Monthly Archives: September 2009

The story of Danny and his apple crisp

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Many years ago, more than 30, there was a little boy who loved apples. On sunny autumn days, he and his mom would each put on a warm, cozy sweatshirt. They would get in the car and take a short drive to their favorite apple orchard.

The sweet fragrance of fresh apples would meet their noses as soon as they walked into the barn. The big red apple barn at the orchard always felt cool inside. On each visit, the little boy and his mom would taste each of the varieties of apples. They already knew which was their favorite apple. But the little boy would watch as his mom carefully cut a slice from each of the apples so they could have a taste. Some were sweet, some were tart, some were soft and some were firm.

The blonde little blue-eyed boy and his mom always chose the same kind of apple. Red and juicy. Crunchy and tart. Firm, not soft. As they wound their way to the place in the barn where they would pay for their small basket of apples, the little boy would stop at the freezer case. He loved the frozen apple cider sticks and he knew his mom did, too. He would stand on the tips of his toes, stretch his arm and try to reach down to pick up two of the frozen sticks of cider. But, he couldn’t reach them. So, his mom would scoop him up in her arms and hold him just close enough so that his little hands could grasp the chilly bars of frozen cider.

They carried their apples and their cider sticks to a hill near the barn. And there, they would sit in the grass under the warm autumn sun and slurp their cider sticks. They loved to see leaves falling from the trees. They would watch some ducks on a pond. They listened to the birds and watched squirrels gather acorns. They would talk about how much they liked to visit the apple orchard.

When they got back to their home, the little boy and  his mom liked to make apple crisp together. After his mom peeled some apples, the little boy liked to use a table knife to cut the apples into slices and pile them into a big bowl. He liked to squirt lemon juice on the apples and sprinkle cinnamon over the top. He loved using his hands to mix up some flour and sugar and butter. And then he sprinkled the butter mixture on the apples that his mom had piled into a baking dish.

The little boy could hardly wait for the apple crisp to come out of the oven. It was one of his favorite things to eat. And, it made the house smell so good while it was baking.

The little boy and his mom and dad loved to eat the apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The little boy felt so proud because he had made the apple crisp all by himself. Well, almost by himself.

And, so, because the little boy became famous for the delicious apple crisp he made, the dessert was named after him. And that is the story of Danny and his apple crisp.

Danny is a big boy, now. A man, in fact. Now everyone calls him Dan. And now he has a little blue-eyed boy and two little girls. And sometimes they go to the same apple orchard that Danny went to as a little boy.

Danny’s mom makes the apple crisp by herself now. She calls her son who became a man Dan, too. But it is still called Danny’s Apple Crisp.

And, it is still the best apple crisp ever.

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When I made Danny’s Apple Crisp this week, I couldn’t help remembering about those days long ago when he was still small enough for me to pick up in my arms. And I still try to get back to that same apple orchard each year, though now it is a much longer drive.

A day or two before I made the apple crisp and a big apple bundt cake with caramel glaze, I read an interesting piece about apples on another blog. On her food blog, Dana McCauley shares a simple test for determining which apples are better for baking and which work better for sauces. She puts a slice of apple in a saucepan, covers it with water, brings the water to a boil and cooks it until tender. If the apple still holds its shape when tender, it’s a good one to use for baking. If it starts to disintegrate, it’s a good one to turn into apple sauce. I did the test with a Pink Lady, a McIntosh and a Gala. Pink Lady and Gala turned fork-tender and still looked beautiful. The McIntosh, mush. The skin was floating in the water and the flesh was in little bits all over the pan. Dana also has a handy chart categorizing some common varieties of apples according to their best uses. Check it out at her food blog along with a week’s worth of sweet and savory apple recipes.

I used Gala apples from a box I purchased recently from a local church fundraiser. You can see how they held their shape while baking under a blanket of crunchy, sweet topping.

This is a great recipe to prepare with a child. No funky ingredients, just a simple and good apple crisp. I guarantee you will create wonderful memories. And a delicious treat.

Danny’s Apple Crisp

  • 9 apples (8 heaping cups)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup soft butter

Peel, core and slice apples. Add sugar, water, lemon juice and cinnamon. Toss. Pile into buttered 9-inch square baking dish.

Mix brown sugar, flour and butter. Sprinkle over apples. Bake 1 hour in preheated 350-degree oven.

 

Did somebody say cheese buttons?

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Plump little pillows of dough stuffed generously with dry cottage cheese, doused lavishly with pure butter and maybe little bits of browned onion — that’s what you call a cheese button in Dickinson, North Dakota. And that’s what those of Ukrainian descent call a varenyky or pyrohy. Me? I guess I’ve eaten in too many Polish restaurants in Chicago, because I call these delicious little dumplings pierogi.

A few weeks before my trip to Dickinson, where I was scheduled to do a cooking demonstration at the Women’s Expo, I visited by phone with Harvey Brock, the publisher of The Dickinson Press. I was looking for some suggestions about things to see and places to visit while I was there. I knew of the strong Ukrainian influence in that area, and was hoping to find someone who would make pierogies for me. Harvey was quick to tell me that in Dickinson, these tummy-filling little dumplings were referred to as cheese buttons.

Sure enough. As I drove down West Villard in Dickinson, I couldn’t miss the huge sign in front of the Ukrainian Cultural Institute.

Once inside, I was greeted by three kind women who work at the Institute. They had prepared a Ukrainian feast for me, giving me the opportunity to  sample the food they sell to the public in a frozen state. Beautiful rosy-pink borshch, cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, and beet leaf bread, chunks of yeast dough wrapped up in fresh beet leaves, all a delight to my tastebuds. But it was the chubby filled dumplings that won my heart. See them pictured above. Aren’t they darling?

I visited with Agnes Palanuk, 100% Ukrainian, who traveled to Toronto in 1992 to check out the machine that the Institute is moving aside as the new machine takes over. We sat at a table in the midst of a room full of Ukrainian art, ceramics and other Ukrainian artifacts. As we dined on the Ukrainian delectables, she told me about tourists who stop at the Institute to learn more about the Ukrainian culture. When they learn that cheese buttons, or varenyky/pyrohy, can be purchased frozen, they run across the street to the liquor store to buy a styrofoam cooler and some ice. Apparently, the plump dumplings are loved by all ages. According to Agnes, even high school graduates request varenyky/pyrohy for graduation parties.

Mikie Kessel, who happens to be 100% German, is in charge of the kitchen at the Institute. She heads up a team of expert pyrohy makers. She and the three others work four days each week creating little dumplings mixed with Dakota Maid flour and filled with Red River Valley-grown potatoes, Cass-Clay cottage cheese, and sauerkraut or prunes. Within those four days, they use a machine to make 8,000 varenyky/pyrohy, freeze them all and package them, too. Some of the Pride of Dakota product goes out to grocery stores in the region and the rest stay at the Institute ready to be purchased by anyone in the area who is hungry for some authentic Ukrainian food.

Mikie led me into the kitchen to show me the brand new pyrohy-making machine that had just recently arrived from New York. The machine they have been using since 1993 was purchased from Toronto. Mikie thinks the new machine will work much faster, allowing the team to make more than 8,000 varenyky/pyrohy each week.

As I left the Ukrainian Cultural Institute, my tummy was full. My arms were full, too. I had a couple of quarts of frozen borshch to put in the cooler that I always carry in my trunk. I also had one more cookbook to add to my collection, "Northern Plains Ethnic Cookbook." I chose it from the shelf of books for sale at the Institute.

I waved farewell to the three women who made my visit so enjoyable. Mikie, 100% German, Agnes, 100% Ukrainian and Ellie Klym, 100% Irish. I guess I can safely say that you don’t have to be Ukrainian to love their food and appreciate their rich culture. And, even those of us who aren’t Ukrainian can learn to make the delicious food Ukrainians have passed down through generations.

I first tasted pyrohy years ago when Zena, a Ukrainian friend of our family, taught my mom and me how to make them. She filled the tender dumplings with potatoes and, once they had boiled, she browned them lightly in butter. This time of year, I like to give pyrohy a hit of Hungarian by serving them with crispy bits of bacon and finely chopped cabbage and onion that I saute with a dash of sugar in the bacon fat. A generous sprinkling of black pepper is the final touch.

Call them what you want, but for sure you’ll call the little buttons deeee-licious.

Zena’s Varenyky/Pyrohy

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Filling (see below)

Sift flour and salt together into large bowl. Cut in eggs with a fork until dough resembles little peas. Add water and blend. Knead the dough 5 to 10 minutes until smooth. Cover the dough with the bowl and let rest for 25 minutes. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2-inch circles. Work fast, so dough does not dry out. Place a scant tablespoon of filling on each circle. Bring sides together to from half moon. Drop into boiling salted water and cook 15 minutes. Serve floating in butter.

Possible fillings:

  • Cabbage sauteed with chopped onion
  • Mashed potatoes sauteed with chopped onion
  • Stewed, pitted prunes
  • Dry cottage cheese

 

 

 

Can’t beat this gratin

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I’ve got some shallow oval-shaped baking dishes that I found years ago in my mom’s cupboard. I call them gratin dishes. They’re just right for baking individual servings of bubbling fruit crisp, cheesy potatoes or homemade creamy macaroni and cheese.

After snipping tender leaves from beet tops to prepare Ukrainian Beet Leaf Bread for my newspaper column, I had a good number of ruby red beets to use. Beets from the farmers market, carrots from a neighbor’s garden, and cioppolini onions provided by a local farmer at the food co-op and a head of Polish garlic, another great local find at the food co-op, happened to all be in my kitchen at the same time. One evening I decided on a beet gratin. You don’t need a recipe for this dish. Whether you have some shallow baking dishes to prepare individual servings or a quiche dish or a pie plate, this Beet Gratin is going to be pretty. Use it as a side dish or make it a meal, as I did. It’s very satisfying.

These are a list of the ingredients I used to make the Beet Gratin:

  • beets
  • carrots
  • onion
  • garlic
  • olive oil
  • coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • walnuts
  • goat cheese

Start by trimming roots and tops from the beets. My Beet Gratin for two took about 3 or 4 smaller beets. Scrub them well and then slice them quite thin. I cut each slice in half to create fork-friendly and bite-sized pieces. Place the sliced beets in a large bowl. Finely chop half of a small onion. Add to the bowl. Mince one or two cloves of garlic. Add to the bowl. Slice 1 large or 2 small carrots and add to the bowl. Toss all the prepared vegetables with a tablespoon of olive oil. Pile the vegetables into a well-greased shallow baking dish or individual baking dishes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for about 45 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle chopped walnuts over the top of the gratin. Return to oven and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Crumble goat cheese and sprinkle over the hot gratin. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

 

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls Save a Cookbook

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I’m still rolling through my office, trying to organize every inch of it, with the help of my friend, the professional organizer. We’re making great progress. Tops of my desks have stayed mostly clear. My files are filling up. I’m finally seeing blank space on the shelves in my storage closet, the result of some purging.

There is much more to do before the job is done. My organizer strongly suggests I get my cookbook collection all in one place and that place should be my office. Cookbooks live on shelves in the storage closet in my office, on shelves and in a bookcase in an extra bedroom, in a pile next to my bed and a few on the ottoman in the living room. I shudder when I think of consolidating this enormous number of books into one space in my office. I fear the "organizer" will tell me to start choosing cookbooks to put in a "give-away box."

I started looking through some of the cookbooks lined up on my shelves. I admit there are many church and community cookbooks I’ve collected over the years that I haven’t cracked open in a long time. I started paging through a few. How can I get rid of a cookbook that has a recipe for Root Beer Caramel Rolls? I must keep the book with the recipe for Lemon Angel Halos. And then there is the book with a recipe for Rice Pudding. I added a note on that page when I prepared it on April 25, 1994 that says my husband thinks this is the bes rice pudding he’s ever had. And I don’t think I’ve thought about that recipe since April 25, 1994. But now I’ve got the page marked with a sticky note. And then I came upon a recipe for Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls in a church cookbook from Tulsa, Oklahoma. It must be a book I picked up at a second=hand store or a garage sale. The recipe was contributed by Dolores Wilson. Thank you, Dolores, wherever you are.

I made the rolls the same day. I have a weakness for the combination of chocolate and cinnamon. Somewhere in my past, there was a deep dark chocolate cinnamon roll with a thick slather of chocolate frosting on the top. I’ve never forgotten that delicous sweet roll. The possibility of recreating that sweet treat using a recipe from this book that I’d ignored for years was enough to get me right into the kitchen.

The rolls were still warm from the oven when I drizzled them with sweet white glaze. The sugar-cinnamon filling was melted into the spirals of softness. Crunchy bits of pecans stuck to each chubby chocolate roll of dough. Delicious.

Don’t let this yeast dough intimidate you. It’s not difficult to mix up and almost no kneading is required. Just follow the directions Dolores shares with her recipe and you will wind up with nine beautiful Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls.

These Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls kept the church cookbook from Tulsa on my shelf. Who knows what other great recipes are held within its pages?

Oh, how am I ever going to get rid of any cookbooks?

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

(contributed by Dolores Wilson to Madalene Cooks–50 Years of Good Taste)

  •  1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 3/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons milk

Combine yeast and warm water in a 2-cup liquid measure. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Combine yeast mixture, 1/4 cup butter, salt, 1/4 cup sugar, egg, cocoa and 1 cup flour in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until well blended. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Place dough in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts, 50 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly flourd surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes. Roll dough into a 12- x 9-inch rectangle, positioning a short side nearest you. Spread 1 tablespoon butter over dough. Combine cinnamon and 3 tablespoons sugar. Sprinkle over butter. Sprinkle pecans over cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough, starting at short side, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets. Pinch seams to seal. Slice dough into 9 rolls. Place rolls on a greased baking sheet. Cover. Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 15 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.

Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar and milk, stirring until blended. Drizzle hot rolls with powdered sugar glaze. (To make the glazing easy, simply place glaze in a heavy-duty, zip-top plastic bag, and seal securely. Then snip off one tiny corner of the bag and pipe glaze over rolls. Makes 9 rolls.

 

Until next year, my little Bohemian peach dumpling.

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The peach dumplings I make are like no others. When I try to explain the dumplings that are the size of a softball, it’s hard for people to comprehend. Who eats peaches that have been boiled in a jacket of baking powder dumpling dough? But that’s not all people find hard to believe. Once the dumplings have been cooked, they are transferred to large dinner plates, one per person.

Before it can be eaten, the dumpling must be cut into small bite-sized pieces. It completely covers a dinner plate. It’s still not ready to eat, though. First, the peach and dumpling chunks must be covered with a layer of cottage cheese, then smothered with melted butter, and finally, a generous sprinkling of sugar. Then it is ready to eat.

I know it sounds like a crazy concoction. To many, it sounds like dessert. But, my Czech/Bohemian grandmother taught my mom how to make this meal and my mom taught me. It’s my favorite summer treat. Each August I wait for the Colorado peaches to arrive and then the peach dumpling season begins.

I’ve had my last peach dumpling for this year. If you still have some good peaches, you may want to try making a few dumplings. Otherwise, like me, you’ll be anxiously awaiting the next peach dumpling season.

Peach Dumplings

In a glass measure, pour 1/2 cup milk. Add 2 large eggs and whisk together to blend.

In a large mxing bowl, measure 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to mix. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk and egg mixture. Use a wooden spoon to mix well. Dough will begin to get stiff. If it is very sticky, add a little more flour. The dough should not be sticky, but should still be soft enough to form around a peach.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Pat out one piece at a time. Form each piece of dough around a large, ripe peach. The peach must be completely dry. Be sure the peach is sealed well in the dough. Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface. Set the peach dumplings on the flour and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Bring a large covered pot of water to a boil. If you want to cook all 4 dumplings at one time, you will need to have 2 pots of water. When water is boiling hard, gently drop 2 dumplings into each pot. Put the cover on the pot. Set the timer for 20 minutes. Do not take the cover off the pot until the timer rings. Transfer each dumpling to a large dinner plate. Prepare to eat by cutting into small pieces. Spread cottage cheese over the top. Pour melted butter over the cottage cheese. Sprinkle with sugar. Eat. Makes 4 peach dumplings.

Eggplant. Sweet!

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There was a time when the closest I would get to an eggplant was at an Italian restaurant when rounds of it would be coated with a thick layer of breading and fried to crispness, then smothered in rich tomato sauce and lots of cheese. But even at that, I’d still run across some very distasteful eggplant.

Oh, I’ve come a long way since those days. I’ve discovered fresh, locally grown eggplant.

I’ve found there are many varieties of eggplant, from basic globe eggplant to long thin Japanese eggplant to tiny Fairy Tale eggplants. Skin colors vary from white, to deep or light purple to striped or variegted. They can be small, round, long, slender, plump or pear shaped. While some eggplants are more tender, some have thinner skins, and some cook more quickly, none hold their shape very well during cooking and all have mild flavor. They all seem to turn delicious when they are roasted or grilled, baked or sauteed.

One of the farmers at the market told me about an eggplant spread she liked to make. Apparently roasted eggplant pureed with walnuts, garlic and ginger tasted good, but it didn’t look very pretty.

Eggplant and Sweet Pepper Jam begins with eggplant that is roasted to tenderness at a high temperature. Once the eggplant is cool enough to touch, it can easily be cut into small cubes. Those little cubes get all jumbled up with sauteed onion, garlic, sweet bell pepper, fresh tomato and parsley, and as it cooks together it becomes thick like jam. And a little bit sweet, like jam.

Eggplant and Red Pepper Jam can be scooped up as is with tortilla chips or pita chips. My favorite way to enjoy the flavorful jam is with a smear of goat cheese on a slice of toasted baguette. If you don’t care for the tart flavor of goat cheese, mix it with cream cheese half and half to tone it down. Or, use only cream cheese.

The jam tastes best if it has had several hours in the refrigerator, allowing the flavors to develop.

Eggplant in this form tastes wonderful. And it’s pretty, too. Sweet.

 Eggplant and Sweet Pepper Jam

  • 1 eggplant, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for rubbing on eggplant
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 4 chubby cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed, chopped
  • 1 large tomato, seeds removed, chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • Crostini or pita chips for serving
  • Goat cheese for serving

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour some olive oil into the palm of your hand. Rub hands together and then rub the olive oil onto the eggplant. Place prepared eggplant on baking sheet lined with silpat (silicone baking mat) or aluminum foil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until eggplant is tender when poked with a sharp knife. Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature. Cut into small cubes and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until just beginning to turn golden. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Stir in red pepper and saute for another 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggplant, tomato, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Vegetables should be very soft and mixture should be thick. Add the vinegar and blend well. Mixture should be consistency of jam. Add the capers and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate at least overnight and up to 2 days. Before serving, stir in pine nuts. Serve with crostini or pita chips and goat cheese.

Zucchini “Noodles” Make Great Alfredo

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It was chef-demo day at my local farmers market this week. Two featured chefs, Reed Olson, chef/co-owner of Wild Hare Bistro & Coffehouse and Chef Chase Fleaman from Concordia Language Villages were busy cooking up beautiful dishes using fresh produce farmers had at the market that day.

A group of interested shoppers watched as Olson created Zucchini Alfredo. He used a tool called a Turning Slicer to turn whole zucchini into delicate "noodles" resembling spaghetti. I came home and immediately ordered one. It’s already sitting on my kitchen counter, ready to get slicing.

Both chefs gave me permission to share their recipes with you. I wasn’t able to stick around for Grilled Marinated Zucchini with Basil Herb Cream Sauce prepared by Fleaman, but he was kind enough to give me the recipe. I’ll need to make it myself and share it with you very soon.

For now, enjoy Reed Olson’s special zucchini dish. It seems like a great dish to take to a picnic this weekend.

Zucchini Alfredo

(prepared at North Country Farmers Market by Chef Reed Olson of Wild Hare Bistro & Coffeehouse, Bemidji, Minnesota)

  • Large zucchini or yellow baby squash
  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 small yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or Parmesan cheese

Spin zucchini through Turning Slicer or thinly slice into long matchsticks and set aside.

Place remaining ingredients in food processor or blender. Process until completely blended and thick, probably one minute or more. Pour over zucchini "noodles" and top with more parmesan.