Sparkling Watermelon Lemonade

It has been rather warm here lately and we have been enjoying watermelon in salads, for dessert and even in our drinks. A nice cold glass of watermelon lemonade on a hot day is the perfect refresher!

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 8 cups watermelon, cubed and seeded
• 2/3 cups lemon juice (or juice from 2 large lemons)
• crushed ice
• Sprite (or other citrus flavored soda pop)

1. Combine sugar and water in small saucepan.  Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Cool.
2. Puree watermelon cubes in blender.
3. Add fresh lemon juice.
4. Strain watermelon/lemon puree.
5. Add cooled sugar solution.
6. Chill.
7. Fill drinking glass with crushed ice.
8. Pour watermelon lemonade over crushed ice until glass is about 3/4 full.
9. Top with Sprite. 

Yield: Two quarts of lemonade.

Bread for the Journey

I need reminders and daily encouragement.

This is one of the plaques we have up in our home that I've read almost daily for many years.

How quickly our thoughts can turn to things of this world, the business of the day, the troubles we face. Even the pleasures of life that are meant to be enjoyed can take precedence in our thoughts and can haze or even blind us from focusing and seeing God's TRUTH. God's HONESTY. God's JUST WAYS. God's PURENESS. God's LOVING KINDNESS.

What happens when we take time to focus on Him and turn our thoughts and hearts towards Him? I know from my own experience that the following verse is what takes place.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil. 4:7

These verses are for when life hurts, and for when things are going well. It's important for us to remember that the Lord wants us to continually be renewed in our hearts and minds. Filling our thought life with God's word. We can't even begin to understand the peace God gives, but His ways are far higher than ours, and His promises are true. He is a Faithful Father. All His ways are good. 

While we are here on earth we will never be free of this world's cares. The world is constantly looking for peace in all the wrong places, but God's peace is available for all. It is secure  and will carry you through, protect you, giving you courage and strength. That's His promise to each of us. 

May we refuse to allow the ever changing circumstances of life to determine our level of peace, but rather that we would rely on the unchanging character of God, making Him our focus and refuge. 

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Fresh Fruit Salad ~ Pineapple Dressing

Fresh fruit salad is a summertime favorite...and the recipe for this cooked pineapple dressing has been a standard at our home for decades. It is from the Mennonite Treasury of Recipes, and can be stirred into the fruit salad or served separately as a topping for the fruit.


Use fresh fruit of your choice...strawberries, pineapple, grapes, blueberries or peaches.

Pineapple dressing:

• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup whipped cream

Method:

1. Beat eggs; add sugar, pineapple and lemon juice.
2. Cook in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Chill.
3. Whip cream and fold into mixture just before serving.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Muffins

These savory vegetable muffins are so good. A little touch of cayenne adds a nice warming touch. These muffins are perfect hot or cold with soup or to pack in your lunch. Pack a few extra to share.

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup farmer sausage, cooked and chopped (you can use bacon or breakfast sausage)
• 1/2 cup corn kernels, cooked
• 1/2 cup red and green sweet peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup spinach, chopped

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together dry ingredients and shredded cheese, set aside.
2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, and sour cream.
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until combined.
4. Mix in farmer sausage, corn, peppers, and spinach. Do not over mix. The batter will be quite thick.
5. Spoon into well greased muffin tin.
6. Bake in a 350º oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Mine were perfectly done at 23 minutes.
7. Cool in muffin pan for a few minutes then remove and place them on a rack to finish cooling. They are delicious hot or cold. Great for bag lunches.
8. Yield: 12

Pishky (Russian Rollkuchen)

This is my mother Nadia's version of Rollkuchen that my family grew up with. We call them Pishky. There are some variations in the ingredients.

• 4 cups flour
• 2 cups sour cream
• 3 eggs (beaten)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• vegetable oil to fry the Pishky in

1. Make well in center of flour. Mix sour cream, beaten eggs, salt, sugar, and orange juice.
2.  First blend the soda in a tablespoon of hot water then add it to the wet ingredients. Mix into flour and knead the dough.
3.  Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Cut in strips. Then cut strips on the diagonal about 4″ long and cut a slit in the center of the 4″ length. 
4. Fold the top of the piece through the hole and up again. Fry in oil until golden brown on both sides.
5.  Before serving sprinkle with powdered sugar.

My kids loved to have these hot out of the pan when they would come in from playing in the snow.

These are great right out of the pan and for a few hours but after that, they aren’t as wonderful. Make small batches that you’ll gobble up quickly is my recommendation. The other thing you can do if you have more than you want to eat right away is to make a french toast casserole for breakfast with the leftovers.

Kirschen Moos (Cherry Moos)

This is another version of Pluma Moos.  

Like Judy's recipe, I use cherry Jello to give it colour and flavour but I also add a jar of sweet cherries to the fruit mix because my grandmother and my mother did it that way.  

Mennonites traditionally served Puma Moos (made with prunes) or 

Kirschen Moos (made with cherries) at Easter as a side dish to a ham dinner,  

My family loves it so I make it year round, 

even bringing it along as a treat on camping trips.

• 10 cups water
• 1 cup  pitted prunes, quartered
• 1 cup raisins, rinsed (I prefer the Sultana raisins)
• 1 cup mixed dried fruit (apricots, peaches, pears, apples) cut into pieces
• 1/2 a lemon
• 1 small  (3 oounce) package cherry Jello
• 1 quart canned sweet cherries (dark or light) including liquid, reserving 1/2 cup
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar or to taste 
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• reserved 1/2 cup cherry juice

1. Place water in a large dutch oven.
2. Add cut up fruit, raisins and 1/2 a lemon.
3. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.
4. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until fruit has plumped up.
5. Measure out 1/2 cup syrup from the canned cherries and set aside.
6. Add cherries with the rest of the syrup and cherry Jello powder to the pot.
7. Stir well and taste, adding sugar until desired sweetness.
8. Mix cornstarch with reserved cherry syrup and add to simmering pot, stirring well until it boils. 
9. Remove from heat and chill. Remove lemon before serving.
10. Serves 8-10 as a side dish or dessert.  If you have leftovers, it keeps well in the fridge for about a week.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

The burgers were ready for the grill when I realized I had no barbecue sauce.

I gathered some ingredients together from my pantry and fridge,

added a bit of this and that....

and handed it over to my husband who was doing the barbecuing. 

The liquid smoke and molasses added the flavour I was looking for.

Then I made it again just to make sure I had the measurements right 

to share with you.....cause that's how we do it here at MGCC. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp bottled lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp molasses 
• 1 tbsp prepared mustard
• 1 tbsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/3 cup chili sauce 

Combine all ingredients together in a glass jar and stir well. Keeps well in the fridge for up to a month.

Fresh Raspberry Pie

With the raspberry season beginning, it is time to roll out those berry recipes! We had a birthday party at the beach for two special 'sons' last night and found out that fresh raspberry pie with a sparkler makes a fine birthday cake.

Fresh Raspberry Pie:

• 1 baked 9 or 10-inch pie crust
  
• 4 cups of fresh raspberries

Glaze:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons raspberry jello
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1. In 4-cup glass measure or small mixing bowl, combine water, sugar and cornstarch.
2. Microwave at High for 2 to 5 minutes (until thickened and clear) stirring every minute.
3. Stir in raspberry jello. Cool about 10 minutes.
6. Pour carefully over the berries in the pie shell.
7. Refrigerate several hours; serve with whipped cream.

Enjoy the ultimate summer dessert together with some good friends.

* The glaze is one I adapted from a fresh peach pie recipe and works well in any flavour!

Bread for the Journey

Create in my a clean heart, O God, 

and renew a right spirit within me. 

Cast me not away from your presence, 

and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, 

and uphold me with a willing spirit. 

Psalm 51:10-12 [ESV]

When you read Psalm 51 in its entirety you realize the chaos of David's life and how utterly repentive he is for all his transgressions.  He begs God to create a newness in him, to restore his joy and to uphold him with a willing spirit to live within God's will.
We are really no different than David. No matter of the situation we find our lives in, we can always come to God and ask for a clean heart, a new attitude, and to have our joy restored. He asks for no other sacrifice than that of a our contrite heart and broken spirit.
Thank you Lord for your gracious mercy towards us. May we be willing to give over our lives to you to create a clean heart in us and restore our joy through your Holy Spirit. 

   

Alvina's Cinnamon Twists

For this Flashback I want to remind you of these sweet little twists I first sampled in Alvina's kitchen many years ago. Alvina is my cousin by marriage and lives about 1500 miles from us, but the visits we’ve had as families have been the best! Besides being an excellent cook and home-maker, Alvina has a wonderful warm personality and the best laugh!. I love reminders of our times together and when I make these I wish that the distance between our houses would not be so far.

More recently, this recipe came up when MGCC were invited to do a cooking class in Shipshewana, IN, and we demonstrated this simple biscuit pastry to be used plain, with a savory or a sweet filling.

Ingredients:

Your favorite biscuit or scone pastry. I use:

• 2 c flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp soda
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
• 6 Tbsp butter, room temp.
• 1 c buttermilk or milk

filling and icing:

• 2 - 3 Tbsp melted butter
• 3/4 c brown sugar 
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 3/4 c icing (confectioner's) sugar

Method:

 

1. In medium sized bowl, mix dry ingredients, then cut in butter with pastry blender. 
2. Add buttermilk, stirring with fork until dough holds together. Shape into a ball.
3. Pat into a rectangular shape on lightly floured surface and roll out to a 6 x 24 inch strip.
4. Spread with melted butter, then with sugar/cinnamon/flour (mixed)
5. Starting from long side, fold over twice, so that you have a 2 inch strip that has 3 layers.
6. Cut into 3/4 inch slices and twist each slice so that it looks like the figure 8. (right hand twists away from you and left hand toward you)
7. Place on greased and floured (or parchment paper lined) cookie sheet.
8. Bake at 400F until golden. About 12 - 14 minutes. Yield: approx. 30 mini twists

Icing:

Fill a 1 c measuring cup 3/4 full of icing sugar. Stir while adding a little water at a time, until it has an easy spreading consistency. Drizzle or brush over warm twists. (If you did not use

parchment paper, remove twists from sheet with lifter before sugar, that has run out, hardens.)