Slow Cooked Garlic and Rosemary Roast Beef Dinner

This slow cooked roast with it's wonderful aromas wafting through the kitchen as it cooks, will be enjoyed long before it's served. Serve it along with roasted, cooked or mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 2 pound boneless rump, top sirloin or round roast
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• pepper
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup red wine or water
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine
• 1 sprig fresh sage

side dishes

• 4 yellow or red potatoes
• 4 carrots
• 4 cups green beans, frozen or fresh
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed

Method:

1. Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. Tuck peeled garlic cloves under twine.
2. Place in slow cooker.
3. Add cream of mushroom soup, splash of wine, rosemary and sage.  
4. Cook on high for 5 - 6 hours or on low for 7 - 8 hours
5. Half hour before serving, cook quartered potatoes. Cook chopped carrots in a separate small pot for 5 minutes. Stir together carrots, green beans, olive oil and 1 crushed garlic clove. Roast at 400° F for 30 minutes in foil lined pan.
6. When ready to serve, remove roast to serving plate and cover. 
7. To make gravy, shake 1 tablespoon flour with 1/2 cup water in a jar, and add to roast beef juices, stirring until thick. If you like, you can pour the juices into a pot through a sieve and do the same.  There will be lots of gravy. Add some rolls to sop it up. Serves 4 ( use a 3 - 4 pound roast to serve 6 - 8) 

Bread for the Journey

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his,
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Rice Pudding

Rice Pudding, as simple as it is, can still be made a number of different ways. My mom called it "Rice with Milk" and basically cooked rice in milk. We sprinkled some sugar on it and it was good. I started making my version of rice pudding by using left over cooked rice and mixing it with a light vanilla custard.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked (non sticky) rice (cook 1 cup in 2 cups water with 3/4 tsp salt)
• 2 cups milk, divided
• 4 Tbsp flour
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla

Method:

1. In a saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups milk on medium heat.
2. In the meantime (in a small bowl) mix flour, sugar and 1/4 c milk, blend egg yolks in well, then add vanilla and the final 1/4 cup milk.
3. When milk in pot shows tiny bubbles on the edge, pour in egg mixture, stirring all the time,  vigorously once it begins to thicken, until it is smooth and bubbly.
4. Stir in cooked rice and pour into serving dishes. Serve warm or cold with a cinnamon/sugar mix, raspberry sauce or plain.

PS Make it gluten free by substituting the four Tbsp flour with three Tbsp cornstarch.

Flash Back Friday ~ Cookie Sheet Cherry Platz

For Flashback Friday I decided to bring back this recipe that a friend shared with me a long time ago. It's still one of my favorites. Once I tasted it I knew it was a keeper. It is a large recipe, perfect to bring to family gatherings or potlucks.

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 can cherry pie filling (I used 1 1/2 cans, I like more filling but 1 can works fine too)

1. Cream together butter and sugar, add eggs and beat well. Add flavorings.
2. Stir in flour and baking powder and mix until well combined.
3. Spread half the batter into a greased 12" x 17" pan. Put pie filling over base and using a spoon drop other half of the batter over filling. This dough is fairly thick so it doesn't really spread well over top, if you drop it by spoonfuls you get a pretty effect with the cherry pie filling peeking through.
4. Bake in a 350º oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Top should be slightly golden in color.

Glaze:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Enough hot water for drizzle consistency.

1. Drizzle over warm platz.

Almond Sweet Rolls Gluten Free

I am so pleased to share this recipe with you.

The rolls are wonderfully light and fluffy and the taste is exceptional .

I was rewarded by my granddaughter's reaction with her first bite ,
"Oh, my goodness, these are SO good !" and my gluten loving husband said... 
"These are miraculously good!"         I had to smile, didn't I ?

These keep well, they are still soft and good the next day.

Almond Sweet Rolls

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp gelatin
• 1 1/2 tbsp reg. yeast
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp almond flavoring
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup millet flour 
• 1/3 cup white bean flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• sweet rice for handling dough
• 1 egg white
• sesame seed or poppy seed (optional)

1. Mix sugar and gelatin, add warm water and yeast - let proof
2. Beat butter and sugar, add egg flavoring and warm milk
3. Blend well together dry ingredients
4. Add dry ingredients all at once to liquids , blend on low , then beat on high for 2 minutes.
5. Turn dough out onto counter sprinkled with sweet rice ... Work in enough sweet rice (I use about 1/4 cup) to make the dough just barely not sticky (on the outside, don't try to work the flour into all the dough) It is important to keep dough as soft as possible.
6. Pat dough into a 13 or 14 inch circle -- using a pizza cutter dipped in sweet rice flour, cut circle into 16 equal segments.
7. Starting at the wide end of each segment roll up ending at point - dipping fingers into sweet rice flour if dough is sticking.
8. Brush tops (I find it easier to use my fingers rather than a pastry brush) with whisked egg white.
9. Optional -- sprinkle tops with poppy seed or sesame seed
10. Place rolls on parchment lined cookie sheet and let rise in warm place about 1/2 -3/4 hour.
11. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Carrot Cream Cheese Whoopie Pies

If you enjoy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, I think you will love this pretty little sandwich cookie that will fit perfectly with your Easter or Spring dessert menu.  If you think children will rather enjoy some butter icing between the layers. .go ahead and fill with the icing of your choice.

Make them ahead during the week and store them in the freezer.  Since they have a cream cheese filling, do not store them unrefrigerated.

The cookie is sweet but is balanced with the cream cheese filling.

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup creamed honey
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 medium)
• 1/2 cup solid packed dates (chopped very fine)
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons creamed honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
2. In a food processor or mixing bowl, combine butter, brown sugar and honey until creamed.
3. Add the egg, honey and lemon juice.  .pulse until creamed or mix with beaters.
4. Add the dry ingredients and the carrots and dates and pulse until just combined. .or mix with beaters.
5. Refrigerate batter for 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350 convection or 375 regular bake.
7. Using a small ice cream scoop to keep the cookies even in size, drop 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
8. Bake until browned.
9. Remove to a cooling rack.
10. Combine the cream cheese, the 3 tablespoons honey and the 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice until creamy and smooth.  (using the food processor makes this a quick job)
11. Divide the cookies in half.  Put one teaspoon of cream cheese filling on a cookie and top with its twin.
12. Sift some powdered sugar over all the cookies while they are still on the rack.
13. Freeze in a single layer and then store in a covered container in the freezer or overnight in the refrigerator.

Baked Rice Custard

This is my husbands favourite dessert.

His mother made it often and always baked it in this enameled pan.

She was a great cook and taught me how to make many of the comfort foods

we Mennonites enjoy.

This is a baked custard - quite different from rice pudding which is made on top of the stove.

• 1 cup cold, cooked rice (leftovers work well)
• 1 cup raisins (sultanas, washed)
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoom vanilla

1. Mix cooked rice and raisins in a buttered 6 cup casserole dish.
2. In another bowl, beat eggs with a whisk
3. Continue whisking the eggs as you add the milk, sugar, vanilla and salt.
4. At this point you can warm this milk mixture to lukewarm in the microwave. Do not let it get hot. This is only to speed up the baking time.
5. Pour over rice and raisins.
6. Place casserole in a pan of hot water (water should come up the side of the casserole dish to a depth of 1 inch)
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1/2 hour or until mixture is hot.
8. Turn oven down to 275 degrees F and continue to bake. Check often to see when it begins to thicken around the edges. Then stir mixture gently to distribute rice and raisins.
9. Total baking time will be somewhere between 1 and 1 1/2 hours depending on how cold your milk was.
10. Continue to bake until a knife inserted into the middle of the custard comes out clean.
11. Do not overbake.
12. This is good either warm or cold.

Lemon Cream Sponge Cake

"A loving heart is the truest wisdom."

Charles Dickens

This recipe came from a community church cookbook from St. Catherines Mennonite Church and the recipe contributor was Betty P. I have changed things a wee bit with the sugared almonds and making the filling from a mix. I will post the recipe with the Lemon Filling, but a Lemon Pie Filling mix works just fine too.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour sifted with
• 2 tsp. baking powder and
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup of hot milk
• 2 tbsp. butter melted in the milk
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Beat eggs till foamy, add sugar gradually, beat til thick and lemony.
2. Fold in sifted dry ingredients. Add lemon juice.
3. Gently stir in the milk and melted butter.
4. Bake in two greased 8" pans at 375 for about 20 minutes or til golden brown.
5. Leave in pan for five minutes and then cool on a cooling rack.
6. Slice each layer in half
7. Put lemon filling between layers and dust with icing sugar, or decorate it with whipped cream.
   

Lemon Filling

• 2 1/2 tbsp. corn starch
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 1 tsp butter

1. In a double boiler, blend together corn starch and sugar, add boiling water, stirring all the time, until it is clear, about 10 minutes.
2. Beat egg, lemon juice and rind. Stir into the cornstarch mixture.
3. Cook 3 minutes. Beat in butter. Cool.
   Or just make your favorite Lemon Pie filling.
   
   

Whipped Cream icing

1. 2 cups whip cream, whipped and sweetened to taste.
2. I add a stabilizer for this cake called "Whip-It by Dr. Oetker. It just helps to keep the whipping cream firm for decorating. Two packages are enough for 2 cups of whipping cream.
3. Take 1/2 cup of whipped cream and add it to the cooled Lemon filling.
4. Layer Lemon between all the layers
5. Decorate the cake with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with sugared almonds, around the edges.

Sugared Almonds

• 1 cup of slivered almonds
• 2 tbsp. sugar.

1. Gently stir over medium heat till sugar melts and caramelizes over the almonds
2. Cool and sprinkle around the cake.
3. (this is not a high rising cake, so don't worry if the volume isn't what you are used too).

Bread For the Journey

Easter Song

Hear the bells ringing, they're singing

That we can be born again.

Hear the bells ringing, they're singing

“Christ is risen from the dead.”
~

The angel up on the tombstone

Said “He is risen just as He said.

Quickly now,

Go tell His disciples

That Jesus Christ is no longer dead!”
~

Joy to the world,

He is risen, alleluia,

He's risen, alleluia;

He's risen, alleluia!
~

Hear the bells ringing, they're singing

That we can be born again.

Hear the bells ringing, they're singing

“Christ is risen from the dead.”
~

The angel up on the tombstone

Said “He is risen just as He said.

Quickly now,

Go tell His disciples

That Jesus Christ is no longer dead!”
~

Joy to the world,

He is risen, alleluia,

He's risen, alleluia;

He's risen, alleluia!

Alleluia!
~

Words: Keith Green 

Matthew 28:6-7

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁶ He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”

Christ is Risen!

He is Risen Indeed!

Happy Easter Everyone!

Looking at the Easter Table

At this time of year I like to go and look for the first signs of spring . . .  even in the wild . . . tiny bright green leaves or delicate buds of all colors making their first appearance.

A few sprigs in a vase can add a simple, yet beautiful look to the table.

One Easter I used a bunny shaped chocolate container to cut out some large cookies

and they added some fun.

I rolled them out slightly thicker than the small cookies and baked them until golden around the edges. I let them cool on the cookie sheet for fear of breaking them.

I've been asked for the icing recipe and, although I gladly share it, it's not one I  measure.

Start with about 2 Tbsp of soft butter or margarine in a 4 cup measuring cup or bowl. 

Then add about 2 cups of icing sugar (confectioners sugar) and a few Tbsp of milk. 

Stir well and adjust to a consistency that spreads nicely ... 

adding more icing sugar or milk, as needed. 

For piping, make sure it's not too runny. 

Spread on cookie and let air dry a few hours until set. 

I froze these cookies and thawed them, leaving them to air dry,

 as the icing thawed out wet and then dried again.

Another way to make a pretty centerpiece is to display sugar cookies in a basket.

Behind this bunny, you will notice the Paska used as a centerpiece.

I got that idea from Ellen.

Still another way to use Paska in a decorative way, before it  disappears,

 is to make Paska in cupcake tins and put them in little cupcake baskets or holders.

I hope these ideas inspire you today.

You can find the sugar cookie recipe here

and Lovella's Paska recipe here