garnish with remaining 1 cup whole strawberries. Serves 4.

OLD-FASHIONED STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup+2 tablespoons shortening

3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in shortening to fine pieces. Stir in buttermilk to soft dough. Round up the dough on a floured, cloth-covered board. Knead lightly. Roll or pat out about 1/2 inch thick. Cut. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown 12-15 min. Cool slightly. Serves 6.

STRAWBERRY TOPPING

4 cups strawberries (or more).

1 cup sugar (or to taste

½ teaspoon cinnamon

A few spoonsful of cold water

Wash and drain berries. Pick them over. Remove stems and hulls. Slice and put them in a bowl. Add sugar, cinnamon and water. Refrigerate. To serve, split and butter biscuits. Top with strawberries and garnish with whipped cream.

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

Memorial Day memories and picnics

5/23/18 Cook’s Corner

Memorial Day food for thought

Memorial Day is a bitter-sweet holiday. It’s a day to fly the flag while you enjoy your holiday picnic. First and foremost it’s a day of remembrance. A day to honor the men and women in our military. It is a day to remember that when they signed up, all of them were willing to die for their country. It is a time to remember those who died in service and those who fought and survived. It’s a time to remember those who are currently serving.

In our family, we did that by attending the local Memorial Day parade. When the kids were little they would dress in red, white and blue; sit on the curb and wave their little flags as the parade passed by. They quickly learned to stand up, take their hats off, put their hands over their hearts and respectfully salute every flag. Later, in their teen years they marched in those same parades. Kathy was a cheer leader. Jeff played the trumpet and John the trombone in their high school bands.

We do this in remembrance of two of my uncles who served in WWII. Missouri farm boys, they both enlisted early on. Uncle Red served in the Air Force in England that worked on the fighter planes and endured the raids of the German Luftwaffe. His brother Lee, enlisted in the Army, and served in the Battle of Normandy. He was mentally mortally wounded and would sadly, never be the same.

So, this year, as usual, my husband will don his US Army hat and we will pay tribute to all those in the military by attending the Memorial Day Celebration in downtown Cottage Grove. It begins at 11 a.m. at the CG Armory and then a procession from the Armory to the Memorial Park at River Rd. and Main St. Members of motorcycle groups and people on foot are led by the police and a bag piper, to the park where the event ends with a speaker and a 21-gun salute. I hope to see you there.

If you miss the parade, there is also a National Moment of Remembrance that encourages Americans to stop whatever they’re doing, at 3 p.m. (local time), for a moment of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the U.S. Founder Carmella LaSpada says, “It’s a way we can all help put the memorial back in Memorial Day.”

After that, most of us will join family and friends for a picnic bar-b-que. Today’s recipe is a side dish that can be prepared in advance to go with hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken or ribs. Enjoy! And God bless America!

FARFALLE GARDEN PASTA SALAD

1 (16 ounce) box farfalle pasta

½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

½ cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon rind, grated

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

½ pound fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium zucchini, diced

2 medium carrots, shredded, rinsed, and drained well

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 (4 oz.) package crumbled feta cheese

2 green onions, trimmed and sliced

1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or ½ teaspoon dried)

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

Cook farfalle according to package directions. Drain well and put in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, tossing to coat. Set aside and prepare vinaigrette and vegetables.

Vinaigrette: Whisk together vinegar, lemon rind and mustard in a small bowl; gradually add remaining olive oil in a slow steady stream, whisking until blended. Set aside.

Cover green beans and zucchini in salted water and boil 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain. Mix with shredded carrots and set aside.

Toss together pasta, with vegetables. Drizzle and mix with half the vinaigrette. Add the tomatoes, feta, green onions and spices to the pasta and veggies. Add the remaining vinaigrette and mix well. Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight. Serves 8-10 as a side dish.

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

A tasty vegetable dish for everyone

4/25/18 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

In 1971, Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moor Lappe became a best seller. His book encouraged people to eat meatless meals and stop wasting the world’s resources. His personal research on world hunger issues had convinced him that because it took so much grain to feed cattle that eating meat was an enormous waste.

Vegetarians in other countries were common but Americans were slow to embrace this new concept. Some vegetarians are Lacto-ovo and eat no meat but will eat dairy products and eggs. Ovo-vegetarians eat eggs but no meat or dairy products. Vegans eat no meat or animal products. Most of us still only eat veggies as a side dish. And statistics vary on what percentage of us identify as non-meat eaters. Some sources say that as much as 6% of the population are vegetarian or vegan.

My son, Jeff, is a vegan. Let me tell you, that diet is not for the faint of heart (pun intended). It is a complete way of living. The vegan diet and lifestyle excludes all animal products in any form. That includes meat, eggs and dairy or any other products of animal origin such as cheese, sour cream, etc. Also, no animal clothing such as leather shoes, etc.   

Jeff became a vegan many years ago because of our family history of high cholesterol and heart disease. Evidence is overwhelming that a well-balanced vegetarian diet is better for you than a meat based diet. Countless studies have shown that a nutritious, plant-based diet will result in a lower risk of obesity, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and more.

Our family, however, is still a mixed group. We can’t give up our eggs and cheese! Most of us are meat eaters but Jeff and his wife Andrea are living proof that their vegan diet is doable and it dramatically lowered his cholesterol. However, it is a balancing act to get enough protein.

So, when they come to our house, in addition to vegetables, I stock up on soy products like tofu and tempeh, rice, beans, hummus and a multitude of other things from Trader Joes. Today, the purpose of my column was to research and find a veggie burger recipe to share with them and you. I regret to tell you that the one I found was too long to print! You can find it and other vegetarian recipes at: www.ohsheglows.com.

My next choice was to find a new way to serve two veggies that are in season right now—broccoli and Brussels sprouts. We seem to eat a lot of broccoli at our house and my husband loves sprouts. I ended up with a combination of the sprouts and broccolini (a hybrid of broccoli and kale).

This recipe is different and will really perk up your taste buds. It’s way more tasty than a run-of-the-mill steamed version of either vegetable. Try it. You’ll like it. Enjoy!

MAPLE and BALSAMIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS

1 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts

1 bunch broccolini or other seasonal veggie, such as cauliflower

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

a few handfuls of arugula

¼ cup dried cranberries

Sea salt and fresh black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Remove the outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Chop the broccolini into bite-sized pieces.

Spread the vegetables on one or two large baking sheets. Roast the broccolini on a separate sheet because it takes less time. Drizzle with the olive oil, maple syrup, and balsamic and season with pinches of salt and pepper. Toss until well-coated. Drizzle a little more on the Brussels sprouts and a little less on the broccolini since it takes more to get the Brussels sprouts to tenderize.

Roast the broccolini for 20 minutes, until browned but not burnt. Toss halfway through. Roast the Brussels sprouts for 45 minutes, until browned and caramelized. Toss halfway through. Watch and adjust the timing to whenever they look done, and don’t be afraid to deeply caramelize them.

Once roasted, set aside and let cool to about room temperature. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt, pepper, maple syrup, or vinegar as needed. You can roast the veggies a few hours in advance. They improve as they sit and the flavors meld together. Warm just before serving.

Toss the warm veggies with the arugula and cranberries. Taste again, adjusting seasoning to your taste. Serves 3-4.

Note: Recipe is from Jeanine Donofrio.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal with Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner

Contact her by email bchatty@bettykaiser.com