Cool Lime Cake

Summer lends itself to a quick cake that keeps well in the refrigerator and tastes wonderfully cool on a hot day.  

• 1 white cake mix baked according to directions.  I made mine in a 6 inch pan and reserved a bit of batter for a few cupcakes. This cake would work really well in a 9 X 13 pan.
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice. . .about 4 small limes
• 2 cups of whipping cream divided 
• a few drops of green food coloring if desired

1. Combine the sweetened condensed milk, the lime juice and 3/4 cup whipping cream. 
2. Set aside 1 cup of filling for the frosting.
3. Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes at 1/2 inch intervals in the cake. .nearly to the bottom but not through the cake.  Pour filling over the cake and work into the holes.
4.  Whip the remaining whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the few drops of green food coloring and the remaining filling and whip together until it is a spreadable consistency.
5. Frost the cake and chill until serving time.

Bread For the Journey

Sunflowers.

This unusual variety of sunflower was growing in a friend's garden.  

We're most familiar with the bright golden yellow sunflowers but they come in all shades

 from dark amber to this pale yellow green.

 I wish I could find the picture we took years ago of sunflower fields 

stretching as far as the eye could see. 

Each of the thousands of sunflowers had it's bright yellow head facing the same direction.

 This is one thing that has always fascinated me about sunflowers. 

They lift their heads to face the sun.   

They've been created to follow the sun. 

As the sun rises in the east and courses overhead to set in the west, 

sunflowers turn their heads to fully capture as much light as they can.  

They do it instinctively. 

You always see them in the best light because the full light of the sun is on them 

Their beauty is magnified by the bright summer sun.

 We can learn a lesson from these lovely flowers.

If we follow the course Christ sets,
if we turn our faces constantly in the direction of the Son,
our lives will be full of light, with no shadow or turning.

When Moses spent time with God, he came away with a radiant face.  

There was no doubting Who he had been with.

When we spend time with God, when we study to please Him and follow Him,

 we will reflect that radiance to those around us.

Psalm 43:3

O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places.

Psalm 143:8

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars

 Happy 4th of July to all our U.S.A. Readers! I'm sharing this old time favorite recipe that has been circulating for years and that many of you might be familiar with. This is a picnic, potluck and barbecue favorite!

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup 
• 1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 6 cups Rice Krispies
• 1 cup Butterscotch Chips
• 1 cup of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Method

1. Bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup Karo light syrup just to a boil mixing well. 
2. Take off heat and add 1 cup peanut butter and mix till smooth.
3. Add 6 cups Rice Krispies and mix till all the Krispies are coated well.
4. Put this mixture into a well greased 9×12 pan and press down evenly into the pan. 
5. Empty chips into microwaveable bowl and microwave at 3-30 second intervals, mixing well after each 30 seconds. 
6. Mix together till smooth. 
7. You can use the double boiler method to melt your chips if you prefer. 
8. Pour entire mixture on top of the pressed down Rice Krispies and spread to cover.
9. Cool, cut and enjoy.

Raspberry Cake

I love Flashback Fridays...it's fun to see how things have changed over the years and we get to post yet another tried and true recipe.  This will be one of those that is seasonal and you will want to try it this month while we have the fresh raspberries. This cake is sure to give you the royal raves as you whip it up and share it with a large scoop of ice cream.

"My walking partner phoned this morning and said she needed a day to catch up. Fair Enough!

I totally agreed and while we were quickly talking about our activities, I told her I needed a quick fix for coffee. "Do I run to town or make something?" She responded, "Do you have raspberries?"

"I sure do." Thanks, Laurie for this suggestion."  (July 2008)

We enjoy this recipe every year during berry season.

Raspberry Cake

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups fresh raspberries

Method

1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Cream your margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and add to creamed mixture.
4. Mix with hand mixer until texture is light and fluffy.
5. Add milk and vanilla, beating well after each addition. (enough milk so it is spreadable)
6. Spread cake batter into greased 9x13 greased pan.
7. Add about 4 cups of fresh raspberries on top of the cake.
8. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes

Glaze

1.  1 1/2 cup icing sugar
2. 1 tsp vanilla
3. 3 tbsp cream or milk.
4. Mix ingredients together until smooth and drizzle over cake.
5. Add a scoop of ice cream and you are ready to go! 

 
 Little did I know 8 years later, that  I would have a little princess helping me pick these berries.  Thank you Ivy!

Rollkuchen

 
Rollkuchen are a tasty, deep fried pastry that are a wonderful accompaniment to cold watermelon on a hot summer day.  How well I recall childhood picnics with big tubs of fresh Rollkuchen.  Let's just say that eating them is rather like eating peanuts...you can't stop at just one! Sometime over the years, Rollkuchen became paired with Roger's Golden Syrup (definitely a Canadian thing) on my table; they make a great team!

My mother-in-law made the best flaky, crispy Rollkuchen. Mine never quite measured up, so I have always made the thicker, softer variety and they have become a family favorite. Hers were all uniform in shape; mine are rather 'free-form'. Each recipe seems to differ slightly but I've never met a Rollkuchen I didn't like!

Rollkuchen

• 5 - 6 cups / 1150 - 1350 ml flour
• 3 teaspoons / 15 ml  baking powder
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup / 250 ml sour cream
• 1 cup / 250 ml milk

 

1. Combine 5 cups / 1150 ml  flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Beat eggs, sour cream and milk together and add to dry ingredients
3. Continue to add flour to form a soft dough ... usually about 1/2 cup more.
4. Allow the dough to chill for an hour or two before rolling, for easier handling.
5. Divide the dough in half and roll out quite thin on a floured board ... if you prefer them soft, then not quite so thin.
6. Cut strips of dough about 2x4 inches / 5x10 cm ... with two slits cut in center of each.
7. Stretch the pieces somewhat before dropping into the hot oil.
8. Fry in deep hot oil over medium heat until golden on one side. Turn and brown the other side.
    

The rollkuchen puff up beautifully while cooking and are really mostly air pockets by the time they are ready to eat. A totally a healthy choice!  Who am I fooling?

Serve with cold watermelon and Roger's golden syrup.  Grilled farmer sausage is also a nice touch!

Canada Day Cake

God Keep Our Land...

I thought a Bodentorte which we have posted recipes before here on our blog would be a beautiful canvas to showcase the local berries that are ripe and available at farm markets in the Fraser Valley.

While I was baking this cake I thought of how I have always taken for granted how easy it is for us to make a cake here with fresh fruits that pair beautifully with our flag.

If I lived in the US...I'd toss some blueberries in with this and I'd instantly have a perfect July 4th cake.

Happy Canada Day!

Auntie Betty's Torte 

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 3 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Place butter in Bodentorte pan and place in oven just until butter melts. Remove from oven and use a brush to evenly spread butter around the bottom and sides of the pan.  
2. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until just beginning to bubble, remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
3. If your eggs are not room temperature, place them in a glass of warm water for a few minutes. Combine the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl and whip on medium speed while you measure the dry ingredients. If you don't have a stand mixer, whip the eggs and sugar for 2 minutes.
4. Combine the flour and baking powder and sift into the egg and sugar mixture.  Stir gently to combine along with the vanilla.
5. Pour into the Bodentorte pan and place in the center of oven.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and center tests done when a toothpick is inserted.
7. Cool for 10 minutes and then flip over onto a serving plate.  You may need to gently use a thin knife to ease the cake out.  

Custard Layer

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• dash salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons butter

1. Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl.
2. Stir in the egg yolk and milk and whisk to remove lumps.  Stir over medium heat or heat at 2-minute intervals in the microwave until thick and bubbly.
3. Add vanilla and butter and stir to blend.
4. Stir every few minutes until warm to touch.  You can also place plastic wrap over surface and set aside to avoid a skin from forming on the surface.
5. Once room temperature, spoon into the Bodentorte.

Berry topping and Glaze

• 2 1/2 pints fresh berries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/3 cup water

1. Wash and dry berries.  If berries are small, arrange in a symmetrical pattern over the custard.  If they are larger, slice and arrange in a pattern.
2. Crush 2 cups berries or put in food processor. 
3. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, add water and crushed berries.
4. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil.  Remove from heat and put through a sieve to remove seeds.  Set aside until it comes to room temperature and then carefully drizzle over berries.  Chill until ready to serve.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Serves 8.  

Breakfast Cupcakes

If you enjoy having quiche or omelets on occasion...here's a crustless quiche that is made in a muffin pan. Though my recipe called for a crust made of shredded hashbrowns and baked until golden, I decided to stir the hashbrowns in with the rest of the ingredients (just like Betty's farmer sausage quiche in the original Mennonite Girls Can Cook cookbook)....and it worked like a charm!

• 6 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk (or half and half)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 12 slices bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
• 3/4 cup of finely chopped sweet peppers (red, green or yellow)*
• 1/4 cup minced red onion or chopped onion greens
• 1 1/2 cups frozen hashbrowns (defrost slightly to eliminate large chunks)
• 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded (or your favorite cheese blend)

*Substitute veggies as to preference. Mushrooms and spinach are also great additions.

1. Heat oven to 350°F. 
2. Generously oil 12 muffin cups.
3. Beat eggs slightly; add milk and seasonings and blend well.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients.
5. Spoon egg mixture into prepared muffin cups.
6. Bake until golden brown or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean...about 15 minutes.
7. Cool several minutes...then carefully run a knife around the outside of each muffin to loosen. 
8. Lift onto plate with a fork. 

These are great fresh from the oven...or re-heated the following day. 

Baked Chicken in Apple Cider

I was given this recipe by a friend over the phone.

I have made it several times for family dinners, and larger pot luck affairs.

It is always a popular dish with people asking for the recipe.

Here it is ....

Ingredients

• 6 chicken breasts
• 1 bottle of apple cider (more if you like lots of sauce for your rice)
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 cup whipping cream (if you increased the apple cider, increase the whipping cream too)

Method

1. Season pounded chicken breasts with salt and pepper and thyme

2. Sear chicken in frying pan (locks in juices) with the chopped onion

3. Place chicken and onions in baking dish and pour apple cider over top.

4. Bake in 350' oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is very tender.

5. Pour juices into a pot on stove top and thicken with cornstarch ( approx. 2 tbsp - or more depending on amout of liquid)

6. Add 1 cup cream , (or adjusted amount) and stir until smooth

7. Add 1 tbsp parsley

8. Pour back over the chicken and keep warm in oven until serving time.

9. Serve over rice.
**

Bread for the Journey

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

may the Lord rejoice in his works.

He looks at the earth, and it trembles;

he touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,

as I rejoice in the Lord.

Psalm 104: 31 - 34

Have a Blessed Sunday.

All for now. . .

with love,

BBQ'd Ribs in the Oven

These ribs are a great side to any BBQ, especially in the summer. Pork ribs are pricey, but go on sale quite often and freeze well.

Ingredients:

• 2 - 3 pounds spare ribs (I use back pork ribs)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/3 cup hot ketchup
• 2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper
• garlic powder

Method:

1. Bake spare ribs at 350° F in covered roaster for 1 1/2 hours. Drain fat.
2. In a small pot, sauté onion, then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer 15 min.
3. Pour over baked ribs and continue baking 1/2 - 3/4 hours, covered.
4. Serve with baked potatoes or pasta and a salad.