Monthly Archives: June 2011

Roll, Refrigerate, Slice and Bake Butterscotch Cookies

Posted on by
8

There’s nothing like having a roll of cookie dough in the refrigerator, ready to slice and bake. I’m not referring to a roll of dough from the refrigerated case in the grocery store. I’m talking hand-mixed and homemade.

Mix one day and bake another day with no fuss and no mess. I started making slice-and-bake refrigerator cookies with my 4-H leader when I was in 4th grade. In fact, it was this very recipe for Butterscotch Refrigerator Cookies that I carefully copied onto an index card as I sat at my leader’s kitchen table.

I don’t even want to think about how many years ago that was when this recipe became a permanent part of my collection that began when I was about 9 years old. Obviously, it was worth hanging on to. Lots of brown sugar give these cookies their butterscotch flavor. I add broken toasted pecans to the dough, but use whatever kind of nut that suits your fancy.

The dough gets shaped into two 12-inch logs. If you don’t need 4 dozen cookies in your kitchen all at once, refrigerate one log and and freeze the other. The dough in the refrigerator will be good for up to a week. The frozen log should be used within three months.

Once baked, store the cookies in an airtight container. They won’t last long, though.

If you like the idea of homemade slice-and-bake cookies, you’ll find another old recipe for Icebox Oatmeal Cookies in my column this week. Click here to get right to the recipe.

Butterscotch Refrigerator Cookies

  • 1 cup shortening
  • 2 cups (packed) brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup broken, toasted nuts

Cream shortening. Add brown sugar gradually and cream together. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt together. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Stir in the nuts. Shape the dough into 2 (12-inch) rolls and wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate and chill thoroughly, at least a few hours, but preferably overnight.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use sharp knife to cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Tip from the cook

  • Toast nuts by arranging them in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until golden and fragrant, in a preheated 350-degree oven. Remove from oven and immediately transfer to a plate to cool.

Weekend (No) Baking: Caramel Krispies

Posted on by
1

Surprised? I know. I wouldn’t normally post a recipe for sweet bars made with crisp rice cereal and marshmallows. I’m going to a family reunion. There will be lots of kids there — little ones and big ones, too, if you know what I mean. Kids love rice krispie bars. I’m taking a very light, bright and healthful cabbage salad, too. So, it will all balance out in the sugar and calorie department.

This recipe came to me from a friend sometime in the early 1980′s. My boys were at a rice krispie bar stage of their lives. That stage coincided with a “not-much-time-to-bake” time in my life.

No-bake Caramel Krispies are made by making two layers of the rice krispie, butter and marshmallow mixture in jelly-roll pans. A filling of caramel, more butter and a can of sweetened condensed milk is heated together and when the caramels are melted, the mixture gets poured over one of the layers that has been sprinkled with more mini-marshmallows.

It’s a good idea to keep these gooey, chewy, sweet and sticky bars chilled. They get pretty soft at room temperature.

I decided to even out the edges of the large rectangle, slicing about 1/2 inch away from each of the four sides. I thought I’d taste a bit. I wound up eating all the trimmings. It must be the absence of rice krispie bars in my life for so many years that made them taste so good to me. That soft caramel and marshmallow filling didn’t hurt one bit, either.

If you are in a rice krispie bar stage of life, you may want to try these. Even if you’re not, I think you’d like these ooey, gooey delights. They’ll bring out the kid in you.

Caramel Krispies

  • 8 cups crisp rice cereal
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • 1 1/2 (10 1/2 – ounce) packages miniature marshmallows
  • 1 (14-ounce) bag caramels
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk

In a large pot on the stove or in a large bowl in the microwave oven, melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter and 1 bag of marshmallows together. Add cereal and stir to coat. Pat mixture into two jelly roll pans, 10-inches x 15-inches each, that have been lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. Refrigerate pans while making caramel filling.

Over low heat on stove or in microwave oven, melt caramels with 1/4 cup butter and sweetened condensed milk. When mixture is creamy and smooth, sprinkle remaining half bag of marshmallows on one pan of rice cereal mixture. Slowly pour the warm caramel filling over the marshmallows. Place second layer on top of the filling. Press down firmly. Chill before cutting.

 

On a melancholy cookie roll

Posted on by
6

I’m on a cookie-roll this week. Maybe it’s been the dark, wet, dreary days we’ve been having that have sent me into the kitchen to turn on the oven. Or, maybe it’s my melancholy mood. Yes, I think that’s the real reason I’ve been baking cookies.

On Sunday we went to the first community band concert of the summer. As I sat in my lawn chair enjoying the music and the pleasant evening, the band started playing a song my mom used to love to sing. She was blessed with a beautiful voice. I remember feeling a little embarrassed in church on Sundays because she would be belting out the sacred songs much louder than any other mom. She ironed in front of the television as she sang along with Mitch Miller and his band every week. She never missed the Lawrence Welk Show. My mom could have been one of the singers on that show.

Yes, my mom could sing. She had a beautiful voice. And there, sitting in a small park on a Minnesota summer evening across from Lake Bemidji listening to the community band, I realized I couldn’t remember what my mom’s voice sounded like. It was alarming. It rattled me to my core. My eyes welled up with tears. I was devastated. The unsettling realization made me very lonesome for my mom, who died 17 years ago.

As soon as I got home from the concert, I started mixing up cookie dough. Memories of being in the kitchen with my mom as we cooked and baked together offered comfort as I measured and chopped and stirred and formed logs of slice-and-bake cookie dough — three different kinds.

One batch was a cookie I’d been planning to try for several years. Nibby Pecan Cookies from Alice Medrich‘s book, “Bittersweet: recipes and tales from a life in chocolate,” had been marked with a red sticky note for ages.

Nibby refers to the cocoa nibs in the cookie dough. Nibs are bits of fermented, dried, roasted and crushed cacao bean. They’re very crunchy, yet begin to melt in the mouth as teeth crunch into them. The taste is reminiscent of chopped coffee beans, but sweeter, with a subtle chocolate flavor. I discovered cocoa nibs when I was in San Francisco and made cocoa nib ice cream at Tante Marie’s Cooking School using Medrich’s recipe. That creamy ice cream has become a family favorite. Cocoa nibs have become easier to find in well-stocked supermarkets, gourmet food shops and kitchenware stores. I buy them directly from Scharffen Berger.

Click here to go right to Medrich’s recipe for Nibby Pecan Cookies.

On Monday, as I sliced and baked, I sang. And then, I felt better.

 

Cucumbers and Yogurt are Saucy and Versatile

Posted on by
6

While in Minneapolis last weekend, after a light Sunday breakfast at Sunstreet Breads, (Heavy Table recently had a nice write-up about Sun Street with photos) my husband and I stopped at the nearby Kingfield Farmers Market. We had discovered this lively market last summer. Last summer, Sun Street owner, Sovlveig Tofte, was selling her delicious bakery at the market. My husband bought one of her rhubarb turnovers that day and was talking about it for a week. He was so happy to find them at her Sun Street Breads when we were there for breakfast. He even shared it with me. Yes, those turnovers are just the right balance of sweet, tart and flaky and they make you sigh with indulgent satisfaction.

I was delighted to find Foxy Falafel at the market again this summer. I remembered watching people pedal for a smoothie at her booth.

On this summer’s visit to the Kingfield Farmers Market, I was ready to try a Foxy Falafel fresh pita stuffed with shreds of pickled cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers with hummus and bite-sized chunks of falafel, of course. I did a pita of half beet falafel and half traditional (chickpea). It was just the kind of sandwich I was looking for — it’s a hold-with-two-hands hefty and wholesome meal . I felt so good and healthy after that lunch. I didn’t take pictures, but you’ll enjoy this piece about Erica Strait, the chef behind Foxy Falafel, written by Sarah Rykal over at Simple, Good and Tasty. My friend Crystal, over at Cafe Cyan, wrote about Foxy Falafel’s debut on the market scene last summer and has a few pictures, too.

After that Foxy Falafel sandwich at the market, I was ready to make my own when I got home. Jenny Breen’s cookbook, “Cooking Up The Good Life,” was my guide as I ventured into the land of falafel-making. I followed Breen’s recipe precisely and wound up with amazingly wonderful falafel. Along with her Tahini Sauce, I added my own yogurt-based cucumber sauce.

I often use this sauce as a dressing for a salad of fresh greens. It’s wonderful stirred into tuna salad. Spoon it alongside grilled meat or roasted vegetables for a real taste-treat. And, don’t forget, it’s a must with homemade falafel, whether it’s stuffed into pita or served as an appetizer. You’ll find the Falafel recipe I used from Cooking Up The Good Life in my column this week. Click here.

Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce

  • 1 cup whole milk yogurt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon mint leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup peeled and finely chopped seedless cucumber
  • 1 chubby clove garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a 4-cup glass measure or mixing bowl. Cover and allow to sit in refrigerator for at least a couple of hours for flavors to develop. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Tips from the cook

  • Fresh dill weed is a nice substitute for mint when you can pick it from your garden or buy it at the farmers market.
  • Look for seedless cucumbers later in the summer at your local farmers market. In the supermarket, you’ll find the long, slender, seedless cucumbers wrapped in plastic in the produce department.
  • Watch as I share tips and prepare Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce on Lakeland Public Television. Click here.
  • See more about last year’s visit to Kingfield Farmers Market and other interesting places when I vacationed in Minneapolis last summer by clicking right here.

Weekend Baking: Orange you glad it’s thyme for rhubarb scones?

Posted on by
6

There’s a new kid in my garden. Can you see that dainty little sprig of green right on top of that pretty scone? Well, that’s it. That’s the new kid. His name is Orange Thyme of the Thymus family. I’ve known his cousin, Lemon Thyme, for many years. For several summers, Lemon Thyme has been a favorite visitor in my kitchen, adding shindig to my sugar cookies, cha-cha to chicken, liveliness to my lemon bread and sassy flair to my salads. I love Lemon Thyme. When she’s not in my kitchen, she’s just outside the door basking in the sunshine.

And then, last weekend I spotted tiny Orange Thyme at the Kingfield Farmers Market in Minneapolis. I snapped up the potted herb and found a spot for it very near to Lemon Thyme. If all goes well, Orange Thyme should be making a perennial appearance in my garden.

I could not wait to snip a few stems of Orange Thyme and start baking. With a few stalks of rhubarb still in my refrigerator, I chose to make Rhubarb Scones with Orange Thyme, using my favorite base recipe for scones. I added a bit more sugar to balance the tartness of the bits of rhubarb that I stirred into the batter. Since I didn’t want to take too much from my newly planted Orange Thyme, I only added a tightly-packed 1/4 teaspoon. Next time I might use a full teaspoon in order to get more of its light citrus tang. Bright and zesty Lemon Thyme would also work well in this recipe. But, if you don’t have either one, just use a 1/2 teaspoon of grated orange zest and these scones will still be wonderful, because the star is tart rhubarb.

These scones will make you so happy. Warm from the oven, they are so moist with almost a creamy texture. Each bit of soft, tart rhubarb will send bubbles of joy from your taste-buds to your tummy. Break through the crunchy sweet sugar sprinkled over the top of the scone and your lips will become a smile. You’ll just want to keep eating more. Really. That’s how good they are. Even the next day after baking, these scones bring sighs of joy.

I couldn’t help shooting a few pictures of some sweet flowers in my garden as I was out taking a picture of Orange Thyme. These flowers make me smile, too.

Blooming flax, the color of beautiful blue sky on a perfect summer day:

I think this one is called a Pincushion flower, a perennial I bought a few years ago.

Yesterday Gracie was outside with me and she pulled one of those flowers out by its root. The bud hadn’t opened yet. I brought it in and put the stem in some water. Today the bud is open.

Gracie is forgiven. Just look at that face. I’m sure she thought that flower was a weed and she was just helping me get the job done…

The forget-me-not plants my neighbor dug from her garden to share with me are still blooming and just as cute as can be.

There you have it. Summer flowers and rhubarb scones. I’m smiling. How about you?

Rhubarb Cream Scones with Orange Thyme

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/4 teaspoon, packed, orange thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small (1/2-inch) chunks
  • 2 cups finely chopped fresh rhubarb
  • 1 cup pecans or walnuts, broken
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add butter and orange thyme leaves. Use a pastry blender (or two table knives) to cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in rhubarb and nuts. Add whipping cream and yogurt. Stir just until combined.

Drop 1/2-cup mounds of batter onto prepared baking sheets. You should have 4 or 5 mounds on each sheet. Sprinkle each mound with 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar. Bake 20 minutes, until puffed and dark golden. Transfer to a rack and cool to warm, about 10 minutes (if you can wait that long), before serving. Makes 8 to 10 scones.

Olive oil, fresh herbs and vinegar with grilled asparagus

Posted on by
8

I’ve been trying to do something with the big weed patch that used to be a vegetable garden in a generous-sized plot in my yard near the river. As I’ve been digging weeds, I keep finding clumps of oregano. This aromatic herb must be one of the most tolerant of neglect and sandy soil. And, I guess it doesn’t care one bit about being surrounded by weeds. It’s not only growing, it’s spreading. I’ve been digging each little bunch of oregano up, plopping it into pots and sharing them with friends.

I continue to snip chives and tarragon, plants that are tucked in among the perennial flowers in my garden. I always plant plenty of Italian parsley in the big barrel planter. Last week, all of these herbs went into a vinaigrette. If I’m able to get my basil to grow this year (I’ve planted it in pots rather than the ground this time around), I’ll be adding that to the mix of herbs in this vinaigrette.

Of course, this vinaigrette is wonderful on a salad of fresh greens. But, there are more ways to enjoy this herb-infused oil and vinegar dressing. Spoon it over roasted potatoes or into potato salad. Brush it over pizza dough before adding toppings. Use it to glaze grilled chicken breasts. Or, when you have a bunch of asparagus (or the ends of asparagus spears after making spicy pickled asparagus), grill it and eat it with a drizzle of Fresh Herbs Vinaigrette.

My husband has a grill pan designed for vegetables. I rolled the asparagus ends in some of the vinaigrette before he put them in the pan on the grill. Since the ends had been blanched, they didn’t need much time on the grill. Before serving, I drizzled more vinaigrette over the ends and garnished with shaved Parmesan.

Easy, healthful and delicious. And, a great way to enjoy fresh herbs and fresh asparagus.

Fresh Herbs Vinaigrette

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk fresh lemon juice, grated zest and vinegar together in a 2-cup glass measure. Slowly pour in olive oil as you continue to whisk to form an emulsion. Add garlic and chopped fresh herbs and mix. Store in covered jar in refrigerator. Shake well before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 1 cup vinaigrette.

Weekend Baking: Fudge Bars like no other

Posted on by
3

Do you remember those gooey, rich 7-Layer Bars that everyone was making about 20 years ago? Layers of graham cracker crumbs, butter, more layers holding loads of sweet stuff and a can of sweetened condensed milk to hold it all together — remember?

Well, these Fudge Bars are a little like that. There are layers. They are rich. They are gooey. They are a fudge bar like no other, really.

I was paging through an old cookbook I purchased in Westfield, New Jersey in 1994 when we were there watching our son play in a golf tournament. The book is a collection of recipes compiled by the Welcome Wagon Club of Westfield. I’m can’t remember ever making a recipe from the book. But, as I was flipping through the pages the other day, I stopped at a recipe for Fudge Bars. I had never seen anything like it. With fudge frosting mix and refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough in the recipe, along with a load of sweet stuff and evaporated milk, I thought the recipe must be wrong. It was so unusual, I had to try it.

I wasn’t sure fudge frosting mix was even available these days. But, I found a box of Jiffy fudge frosting mix, holding just the amount called for in the recipe. When the frosting mix is blended with cream cheese and an egg, it becomes a very creamy, pudding-like filling in these bars. The filling gets sandwiched between a crust of chocolate chip cookies, which are actually baked on the top, but the whole mess is tipped upside down as soon as it is removed from the oven. That’s when the cookies become the crust. What winds up on the top of the bars is a chewy layer of coconut and nuts and brown sugar.

These Fudge Bars are good. They must be chilled before cutting and they should be stored in the refrigerator. For that reason they are not a great choice to take on summer picnics. But, they are delicious served as a dessert to guests, topped with fresh raspberries or nestled into a pool of raspberry sauce on a dessert plate.

Cut these bars small. They are rich. They are Fudge Bars like no other.

Fudge Bars

  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
  • 1 cup (packed) brown sugar
  • 1 cup flaked coconut
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 (7.5-ounce) box Fudge Frosting mix, sifted (I found Jiffy brand at my grocery store)
  • 1 (16.5-ounce) roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
  • Fresh raspberries, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 9- x 13-inch pan with aluminum foil, allowing enough to come up over the sides at the short ends of the pan. Melt butter in pan in the preheating oven.

Sprinkle brown sugar, coconut and nuts over butter. Drizzle evaporated milk over all. In a small bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat cream cheese until smooth. Add egg and beat to blend. Gradually add sifted Fudge Frosting mix, blending well after each addition.

Spoon small dollops of cream cheese mixture over layers in pan, spacing evenly. Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture to cover the coconut mixture in pan. Slice cookie dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Arrange slices over the top of cheese mixture.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Remove pan from oven and immediately invert onto cookie sheet. Carefully pull foil off of baked mixture. Allow to cool completely at room temperature. Chill in refrigerator before cutting into bars. Makes about 3 dozen bars. Store in the refrigerator. A fresh raspberry placed on top of each bar is a nice, delicious touch.

Five women and 60 pounds of asparagus

Posted on by
6

Mention a party that revolves around food, and I’m there. When my friend, Bobbie, sent an email out a couple of weeks ago asking if anyone was interested in getting together for an asparagus-pickling party, I hit reply and typed “For sure” without hesitation.

A file folder in my desk drawer had been holding a few recipes for pickled asparagus for years. Who knew what year I might get around to actually using the recipes, but pickling some spicy asparagus for adding to bloody Mary’s, nibbling between sips of wine and tossing into salads was definitely on my “To Do” list. For someday.

The night before five asparagus-crazy, party-hungry women were to gather in Bobbie’s kitchen, she sent us another email, letting us know she had 60 pounds of very fresh asparagus delivered from a local farmer and all the jars and other ingredients we would need. Sixty pounds? She wasn’t kidding. Good grief.

The party began at 1:00 on Saturday afternoon. On my way over, (I went right from my cooking demonstration at the farmers market) I figured we’d be finished pickling by 4:00, when I had to head home to prepare a dish to take to a dinner party that evening. I was wrong.

It takes time to peel and slice onions and garlic and take the seeds out of jalapeno peppers.

And then, little pinches of this and that must go into the bottom of the jars that first had to be sterilized in hot water. And, of course, all those fresh asparagus spears need to be blanched and plopped into ice water. And drained. And cut so they are just the right size to stand tall in one-pint wide-mouth canning jars.

Oh, don’t forget the brine must be boiled. Yes, things often look easier than they really are — have you ever tried packing asparagus into jars so they all stand upright and stay snug and look pretty as they are pushed against onion slices and half of a jalapeno pepper? Well, I’m just glad that wasn’t my job.

I got home that day a little after 5:00, leaving behind at least 30 pounds of asparagus still needing to be pickled. My husband prepared the dish to take to dinner (lucky for me the man can cook!) and I had just enough time to shower the scent of vinegar from my tired body and get dressed for a dinner party. The asparagus-pickling party would resume at 8:00 the next morning.

We drank coffee, ate Rhubarb-Blueberry Nut Muffins and danced around the kitchen, jiving to Johnny Rivers Greatest Hits. Mary had been to his concert the night before and bought his CD. Those old rockin’ tunes kept us jivin’ and picklin’.

We took just one deserving break. A short one!

Who  knew it would take five women 8 hours to pickle 60 pounds of asparagus? But it was well worth the time having great fun with friends canning 55 pints of Spicy Pickled Asparagus. That’s right — we got 55 pints from 60 pounds.

I drove home with my 11 pints of pretty spears packed carefully in boxes. And 5 big bags of the ends of all those spears.

I’ve already chopped some of those blanched asparagus ends to toss into an angel hair pasta dish and we’ve grilled some of those ends. I guess you could say Bobbie had a party that just keeps on giving.

Oh, I think I forgot to mention my job was to cut each blanched spear just the right size to fit into the one-pint jars. Aren’t they just so adorable?

Bobbie, the organized one on our team, took notes as we partied. Surely we would forget all the little tips we learned along the way by next year’s party. One thing we will all remember though — an 8-hour asparagus-pickling party must begin at 8:00 in the morning.

Spicy Pickled Asparagus

For about 5 pints (much more manageable than 55 pints, unless you have a team to work with:) you will need:

  • 5 pint jars, washed and sterilized
  • 10 pounds fresh local asparagus, washed
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 1 tablespoon pickling spices, tied in cheesecloth or sealed in a tea ball
  • 2 tablespoons canning (pickling) salt

For each jar you will need:

  • Dash of cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
  • 1/2 clove fresh garlic
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper
  • 1 onion slice

Place asparagus spears in boiling water for just 2 minutes, then plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain.

Place dash of cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon dill weed, 1/2 clove garlic, 1/2 of a jalapeno pepper and an onion slice in each jar.

Cut blanched spears to fit into jars. Pack asparagus spears, upright, into each jar.

Combine vinegar, water, mustard seed, canning salt and pickling spices that have either been tied into cheesecloth or sealed in a teaball in a saucepan and boil for 15 minutes. Remove bag or tea ball of pickling spices and discard.

Pour hot brine over asparagus in jars. Seal jars. Place jars into canner of boiling water for 10 minutes to process. Remove from water and set jars aside to cool. Makes about 5 pints.

Stand back and admire!

 

 

 

Moist and Marvelous Rhubarb Blueberry Nut Muffins

Posted on by
11

This time of year I can’t get enough rhubarb. Between the fresh perennial herbs I’m snipping out of my flower garden and the lovely stalks of rhubarb coming my way from friends, I’m enjoying lots of playtime in my kitchen.

I’ve often adapted my favorite blueberry muffin recipe, using it as a base for a swirl of rhubarb and fresh strawberries. But, it’s not strawberry season around here. Yet. With lots of blueberries stashed in my freezer, I decided to partner them with some finely chopped rhubarb and bake up some muffins.

I baked these muffins on Friday night and savored each warm bite of sweet blueberries and tart rhubarb in a taste-test before going to bed. They sat on the counter overnight to cool. One went down on my way to the farmers market yesterday morning where I did a cooking demonstration. The remaining muffins rested on the cooling rack on the counter. From the farmers market I was off to an asparagus-pickling party. Finally, when I returned home around 5:00, the lovely muffins went into a container. I was hoping they hadn’t dried out.

I just ate another one with my first cup of coffee of the morning. Even after being treated with neglect, they are still moist. With a brief warm-up in the microwave, they were as good as just-baked.

Next time I’ll just use all rhubarb and leave out the frozen blueberries. Those berries gave the batter a slight tint of purple.

I’ve packed up the remaining muffins to take back to the asparagus pickling party that is continuing this morning. Who knew it would take so long to pickle 60 pounds of asparagus? Good grief.

Enjoy the muffins. If you love rhubarb desserts, you must check out the recipe for Rosemary-and-Honey Infused Rhubarb Dream that I have in my column this week.

Rhubarb-Blueberry-Nut Muffins

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped rhubarb
  • 1 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  • Extra sugar for sprinkling over muffins

With a spoon, mix butter and sugars in a mixing bowl. Add eggs, vanilla and buttermilk and stir to blend. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Add all at once to mixture in bowl. Stir just until almost completely incorporated. Add rhubarb, blueberries and nuts. Gently stir to mix in. Fill paper-lined muffin tins almost to the top with batter. Sprinkle each muffin with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on size of muffins. Makes about 14 to 16 traditional-sized muffins.

 

Weekend Eats: Fresh Herbs are lovely in a cheese spread

Posted on by
Reply

I know it must be summer when the perennial herbs scattered through my flower garden are ready for snipping. I’ve been getting ready for my “Cooking with Herbs” demonstration at Bemidji’s Natural Choice Farmers Market on Saturday, creating cheese spreads, Greek spinach and bison sliders with fresh sprigs of oregano, thyme, mint and slender spears of chives — all from my own garden.

Last night I served this Herbed Cheese Spread to a small group of friends who were over for wine and small bites. It’s so quick and easy to put together and only gets better with age. I like to mix it up the day before I plan to serve it, then sprinkle the top with chopped roasted and salted almonds or toasted pecans right at the last minute, so they stay nice and crunchy.

When I’m feeling like taking more time to prepare something a little more elegant, I form the cheese mixture into small, bite-sized balls and coat them with the nuts.

This cheese spread allows for your own creativity. I always start with a base of cream cheese and goat cheese. Sometimes I throw in some blue cheese. Finely shredded Parmesan is good, too. Then, just use whatever herbs you have available. Go lightly with the thyme and rosemary, though. They can be a bit overpowering.

Give this a try next time you’re having friends over. And, by the way, a glass of chilled Funf German Riesling was a very refreshing (and inexpensive) companion to the cheese spread.

I’d love to see you at the farmers market on Saturday morning. (June 4th) I’ll be cooking from 11:00 until noon at Bemidji’s Natural Choice Farmers Market in the Union Square Parking Lot, using fresh herbs, meat, eggs, bread and fresh greens all from the farmers at the market.

May there be some Fresh Herbs and Cheese Spread with wine and friends in your weekend.

And, if you’d like to watch me prepare this spread on my 3-minute Lakeland Cooks segment, just click here.

I also served Marinated Roasted Peppers on Crostini last night — another one of my make-ahead summer favorites.

Fresh Herbs and Cheese Spread

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
  • 1 (4-ounce) log goat cheese
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 chubby clove garlic, peeled, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • Fresh herbs of your choice, about 2 tablespoons, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • sprinkle of Hungarian paprika
  • Roasted and salted almonds, chopped, or toasted pecans

In a medium bowl, use electric mixer to beat cream cheese, goat cheese and cayenne until smooth.

On a cutting board, mince garlic with salt. Add fresh herbs and orange zest and continue to mince until very fine. Add a pinch of paprika to the mix.

Scrape herb mixture into the cheese mixture. Stir well to blend.

Spread mixture onto platter. Cover and refrigerate. At serving time, sprinkle top with nuts. Surround with almond crackers. Serve at room temperature.