Remembering, Honoring, and Celebrating

Memorial Day is a time for food, family, fun, and - most importantly - for remembering, honoring and celebrating those brave soldiers who fought and died for our country. (For more on the history of Memorial day, see: http://usmemorialday.org/ .) This Memorial Day, our family especially recalls the loss of my great nephew, SPC. Bryn Todd Raver, who was only 20 years old when he died during a weekend insurgent attack at Nangahar, Afghanistan on August 28, 2010. He would have turned 21 years old on September 17. We love you, Bryn, and will forever remember the sacrifice you made for our freedom. May you truly be at peace in your Father's arms.

After being stuck inside all winter because of several snow and ice storms, then having to stay inside this spring due to the deluge of rain we've had, it's tempting to move everything outside to celebrate Memorial Day. If you do so, be cautious. Fun in the sun, by the pool, on a boat or at a barbeque can quickly send you to the emergency room on Memorial Day, if you don’t plan ahead.

The American College of Emergency Physicians has put together the top five tips that you and your family should follow in order to stay safe and healthy over the holiday weekend. (Source: http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Health_Tips_620/5_Safety_Tips_for_Memorial_Day_Weekend_printer.shtml)

Tip 1: Food Safety — To avoid food poisoning, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture recommends cooking fresh poultry to 165 degrees, hamburgers to 160 degrees and beef to at least 145 degrees. Refrigerate all perishable food within 2 hours, 1 hour if the temperature outside is above 90 degrees. To guard against cross-contamination of bacteria, keep uncooked meats away from other foods.

Tip 2: Grill Safety — Emergency physicians see firsthand the dangers associated with an outdoor grill. Consumers should thoroughly clean a grill of any grease or dust. Check the tubes leading into the burner for any blockages from insects or food grease that can cause an uncontrolled fire. Replace any connectors which can lead to a gas leak and keep lighted cigarettes, matches or open flames away from a leaking grill. Do not use a grill in a garage, breezeway, carport and porch or near any surface that can catch fire. Also, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions that accompany the grill.

Tip 3: Water Safety —To prevent drowning, avoid alcohol when swimming or boating. Wear a lifejacket whenever you are on a boat. Make sure young children are supervised at all times when near the beach, on a boat, or by a pool or hot tub. Don’t swim alone or in bad weather. Learn to swim and teach your children to swim. We also recommend that you learn CPR in case of an emergency.

Tip 4: Sun Safety — Protect against sunburn and heat stroke. Wear sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 or higher and apply it generously throughout the day. Wear a hat outdoors and a good pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. Drink plenty of water, especially when in the sun or if you are sweating heavily. If you feel faint or nauseous, get into a cool place immediately.

Tip 5: Travel Safety — Do not drink and drive or travel with anyone who has been drinking. Wear your seatbelt at all times. Make sure your vehicle has been properly serviced and is in good working shape before a long road trip. Familiarize yourself with your surroundings if you are in an unfamiliar place and know where the nearest emergency room is to you at all times in case of an emergency.

Now that you're prepared to enJOY the great outdoors while remembering those who've given their lives for our country's freedom, plan on trying one of the recipes (below) to bring your family together at the table (indoors or outdoors) this Memorial Day weekend.

Since you probably have a whole host of resources filled with "traditional"  picnic foods (grilled, barbequed, or cold salads, etc.), I decided to post non-traditional, potluck type recipes, in case you're gathering at a family reunion or just want a "different" type main dish or dessert to go along with your dinner. I'll save the picnic foods for July 4th. :-). One of these recipes (Chicken Casserole) is in the cookbook on page 63. The other will have to wait for the next cookbook. It's one of my mama's cake recipes, and I've discovered it's also my daughter-in-law's favorite cake. So, now that you know what we're doing, let's get started!

First, let's do the Chicken Casserole, and then, we'll stir up my mama's Fresh Strawberry Cake (YUMMM!). (Don't forget to copy and print the complete recipes at the bottom--after the tutorial, or paste them to files on your word processor and save for future reference.) For those of you who have the cookbook ("A Pinch of This... A Smidgen of That"), you might want to take notes in the margin on p. 63 (BIG GRIN! :-)... because I'm going to give you a lesson in "modification" with the Chicken Casserole recipe today. First of all, I don't have a whole chicken in the freezer, all I have are chicken breasts, and second of all, I like LOTS of stuffing on my casserole, so I'm going to DOUBLE the amount of stuffing I'm using, which means I'll also DOUBLE the amount of broth, and naturally, that means I'll increase the BUTTER... but, I promise it's gonna be GOOOOOD! Here we go...

CHICKEN CASSEROLE
With my modifications ;-)

Gather your ingredients. Boil chicken and debone, saving at least 2 cups of broth (or use canned broth). (HINTS: For about 2 cups cooked, diced chicken, you can stew two medium-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts for about 25 minutes and cut or tear them into small bite-sized pieces. For a more flavorful broth, it’s best to use breasts that still have skin and bones attached. The fat from the skin also helps tenderize the meat, making it much better, as well. ALSO, I like to add one or two chicken bullion cubes to the water when I boil the chicken. It makes the chicken and the broth much more flavorful.)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Use softened butter to grease the bottom and sides of an oblong (9X 11, when using the modified recipe) casserole dish.

Layer the bottom of your prepared dish with chunks of chicken.

Mix sour cream and soups in a medium mixing bowl.

Spread soup mixture evenly over the chicken, until the mixture touches the sides of the dish.

so it looks like this:

Combine two cups broth with stuffing mixes. (Toss it in, don't beat it!)

Use a large tablespoon to dip and place stuffing mixture evenly over soup mixture until the whole casserole is covered.

Drizzle melted butter on top. If you miss any areas, cut tiny thin pieces of butter and place on top of the stuffing mix before baking.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. This is best baked ahead so it has time to cool a little bit and thicken. Now, doesn't this look yummy? Wish you could smell it!

You can warm leftovers in a 350 F oven just before serving, or simply warm servings on a plate in the microwave. This is great served with seasoned Italian green beans, whole kernal corn or candied carrots, hot rolls, and a side salad. (And don't forget the most important part---Fresh Strawberry Cake!... recipe follows :-).

Chicken Casserole

With Pat’s modifications ;-)

Ingredients:

2 or 3 stewed and deboned chicken breasts, cut into chunks

2 cups chicken broth

1 (8 oz.) container of sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery soup

2 boxs stove top stuffing (I used 1 of the “regular” flavor, and 1 “turkey” flavor)

½ stick melted butter

Directions:

Boil chicken and debone, saving at least 2 cups of broth. (HINTS: For about 2 cups cooked, diced chicken, you can stew two medium-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts for about 25 minutes and cut them into small bite-sized pieces. For a more flavorful broth, it’s best to use breasts that still have skin and bones attached. The fat from the skin also helps tenderize the meat, making it much better, as well. ALSO, I like to add one or two chicken bullion cubes to the water when I boil the chicken. It makes the chicken and the broth much more flavorful.)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease bottom and sides of oblong (9X 11) casserole dish with butter. Layer bottom of prepared dish with chunks of chicken. Mix sour cream and soups in medium mixing bowl. Spread evenly over layer of chicken, until mixture touches the sides of the dish. Combine two cups broth with stuffing mixes. Use a large tablespoon to dip and place evenly over soup mixture until the whole casserole is covered. Drizzle melted butter on top. If you miss any areas, cut tiny thin pieces of butter and place on top of the stuffing mix before baking. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. This is best baked ahead so it has time to cool a little bit and thicken. You can warm it for about 5 minutes in a 350 F oven just before serving. Also, leftovers can be warmed in the microwave.

Amaryllis

Just thought I'd share some pretty amaryllis blooms with you today, before we get started on the Fresh Strawberry Cake. These have been in full bloom for a couple of weeks now, and I sure do hate to see them go when the hot weather of June arrives.

Traditionally, Memorial Day used to be called Decoration Day and was celebrated by folks taking flowers to decorate the graves of not only fallen soldiers, but family and friends who had passed on. I remember attending decorations with my parents where a preaching and singing service was held out under the trees in the cemetery, and then everyone joined together at a nearby church or local park for a community potluck picnic. Times have changed, but a few places continue the traditions of Decoration Day. This dessert recipe always makes me think of my mama and potlucks. In the spring, when strawberries were in season, she always made these yummy cakes. As a young couple, we loved "going home" for a visit and finding one of these waiting on the kitchen table.

Ok, time to bake a cake! Go get your stuff:

MAMA'S FRESH STRAWBERRY CAKE



(with my modifications :-)

You'll need a box of white cake mix, a small box of strawberry Jello, vegetable oil, water (or milk, if you follow "my modifications"), 4 eggs, and of course, mashed strawberries.

Now, folks, it doesn't get much simpler than this. Mama's directions say to just mix everything together and pour it into the pan to bake... well, you know me---the "detail" person---I have to go and complicate matters by getting technical. I'll show you what I mean...

First, I use a mixer to beat all the lumps out of my cake mix and beat in the dry jello.

Set this dry mixture aside and cut up, then mash your strawberries. I mashed about a quart of berries and had a little bit left over when I finished the cake. No one complained about the leftovers :-).

It takes a few minutes to mash the berries, but just keep mashing, you'll get there! :-)

Add oil, water (or MILK, if you modify), and eggs to the dry mixture and beat with an electric mixer to combine, scraping sides of the bowl to incorporate all the ingredients.

Once the batter is well mixed, gradually add the mashed berries (note the modification in amount).

Grease and flour an oblong (9 X 11) pan or 2 round (9-inch) cake pans. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan(s). Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely, then frost.

Prepare frosting for cooled cake. Using electric mixer, beat softened butter until smooth, then, add 4 cups powdered sugar and blend in 1 cup mashed berries. Add more powdered sugar, if you want a thicker icing. 

Spread over cooled cake. Once it's frosted, I like to let the cake sit for a couple of hours to give the frosting time to firm up just a little bit before I cut the cake (but if you're really starving for a piece, go ahead and sample it... no one will ever know!) :-).

All I can say is YUMMMM! :-)

Mama's Fresh Strawberry Cake

(with my modifications :-)

Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix

1 bx strawberry jello mix

1 c oil

1/4 c. water (I substitute 1/2 c milk; no offense to my mama, but I think it makes a better cake) :-)

4 eggs

3/4 c. mashed strawberries (I use 1 c mashed strawberries --not drained)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and pour in a 9 x11 inch pan or you can layer in 2 smaller pans. Do not fill to the top or batter will rise and spill over the smaller pans. You might use three small pans and just have more layers. 

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely, then frost.

FROSTING:

Ingredients:

1 pound box of powdered sugar.

1 stick of butter softened.

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c mashed strawberries (I substitute 1/2 cup of mashed strawberries drained.) (Very important that they are drained.)

Blend well and cover cooled cake. If too thick keep adding strawberries until it is the right consistency. Spread evenly over cooled cake.

Taste of Home Cooking School, May 12, 2011

I had the opportunity to attend the Taste of Home Cooking School on May 12 and thoroughly enJOYed getting to learn some new recipes and cooking tips that I hope to share with you in the near future. Can you figure out which one is me? :-) (Yep! the one with the white hair!) :-)

(SOURCE: http://thecabin.net/news/local/2011-05-12/taste-home-cooking-school)

Until next time, BLESSINGS to you! EnJOY your time in the kitchen!

Patricia

A Quick P.S. ...
I just received an email with the following information:

You have been chosen as this week's winner for the Foodie Blogroll "Spread the Word; Comment to Win 'Simply Sugar and Gluten Free' Cookbook" contest!
You will receive a receive a copy of the book 'Simply Sugar and Gluten Free' by Amy Green!
We are accouncing that your blog is a winner on the Foodie Blogroll home page and also in the Contests and Rewards page.

All I can say is WOW! I've never won anything in my life. I'm glad the first thing was a cookbook! :-) After it arrives, I'll post a review and maybe some new recipes for you to sample!

Mother's Day Remembrances

Peony -- My Favorite Spring Flower (reminds me of my mama)

Happy Mother's Day to all moms, grandmoms, future moms, want-to-be-moms, moms-of-pets (I have 4 cats; two of my sisters have their special dogs!), and so on. Whether you have children or not, you may have a mother, grandmother, sister, or a special friend who has "been like a mom" to you that you can remember this month. Be sure to express your love and appreciation to them for their influence on your life. (Note: If you'd like to read about the history of Mother's Day, you can do so here: http://www.mothersdaycelebration.com/mothers-day-history.html .)

My daughter made me my first Mother's Day lunch when she was seven years old. I don't know if you can read what she wrote on my handmade invitation (photographed below), but I framed it and have it hanging in my kitchen now. In case you can't read it, here's what she wrote:

lunch at

Kenda's

cookin

Free

For Mothr's

Day! Lunches

To Pat Rains

Kenda, age 7

When the kids were young, I never liked to eat at a restaurant on Mother's Day (and still don't), because they are always so crowded. Instead, we would prepare a picnic basket (or order out at KFC or a drive-thru window) and either go to the park or take a quilt and walk to the property where our house is now built. Outdoor picnics with the family were so much more fun than trying to find a table in a crowded restaurant. We usually ended our meal with a game of Frisbee or by taking a hike in the woods. We have a couple of old oak trees on the east side of our house that the kids used to enjoy climbing after (and sometimes during) our picnics.

Today, I want to demonstrate how to make one of my favorite "take-out" foods that looks complicated, but is really easy and yummy. From a make-ahead brunch to a picnic in the park, your mom will have a wonderful time if you prepare this beautiful meal for her. It's pretty wrapped and placed in a picnic basket, or presented on a delicate platter and served indoors.

Let's get started!

Lorna's Yummy, Yummy Reuben Loaf

Before I get going too far into ingredients, I need to say that this recipe was given to me several years ago by a dear friend, Lorna Strong, who is not only a great cook, but also, one of the BEST mothers on this planet. Happy Mother's Day, Lorna! You are LOVED!

Ok, now, let's get all our stuff and start cookin'!

Don't forget to check out the complete recipe on page 66 of "A Pinch of This... A Smidgen of That" cookbook, or if you don't have the cookbook yet, you can go to the end of this post, copy and paste it to your browser, and print it or save it in your recipe file. EnJOY!!

(see list of ingredients in recipe below)

Set aside 1 cup flour. Mix remaining flour, sugar, salt and yeast.

Stir in hot water (not too hot--about like a baby's bath water) and MELTED butter. (Mine isn't melted in the photo, but I promise, I did melt it before I added it to the flour mixture.)

(Just pretend the butter is melted, okay? :-)

Mix in only enough reserved flour to make dough soft. Knead 4 minutes (no cheating!).

Knead 4 minutes (no cheating!). I just do this inside the bottom of the bowl. I know some of you would take it out to the counter top, and that's okay. I'm just lazy.

and we knead.... (for 4 minutes!)... gets out all the frustrations of the day!

Now, comes the FUN part :-). No, really!! I love this part. You'll see.

On greased cookie sheet, (or on a piece of waxed paper) roll dough to 10 X 14 inches (I always, always get out my old wooden ruler and measure, and measure...). (Note: I always do this on waxed paper that I've covered with a little sprinkling of flour to keep the dough from sticking.  First, I wipe the counter clean with a damp dish cloth, then while it's still wet, I lay two pieces of paper, side-by-side, on the counter---it sticks, and I dust the top of it with flour before rolling out my dough. Works like a charm!)

Get out your dough roller, and don't forget your old wooden ruler ...

Begin by patting the dough down with your fingers and stretching it to form a rectangle (well, sort of). As you press it out more with the dough roller, you can gently tug at the corners to get it to a more rectangular shape.

And, don't forget to check the length and width (you don't really have to do this... I'm just OCD that way!) :-)

Yep, that's about 10 inches! Now, to get the other side to 14 inches.

Spread dressing down center 1/3 of dough. 

 Use your spatula to spread out the dressing so it covers the center 1/3 of the dough.

Top with layers of meat, cheese and sauerkraut.

Begin about an inch away from the filling and cut 1-inch wide diagonal strips along sides of filling out to dough edges. (It makes more sense when you see it :-).

Don't cut quite all the way to the end. Leave a little bit to tuck up over the filling on both ends.

And this is how it looks before you start to braid...

 I usually begin by tugging the dough at the end farthest from me to slightly overlap the beginning of the filling layers.

Then, alternating sides, fold strips at an angle across filling.

If you have any questions, you can always leave a "comment" or email me :-).

Now, do the same thing with the other side.

until it looks like this:

Now, when you're almost finished braiding (with one or two strips left), you will need to tug on the dough at the end just a bit and stretch it gently up over the filling before you braid the last couple of strips. Like this:

and like this:

and this...

and finally...

See, I told you this was FUN! :-)

Now, if you did like me and rolled this out on waxed paper instead of rolling it on a greased baking sheet, you'll need to transfer this pretty braided loaf of yumminess to your greased baking sheet so it can rise. I always smear a thin coat of plain Crisco (solid) down the middle of my cookie sheet.

Then, I carefully lift the Reuben Loaf off the counter and place it on the baking sheet to rise.

Cover dough. Place baking sheet over large, shallow pan, half-filled with boiling water for 15 minutes. (Or just cover it with a lint-free cloth and put it in a cozy place to rise for an hour or so,

which is what I always do.)  Rising time isn't critical on this loaf. I've even wrapped it in plastic wrap at this stage and refrigerated it overnight before letting it rise. So, you see it's fairly versatile.

Once it's risen, use a basting brush (or your fingers :-), to spread a light coating of egg white over the surface of the dough.

Sprinkle with caraway seeds.

Sprinkle seeds, as desired (I don't like too many of these.)

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 25 minutes, or until golden.

 Allow to sit 15 minutes before transferring to a platter to serve. Use a serrated knife to slice. Store uneaten portions in refrigerator; microwave to warm.

Serve with your favorite chips and dill pickle spears.

LORNA'S YUMMY, YUMMY REUBEN LOAF

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/4 c. all purpose or bread flour

1 T. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. Rapid-rise Yeast

1 c. hot water

1 T. butter or margarine

1/4 c. Thousand Island Dressing

6 oz. thinly sliced corned beef from the deli

1/4 lb. sliced Swiss cheese

1 - 8 oz. can sauerkraut, drained

1 egg white

Caraway seeds

DIRECTIONS:

Set aside 1 cup flour. Mix remaining flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Stir in hot water (not too hot--about like a baby's bath water) and butter/margarine. Mix in only enough reserved flour to make dough soft. Knead 4 minutes (no cheating!). On greased cookie sheet, (or on a piece of waxed paper) roll dough to 10 X 14 inches (I always, always get out my old wooden ruler and measure, and measure...). Spread dressing down center 1/3 of dough. Top with layers of meat, cheese and sauerkraut.

Cut 1-inch wide strips along sides of filling out to dough edges. Alternating sides, fold strips at an angle across filling. Cover dough. Place baking sheet over large, shallow pan, half-filled with boiling water for 15 minutes. (Or just cover it and put it in a cozy warm place to rise, which is what I always do.) Brush with egg white after it's risen. Sprinkle with caraway seeds.

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 25 minutes, or until golden. Allow to sit 15 minutes before using a serrated knife to slice servings. Store uneaten portions in refrigerator; microwave to warm.