Meat Buns ~ Flashback Friday

It's 'Flashback Friday' and I am re-posting one of the first recipes I submitted to this blog...back on June 10, 2008.  It has also been one of our most viewed recipes and so I decided it was time to give it a bit of an update.  It is now re-formatted and has a new photo. The original photos appear in the collage at the bottom of the post.  Instructions for using instant yeast are also included.

There’s nothing quite like the meat perishky I recall from days gone by…a dainty meat-filled pastry. I have my mother-in-law's recipe but somehow couldn’t see myself rolling out all the dough and spending hours making tiny little pockets. So I adapted the recipe somewhat and came up with meat buns.  They are wonderful to have on-hand in the freezer and pull out for a quick lunch with pickles and cheese. 

Filling:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 package onion soup mix
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1. Brown ground beef over medium heat in large skillet…breaking up while cooking*.
2. Drain. Add onions and cook for a few more minutes.
3. Stir in onion soup mix and mushroom soup and heat through.
4. Allow mixture to cool completely (can be made ahead).

*Tip: Use a potato masher to break apart the meat as it is browning.

Dough:

• 2 Tablespoons yeast
• 1 tsp. sugar
• ½ cup lukewarm water
• 4 cups warm water
• 1/3 cup potato flakes (instant mashed potatoes)...optional
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• ½ cup oil
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 12 cups flour

1. Dissolve sugar and yeast in lukewarm water. Let stand 10 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine 4 cups water, potato flakes, sugar, salt, oil and margarine.  
3. Add beaten eggs.
4. Stir in softened yeast and beat in six cups of flour.
5. Continue to add flour until dough leaves sides of pan.
6. Knead until smooth and elastic.
7. Allow to rise until doubled in size.  
8. Then punch down and form meat buns. 
9. Pinch off balls of dough about the size of a small egg.
10. Flatten dough in the palm of your hand into about a 3-inch circle.
11. Place a spoonful of filling on the center.
12. Bring the edges of the dough up and around the filling and pinch together tightly to seal edges.
13. Place pinched side down on a greased baking sheet.
14. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place.
15. Bake at 375 degrees F. for about 20 minutes...or until golden.

Alternate method using instant yeast:

• 11 cups flour
• 2 Tablespoons instant yeast
• 4 cups warm water
• 1/3 cup potato flakes...optional
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon salt 
• ½ cup oil
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 eggs, beaten

1. Combine instant yeast with 5 cups of flour.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine water, potato flakes, sugar, salt, oil and margarine.  
3. Add beaten eggs. 
4. Stir in the 5 cups of flour with added yeast. Mix well.
5. Continue to add flour until dough leaves sides of pan.
6. Knead until smooth and elastic.
7. Allow to rise until doubled in size.  
8. Then punch down and form meat buns...as in instructions above.

*One recipe of meat filling will not be enough to fill all the dough.  Use leftover dough to shape into regular dinner buns. 

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes are a great accompaniment to ham or sausage. If you want it to be a meal in one dish, just cut up left over ham and add to the potatoes before pouring the milk mixture over it. This recipe calls for cheese, but it is also good without.

Scalloped Potatoes:

-5-6 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

-1/2 cup finely grated onion

-1 3/4 cups milk

-2 tbsp flour

-2 tbsp butter

-1 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper

-1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Method:

Peel and thinly slice potatoes into a large bowl. Cover with cold water and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Drain well. (this gets rid of some of the starch in the potatoes) Add the grated onion and cheese and stir to combine.

Put potato mixture into a well greased casserole or 9x13 pan. In a small sauce pan (or microwave) melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk all at once and cook, stirring constantly until it bubbles and begins to thicken.

Pour hot milk mixture over potatoes. The milk should almost cover the potatoes. If you need add a little extra milk.

Bake covered in 350º oven for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Apple Sauce Cookies

A few days ago I took my granddaughter, Ivy on a small field trip to our friend's home to share the experience of picking apples from the ground and tree, just like I did when I was a small girl.  The fallen apples were always perfect for pies, cookies, apple crisps, apple sauce, Perishky or even drying.
There was never a wasted apple.  Every fall, my father would drive the family sedan to Osoyoos to pick up a load of apples.   We first had to eat the McIntosh and Spartans, which lasted till Christmas. After Christmas, we could eat the red and yellow delicious apples as they were preserved longer. Today I love the Honey Crisp apples and I'm thankful I don't have to wait for any seasonal times.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup diced apples

Instructions.

1. Peel the apples and dice.
2. Cream butter, sugar, and egg in a bowl
3. Add flour and dry spices to the mixture
4. Add liquid, apples, raisins and mix well.
5. Drop dough onto parchment paper
6. Bake in oven at 400 degrees° for 12 minutes.
7. Cool on parchment paper for a few minutes and transfer to cookie racks

Tip from Ivy:  "Oma, don't forget the baking soda.  Mummy forgot to put the baking soda in the cookies and they did not grow...."

Take a peek at Bev's muffin apple recipe.  This recipe is so delicious and makes a big batch.

Apple Bar

I'm not sure how many years ago I tasted this apple bar at my friend Lorna's house but since then I've been rolling out pans of it every fall.

The crust is very thin. You need to have the right sized pan in order for it to be right. I have a heavy good quality 10X15 inch pan which I cut a piece of parchment paper to lay at the bottom. This isn't really necessary but it protects the pan a bit when you slice up the bar.

I use a food processor to make the dough, but you can use a pastry blender and get a bit of a workout in the process. I also use a apple slicer for the apples.

Apple Bar

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg yolks
• milk 
• 1 cup crushed corn flakes or bran flakes 
• apples (at least 4 large apples and up to 6 depending on the size)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon  (optional)
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 3 tablespoons hot water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat your oven to 375 F. 
2. Beat the egg yolks in a measuring cup and add milk to measure 2/3 cup liquid.
3. Put flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and cut in butter until it is like oatmeal.
4. Add the yolk and milk mixture and stir with a fork.
5. Put onto the counter and knead it into a ball and then flatten and wrap in plastic and put it in the refrigerator.
6. Peel and slice enough apples to fill the pan. 
7. Divide the pastry in half.
8. Roll out the first piece large enough to fit in the cookie sheet with all sides hanging over the edge an inch
9. Sprinkle your crushed cornflakes on the crust. 
10. Arrange the apples on top and sprinkle with the sugar.
11. Roll out the second piece of pastry and lay it on top.
12. Press the edges together and roll them up and then press with fork tines to seal.
13. Beat the egg whites until stiff. 
14. Spread over the pastry as even as you can.
15. Bake the bar until golden brown about 40 minutes.
16. Mix the icing sugar, water and vanilla until smooth and drizzle over the hot pastry.
17. Serve when still slightly warm or cool.

Biscuits Supreme

I challenge anyone out there that loves biscuits to try this recipe. I haven't found one that I like better than this gem. It is from the Mennonite Treasury, and this page is torn, splattered and looks very well used. This recipe is the base for so many other recipes, like quick Cinnamon buns or pizza rolls, cheese and garlic buns etc. Try this flaky, buttery, oh so good biscuit, you won't be sorry.

• 2 c. sifted flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar (it works without it too)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 c. butter
• 2/3 c. milk

1. Sift together dry ingredients, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Add milk all at once and stir with fork only until blended. 
2. Knead ten time in a lightly floured board. 
3. Roll or pat out dough to 1/2 " thickness. 
4. Cut with floured biscuit cutter and place on lightly buttered baking sheet at 450 for 10-12 minutes. 

It needs no extra butter, so good Mmmm!

Bread for the Journey

 There are times when I wonder what the point is of taking so many pictures.

Only a small percentage are worthy of being shared through blogging or on other places of social media.

So what is the point?

As I scroll through the different seasons of my photos I am reminded of what has been, and how God was with me.

Each picture is a moment captured in a different season of my life and even though I rarely take pictures of the things that represent difficult times, I sometimes am reminded of what it was that moved me to take a picture. 

Whatever the season of life, I know that my sovereign God in his infinite love and mercy is with me.  When the storms in life will come, I will look back on God's faithfulness and it will help me to trust him and rest upon his word.  

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

1. 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, 

Just to take him at His Word

Just to rest upon His promise,

Just to say, "thus saith the Lord"

Chorus
Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er.

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

Oh for grace to trust him more.

2. O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
Just in simple faith to plunge me
'Neath the healing cleansing flood!

3. Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

4. I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Saviour, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

written by Louisa M. R. Stead   1882  / Public Domain

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those that take refuge in him.

Proverbs 3:5

Banana Blueberry Oat Muffins

I've made these quite often this summer. They are a lovely, firm textured muffin.

You can substitute a 1/4 cup ground flax, wheat germ or bran for 1/4 cup of the flour to make them more nutrituous if you like.

One more thing to note - I distribute the blueberries between the muffin cups rather than folding them into the batter as we have quite large blueberries here in the Fraser Valley and the muffins can get quite juicy and fall apart easily if too many berries get into one muffin.

• 1 1/4 cups flour (can use part whole wheat flour if desired)
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup fresh or unthawed frozen blueberries
• Pecan topping if desired ( Mix together: 1/4 cup oatmeal, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup chopped pecans)

1. Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl.
2. Mix well.
3. Beat together banana, buttermilk, egg and melted butter until smooth.
4. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until blended.
5. Stir in chopped pecans.
6. In oiled muffin tins, fill cups 1/2 full. This makes 1 doz. medium sized muffins so you will have some batter left over for the next step.
7. Top with 3 blueberries and then fill cups with remaining batter.
8. Top each cup with 3 more blueberries
9. Sprinkle with pecan topping if desired.
10. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes. (A toothpick inserted into a muffin will come out clean)
11. Remove from cups and cool on rack.

Taco Soup

My family loves this soup..it will warm you on a cold day. Received this recipe from a friend although I changed it a bit.

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped. I omitted the onions because we happen not to like onions:)
• 1 cup celery, finely chopped
• Fry beef, onion, and celery together until beef is browned and onion and celery are cooked.
• Add:
• 1 398 ml (14 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 341 ml (12 oz) canned corn, with liquid
• 1 398 ml can of kidney beans, drained
• 1/3 cup salsa
• 1 tablespoon chili powder..I use Mexican chili powder when I can find it in the store
• 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 3 cups water

1. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. This soup is fairly thick so add a little more water if you desire. Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled..I didn't but should have:)
3. Add taco chips, shredded cheese and sour cream to your individual soup bowls.

Apricot Tart

You can make this bar recipe in a 11 X 17 small cookie sheet but it bakes up wonderfully in tart pans. I prefer to have a little edge crust on every piece.

I used one 11 " and one 8 " tart pan.

Though I've posted this recipe as apple bar and rhubarb bar,

I've never posted it as apricot bar

which bakes into a beautiful gem colored tart.

Apricot Tart

Pastry

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 egg yolks
• milk to make 2/3 cup

Filling

• 5 cups sliced apricots
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup minute tapioca
• 2 tablespoons butter

Topping

• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup icing sugar
• several tablespoons water to make thin glaze

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. . .cut in the butter and shortening until the crumbs are the size of oatmeal. You can use your food processor for this too, pulse, don't run at full speed.
2. Put the egg yolks in a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 2/3 cup.
3. Slowly add to the flour mixture, pulse with the food processor until it begins to come together or mix in with your fork.
4. Dump it all onto the counter and knead it into a ball, just until it comes together.
5. Wrap in a plastic wrap. . shaping it into a flat rectangular disk.
6. Refrigerate.
7. Slice apricotsand mix in sugar and tapioca.
8. Divide the pastry dough into two parts. . . the larger tart pan will require about 2/3 of the total. Do this pan first and use the remainder to add to the smaller tart pan.
9. Divide each part in half and roll out very thinly using flour to keep from sticking on the counter. Use a bench scraper to slide under the pastry dough to keep from tearing.
10. Carefully transfer into the tart pan by rolling the pastry around the rolling pin.
11. Divide the filling between the two tart pans.
12. Dot with butter.
13. Cover with remaining pastry, and crimp the edges shut.
14. Beat the egg whites until very soft peaks form and with your hand. . .spread it over the crust.
15. Bake in a 400 F oven for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. The smaller one will be done sooner.

Ham and Bean soup

Ingredients:

• 8 oz bag of white beans (or 2 cans of white beans can be used instead adding them to the soup at the end) 
• 3 cups of diced ham
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 c. liquid including reserved bean liquid
• 4 beef bouillon cubes
• 2-3 carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 stalk of celery, chopped
• 4 c finely shredded cabbage
• 1-28 oz can of diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups each of frozen peas, green beans and corn
• 1 cup of dried small pasta like macaroni

Method:

1. If you are using dried beans soak the beans over night. Drain the beans. 
2. In a large pot with a bit of oil, saute the onions until soft with the diced ham. 
3. Add the garlic and the rest of the raw cut up vegetables
4. Add the water including the drained liquid from the beans if using the dried beans.
5. Add the bouillon cubes, canned tomatoes and bay leaf. 
6. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. 
7. Add the frozen vegetables and pasta, cook another 15 minutes. Add the canned beans at this time if not using dried beans. 
8. Just before serving top with fresh chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese. (optional)