Pizza Pockets

It is that time of year again, where school starts, and lunches are being packed. Sandwiches are easily taken but switch it up with this healthier version of Pizza Pockets.

Dough:

• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 cups unbleached flour
• 2 tablespoons instant dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (can use vegetable oil)
• 3 cups warm water
• 1 beaten egg, for egg wash

1. Combine the whole wheat flour, dry yeast, sugar, salt.
2. Add the warm water, and oil.
3. Stir well.
4. Add enough of the all purpose flour a little at a time to knead into a smooth and soft dough.
   You may not need all the of flour, or you may need a bit more, depending on the humidity.
5. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
6. Roll out the dough and cut into 6" circles.
7. Fill with desired amount of filling.
8. Moisten the edges of the dough and fold over to seal well.
9. Cover with a damp cloth.
10. Let rise for 30 minutes.
11. Prick the tops with a fork, brush with beaten egg.
12. Bake @ 400 about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped.
13. If you have any dough left over, just form them into buns, let rise 30 minutes and bake the same as the pizza pockets.

Filling:

• 1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
• 4 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup low fat Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups low fat Mozzarella cheese
• 3 green onions chopped

1. Brown the ground chicken with the mushrooms, peppers and garlic
2. Add the tomato sauce, herbs, seasonings.
3. Simmer 10 minutes.
4. Cool slightly.
5. Add the green onions and the cheese.

Put desired amount of filling into the prepared circles. The yield for the pockets is determined by how much you put in. Also the filling can be very versatile, switch things up a little to your liking.

Sierra Crackers

Note to Sierra: I'm not sure you will see this recipe but I named it for you! I was really sorry to miss you at the MCC Relief Sale ... I did look for you but didn't find you!

It is getting easier to buy Gluten Free products and crackers are one of the easier things to find that taste good but GF products are expensive and sometimes its just nicer to be able to make them yourself !

This cracker is quick, easy and loaded with healthy nutrients.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup gf oatmeal flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour or ground almonds
• 1 tbsp ground flax seed
• 3 tbsp ground sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• sesame seed for topping

1. Measure dry ingredients into bowl and mix thoroughly
2. Stir olive oil and water in a cup
3. Pour liquids into dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until ball forms
4. Place ball of dough onto a piece of parchment paper , flatten dough with hands , cover with a piece of plastic wrap and roll out the dough between parchment paper and plastic wrap until quite thin -- keeping sides as rectangular as possible.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and press them down under plastic wrap.
6. Cut into desired shapes using knife or pizza wheel works well.. (cut but do not separate crackers)
7. Slip parchment paper with crackers onto a cookie sheet.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
9. Let cool , then separate crackers.
10. Enjoy plain or with cheese or desired toppings.

Creamed Peas

Creamed peas is a simple dish to make. Delicious served over mashed potatoes with plain fried ground beef or meatloaf. It is a great way to get your children to eat vegetables. Creamed carrots, green beans, or corn would be really good too.

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 cup 10% cream
• 2 cup peas, cooked

1. Melt butter, whisk in flour, salt, pepper, and dry mustard until smooth.
2. Add cream slowly, stirring continuously until thickened.
3. Pour over peas and it's ready to serve.
4. Serves: 4

*I call this comfort food, I served it to my children when they were younger and when served like this they would eat all the peas and ask for more. First you put a bed of mashed potatoes on your plate, then fried ground beef and top with creamed peas. Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken with Raisin Bubbat

 

This is an old fashioned Mennonite method of stuffing a hen . . . no onions, no celery or sage.  The stuffing is similar to a raisin bread,  a little of the sweet and savory blend.

Ingredients:

•  3 - 4 lb roasting chicken
• 1 tsp salt
• pepper
• Laurie's seasoning

Stuffing (Bubbat)

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped prunes
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup milk

Side dish (optional)

• potatoes, peeled and quartered
• carrots, peeled and cut into one inch pieces
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 1/2 apples, chopped
• 2 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 cup chopped dried fruit of choice (raisins, prunes, apricots)

Method:

1. Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Spray roaster (black speckled enameled works well) with cooking oil and place chicken in roaster. Season.
3. Mix dry ingredients for stuffing. Add mixed liquids and dried fruit.
4. Spoon into cavity of chicken as much as possible, include the area by the thighs, by going under the skin. You can tie the legs together with kitchen twine. If there is any stuffing left, put it into a small baking dish and bake alongside of roaster for the final 30 - 45 minutes.
5. Bake chicken at 350 F for 1/2 hour uncovered. Cover with lid and continue baking for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Check in between to see if any liquid needs to be added. (maybe 1/2 cup water or chicken stock)
6. In a small saucepan, cook apples in butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Add orange juice concentrate and dried fruit. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook a few minutes, until juices are gone. Stir into prepared potatoes and carrots, before adding to the roaster to bake alongside of the chicken for the final hour.
7. Remove chicken and vegetables to platter. Place roaster on stove top to make a quick gravy.(in a small jar or gravy shaker, mix up 1 - 2 Tbsp flour with 1 cup water and add to drippings, stirring over medium heat until it cooks.)
8. To serve, it is easiest to serve family style by putting it on the table as is. OR, if you like, you can take it apart, slice the breast pieces, remove the Bubbat and slice it too.

 

 

Bread for the Journey

 Faith ~ Believing Without Seeing

We often say, "I'll believe it when I see it."  But God says just the opposite...that we will see it when we believe it.  

True faith is finding certainty in uncertain territory. We step forward...toward what is not fully known or seen.  That is why it is called faith.

There are times we can't see what the road ahead looks like.  In fact...it may look like we are stepping off at the deep end. But faith is visualizing the future. It's believing it before it can be seen.  It is that first step into the unseen that proves we have faith. As we move forward we will see God open the way.

I was challenged by Hebrews 11:1 some weeks back...and have been thinking about it since.  If you are like me...fear often wins over faith.

Here's the challenge for me (and maybe for you)...to start moving even if I can't see what lies ahead and trust God!  

Aebleskiver (Danish Pancake Balls)

We first enjoyed these novel pancake balls when we visited the picturesque Danish village of Solvang, California. My husband bought his own pan to make them at home before we were married. We still have that pan and enjoyed these a few weeks back.

The next time we make them we will experiment with our own flour mix instead of using Bisquick but for now here is the Bisquick recipe.

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs, separated
• 2 cups bisquick baking mix
• 3/4 cup milk
• Butter
• Confectioners Sugar (Icing Sugar)
• Applesauce 
• Fruit Syrup or Maple Syrup (optional)

1. Separate your eggs.
2. Beat egg whites in large bowl on high speed until stiff; set aside.
3. Blend egg yolks, baking mix and milk in mixing bowl on low speed. Fold egg yolk mixture into beaten egg whites.
4. Butter each cup in aebleskiver pan. Heat pan over medium heat. 
5. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter.
6. Cook until bubbly; turn carefully with small spatula or fork.  Cook other side until golden brown.
7. While warm, sprinkle with sugar.
8. Serve with applesauce and syrup if you desire. 

Note: Next time we thought it would be nice to add a little vanilla and or sugar to the batter.

Fresh Potato and Green Bean Chicken Casserole

Are you curious to know what we eat when we haven't made a plan for dinner?  This time of year it is so simple to walk out to the garden and pick a few fresh vegetables.  

That is what I did one day last week. Granted it is not the prettiest dish to serve but the flavours are wonderful.  You can substitute the chicken for some sausage or bacon or eliminate the meat all togehter.  I had one poached chicken breast to use up from making chicken noodle soup.

The potatoes are ready to dig up and my green beans and onions and cucmbers and peppers are ripe and we can hardly keep up to them.  This is the casserole I put together...using the fresh herbs I am growing as well.  This recipe serves four so double it for a family meal. 

• 1 diced large poached or grilled chicken breast, sausage or bacon
• 1 onion sliced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 medium fresh potatoes, scrubbed with skin on
• 4 cups cut green beans
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. fresh summer savoury or 1 tablespoon dried
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1. Heat the butter in a heavy enamelled cast iron pot or casserole dish. If you are using a  casserole dish add the melted butter.  I have not tested this in a casserole dish. Heavy enamelled cast iron pots always work so well.  They allow food to develop a caramel edging on the potatoes without burning.
2. Slice the onion and potatoes and place in the bottom of the pot, add the diced chicken, and the green beans on top of that.  I could not live without my mandoline...do you all use one too?
3. Pour the cream over it all and sprinkle the summer savoury on top.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
4. Bake at 350 for 2 hours. Remove lid and allow the cheese to brown in the last 30 minutes.  Serve with fresh veggies.

Corn Chowder Soup

It's the time of year where we are known far and wide for our high-quality Chilliwack Corn.
Every fall I can't wait to dig in and pull the last of the fresh potatoes, carrots, onions and of course fresh corn. This year is been extra special, as we have our own fresh corn.
Corn Chowder Soup has been a favorite for years. It brings back memories to many ski vacations.
I will give you the original recipe, whereas I actually double all the vegetables. We all like our soup thick.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cubed potatoes
• 2 cups carrots, sliced
• 2 cups celery stalks, sliced
• 2 medium onions
• 2 green peppers
• 1 pound bacon or substitute 1 1/2 pound farmer sausage. ( approximately 1 ring) cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 - 10-ounce tins creamed corn ~ I use fresh corn from about 4 large cobs.
• 2 - 10-ounce tins cream of celery soup
• 2 - 10-ounce tins cream of mushroom soup
• 2 quarts milk
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1. Cook potatoes, carrots, and celery together in a small amount of water.  Drain. 
2. Saute' onions, green peppers and meat.
3. Place meat, vegetables, and remaining ingredients into a large soup pot.  If using fresh corn, cook and remove kernels.  Heat slowly as milk tends to scorch easily. Stir often.  

Tip: Reheat the chowder in the microwave to prevent scorching.

Cut, Chop and Saute'

You can almost taste this. Imagine the aroma in your kitchen. Hope you can all get out there and find some fresh Chilliwack Corn.  I freeze this soup. No soup tastes as good as fresh, but when one does not have the fresh produce in winter, this is second best.

French Apple Cake

It is not really a cake, but a custard-like fruit dessert served with whipped cream.  The French call it clafouti.  This recipe came from the Canadian Dairy Foundation (it has been somewhat revised)...a source of good recipes that use milk.  But it could just as easily have come from the B.C. Egg Producer's Association or the B.C. Fruit Growers Association, for that matter.  Chock full of good things and so simple to make...you won't be disappointed!

• 3 large apples, peeled and sliced
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• confectioner's sugar for dusting the top 

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Grease a 9" round cake pan or pie plate. 
3. Arrange sliced apples evenly in the bottom of the pan.
4. Place all remaining ingredients in blender and process until smooth.
5. Pour carefully over the apple slices.
6. Bake for 50 minutes.
7. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan...or serve right from baking dish.
8. Serve warm or cold with a dollop of whipped cream.
9. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar if desired.

*A spring form pan works well, if you wish to remove the dessert to serve on a platter later.  Grease pan...line bottom with parchment paper.  However, be aware that unless your springform pan has a tight seal, the custard will drip into your oven!
 

BBQ'd Beef-on-a-Bun

If the guys in your life are wondering "where's the beef?"...here it is!

I was at a women's conference some twenty years ago...and attended a cooking workshop. The facilitator left me with some wonderful recipes that I've made my own since that time. One of our family favorites is the BBQ'd Beef.  I have brought it to potlucks...camping trips...and it was our dinner at the beach a few nights ago.

BBQ'd Beef

• 5 steaks (any kind)
• 1 28 oz. can tomatoes

1. Cook in slow cooker overnight (about 10 hours) on low.
2. Drain juices and shred the cooked beef with two forks.

Sauce

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 3 tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. prepared mustard
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne

1. Sauté onion and celery until tender.
2. Add remaining sauce ingredients and heat through.
3. Add shredded beef and simmer for about 1 hour. (I return meat and sauce to slow cooker until serving time.)
4. Serve on submarine or beef-dip buns.

The original recipe calls for five steaks...I use any beef I have handy. I often cut up large roasts...and if my crock-pot is chock-full, I make slightly more of the sauce.