When I was a little girl, living in the Bellevue Apartments in Collingswood, New Jersey, we were pretty much surrounded by concrete.  The only hints of nature were the Looses' much-abused teeny, tiny tree, the Melecinskis' honeysuckle bush, and Harleigh Cemetary.  Mom taught us how to sip nectar from the honeysuckle plant and took us for long walks through Harleigh, looking for Walt Whitman's tomb....which we never found. But we received warnings from stern neighbors when we so much as leaned against  the Looses' sapling.   So there was not a lot of interest in the natural world most of the time.  When it snowed, however, in those early years, my mother often did a magical thing for us.  She made ice cream from snow.  She would put a medium-sized sauce pan out on the back step.  When it was full, she would bring it in and quickly add a bit of sugar, a teaspoon of vanila, and a little milk.  We would eat it right away.  It was slushy, but good.  It was so exciting to get ice cream from the sky in this way and gave us a connection with the outdoors that was unusual for us. Now, I know we can't do this today because of air pollution, but does anybody have a good idea for making ice cream at home without elaborate appliances?
      Now here is my youngest granddaughter, Lily, doing something special inside with snow.  She is making a snowman. Her mom gave her some food coloring and soon It was all green.   

The Infamous Organic Ham Incident

Awhile ago, Mimi had a sudden interest in organic foods.  It was coming up to Thanksgiving, when she suggested to Judy that this year they celebrate the holiday with an organic ham.  Mimi went right to Whole Foods and bought a very expensive and large "Organic Fresh Ham."  Not knowing too much about cooking in general, such as the importance of the ham being cured/ not fresh if you plan to cook it later in the week--  but feeling very confident about the word "organic",  Mimi happily bought this giant fresh ham and put it into Judy's spare basement refridgerator a week before Thanksgiving.  Judy, who knows a lot about ham, did not see the ham that Mimi bought, and assumed the ham must be cured.  I mean, who buys fresh ham?  A week ahead of time?  Without freezing it or something?  Right??   So, the night before Thanksgiving, Judy pops down to the spare fridge and opens it.  Judy describes this experience as extremely smelly, and the scent of the rotted fresh ham is still burned into her brain to this day.  Judy, wanted so much to support Mimi's enthusiasm of her organic journey, and did not want her to be disappointed.  So Judy called every supermarket in the tri-state area, including John's Friendly market (who mostly sells things like chef boyardee... Judy includes this in the story to emphasize how many places she called)  in pursuit of a new organic ham, preferably cured.   She also called her entire family, except Mimi, to see if anyone could help her find this now legendary myth of a ham.  But, alas, it was the day before Thanksgiving, and as you can imagine, that was a bit of a tall order for that time.  THis is where things really go awry.  Judy decided, Hey, I'll buy a regular ol ham, and not tell Mimi.  But Judy is a very sweet and gentle soul who could not contain the enormity of this complete lie all on her own.  So,  as guests arrived to the meal and asked her "How did it go with the ham?"  SHe ended up sharing that indeed, the ham was not organic, and please do not tell Mimi.  Mimi, who was never alerted of the dibacle by her family of liars, proudly announced to everyone that the ham this evening was ORGANIC and DOESNT IT SMELL LIKE THE BEST HAM IN THE WHOLE WORLD????  Everyone kindly humored Mimi, agreeing that yes, this ham was spectacular.  Judy remembers sitting down next to Jesse Kafka who leaned over to Judy and stated with gravity "I know."  So to recap, everyone, except Mimi, at this dinner knew that this ham was not organic and said nothing to prevent her from going on and on and on about this ham.  

Later that evening after everyone went home, Mimi recounted the events of the evening, and noticed that Amy was being a tad too smiley whenever "organic ham" came up in the review.  The enormity of this sutation hit Mimi, who called Judy and asked-- "Sooooooo Mom.  Was that ham really organic?"  Judy burst into laughter.  

Mimi has since lost complete trust in her entire family, especially when offered portions of organic ham.  Amy Yoder McGloughlin has tried to gain trust regarding this matter, but Mimi is wiser from this experience and refutes any suggestion that her offerings are indeed EVER organic.   

Moral of the story-  Just telllllll Mimi when its not an organic ham, alright?  SHeeeeeesh

From Mimi

Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies

In honor of Oscars night, love Mimi:

Advice from Katherine:

1. Never quit.
2. Be yourself.
3. Don’t put too much flour in your brownies.  

Enjoy this simple and sweet treat in honor of Katharine Hepburn and her impressive Oscar legacy. Get Katherine's essential baking tip in a full post on The History Kitchen blog. The recipe comes from a letter to the editor of the New York Times on July 6, 2003.

Ingredients

• ½ cup cocoa or 2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened baker's chocolate
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Melt butter with the cocoa or chocolate together in a heavy saucepan over medium low, whisking constantly till blended. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and walnuts. Mix well. Pour into a well buttered 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely and cut into squares. These brownies are very fudgy and may be somewhat difficult to slice cleanly; use a sharp knife and a spatula to help them loosen from the baking dish.

Tips/Techniques

You will also need a 8x8 inch baking dish.

Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers and Homemade Buns

I had about 4 cups of black beans I'd cooked up and I wanted to find a use for some potatoes I had that were beginning to sprout, so I found a recipe on http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/06/spicy-black-bean-burgers-with-chipotle.html for Spicy Black Bean Burgers.  I changed it to include less spice (so Mia would eat it) and added potatoes/sweet potatoes.  Here's the Black Bean/Potato Burger recipe:

• 16 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 large baker potato and 1/2 large sweet potato baked and skinned
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces (I used jarred roasted red peppers I had in the fridge)
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions (I used onion)
• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 jumbo egg
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup quick oats (more if mixture is too sticky)

First - Mash the black beans and potatoes together.
In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, cilantro, onion, and garlic, then add oats, then eggs, ketchup and spices. Then stir into mashed bean/potato mixture.  Chill for 30 minutes in fridge, then form into 8 patties.  If the mixture is too wet, add more oats.  Place the patties on wax paper and freeze for 2 hours.  Keep frozen until you cook them. 

Once they are frozen, you can grill or cook on a skillet for about 7-8 minutes per side.  I placed a piece of colby jack cheese on top - more protein - and topped with strong mustard and some ketchup.

Here's the Homemade Buns recipe (Delicious!) from Smitten Kitchen- my current favorite food blog:

Light Brioche Burger Buns
Makes 8
3 tablespoons warm milk
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 large eggs
3 cups bread flour (1/2 cup whole wheat with 2.5 cups bread flour)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
egg white, Sesame seeds (optional)
1. Combine warm water, the milk, yeast and honey. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes and add the egg.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Mix in the butter, then add yeast mixture.  I mixed this in the Kitchen-aid which took care of the kneading. The dough will be on the sticky side so it can be a bit messy, but keep in mind that the more flour you knead in, the tougher the buns will get. Try to leave them tackier than you would a round loaf.
3. Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl coated with olive oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, one to two hours.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange two to three inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap lightly coated in nonstick spray and let buns rise in a warm place for one to two hours. (I only needed one hour for the second rise)
5. Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Brush tops of buns with egg white and then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Sorry for the cruddy picture, I forgot to take one after I made it, so this is just before I ate it at lunch with the cheese over top. 

Molasses Crinkles

Molasses Crinkles

3/4 cup shortening 

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

4 tablespoons molasses

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Cream shortening and sugar together.

Add egg and molasses and beat until well-blended.

Sift flour.

Measure and add salt, soda, and spices.

Sift again.

Add sifted, dry ingredients to creamed mixture and mix thouroughly.

Chill dough in refrigerator.

Shape chilled dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter each.

Roll balls in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 4 dozen.

From Earl and Sandy Yoder, thanks to The Mennonite Community Cookbook, Page 260

Eating local and organic

I am learning the importance of eating locally farmed and organically grown foods--if anyone else is interested, here is a great resource for finding great farmers in your community-- they may not necc be organic-- but it has been a great starting point for me.  Also, I am hearing from a lot of local farmers that although they are not certified organic, some follow organic practices without the expensive certification, which in my book is just as good:

http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/default.aspx

--Mimi

The blog description (below) appears to have disappeared from the right side-- does anyone know why or another place we can put it:

Lord, we thank you for this 

food and for our many blessings. 

We thought it fitting to begin this blog by saying grace. Now- dig in! We hope this is a place we can break bread together, even when we are geographically apart.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love my crockpot (slow cooker).  I love that I can throw stuff into it, turn it on, and when I come home later, my house smells awesome and dinner is ready!  It is like cooking magic!!!  Here is one of my favorite crockpot recipes, originally from the allrecipes.com website (although I've tweaked it a bit since getting it from there):

SLOW COOKER (Crockpot) CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken (I usually get a rotisserie chicken from the deli section at our grocery store - works great for this recipe.  Also, I have used FROZEN chicken and it works too - it will cook all the way through by the time you are done even if it is not the "best" way for this recipe.)
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped (I've also just used dried chopped onion from the spice cabinet - I don't add as much as I would fresh onion.  Also, you can buy already chopped onions in the freezer section or sometimes the fresh produce section of your grocery store if you are as lazy as me.)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chili peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional - I don't add it if the kids will be eating it)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Some tortilla chips
Some sour cream and/or cheddar (or Monterrey jack) cheese

 DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies  and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

2.  If you used frozen chicken, check to make sure chicken is cooked all the way through and break-up or shred chicken and mix throughout soup before serving.  Also, remove bay leaf (since no one wants to find/eat that sharp little bugger).

3.  Pour in bowls.  Garnish with tortilla chips, dollop of sour cream, or cheese as desired.  Eat.  Repeat as needed.

~posted by Kelly Simer (Spencer)

Banana Slicer: Best reviews EVER

Looking for something food-related?  Looking for something food-related AND amusing?  You MUST read the reviews for this product on Amazon (ignore the product itself but you have to check out the outstanding reviews):

Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer

(If the link above doesn't work, copy and past this address into your browser:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047E0EII/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk?tag=hydfbook0e-20&ascsubtag=US-SAGE-1356280658591-EWFDK)

Almost makes me want to buy one just so that I can review it too!

~posted by Kelly Simer (Spencer)

Three Cookie Exchange Options!

As I prepared for a few cookie exchanges this year, I asked my Mom (known as Betty or Betty Ann to many of you) for her most popular cookie recipes.  She was a crazy cookie baker back in the day - making hundreds of cookies of several varieties each holiday season.  She was famous (infamous?) for handing out trays of Christmas cookies each year to all of my Dad's coworkers and their friends.  So I figured she'd be a good resource for some recipes to try for my cookie exchanges this year.  All of these turned out great and I thought I'd share these cookie recipes with you.  ENJOY!

CRISP PASTEL COOKIES (the "pink squashed cookies")
3/4 c shortening (part margarine and part butter, softened)
1/2 c sugar
1 package 3oz size fruit flavored Jello
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (if using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt)
1 t baking powder
1 t salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees, Mix shortening, sugar, Jello, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients.  Shape dough into 1 in balls.  Place about 3 in apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.  You can use colored sugar.  Bake 6 to 8 minutes.
Makes about 4 dozen.

FESTIVE CHRISTMAS COOKIES (the lumpy white cookies covered in powdered sugar)
3/4 c shortening at room temperature
1/4 c butter
1t salt
1/2 c confectioner's sugar
2t vanilla
2 c sifted flour (if not presifted already)
1c chopped pecans

Mix ingredients thoroughly.  I start using the mixer, but when the dough gets too tough, I take the bowl out of the mixer and mix the rest with my hands.  the heat from the hands helps to soften the shortening even more to make the dough more pliable.  Shape into balls. Press down an indention in the middle of the cookie.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes.   When partially cooled, roll in more confectioner's sugar. I like to press a little more into the indentation, makes a sweeter cookie.  NOTE...I usually double the recipe as these tasty little morsels go fast and freeze up well.

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (not REALLY cookies but still pretty awesome)
1 1/2 boxes of confecctioner's sugar (6c)
2 sticks butter
2c creamy peanut butter
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/4 c parafin bar

Cream and mix the first three ingredients.  I start my using the mixer and when the dough becomes too stiff, I usually mix it by hand to make sure all the sugar in incorporated.  Roll into buckeye sized balls (approximately the same as walnut-sized).  I use a wax paper lined set of cookie sheets to place the balls on.  Chill in fridge.  In the meantime make the dip.  In a double boiler, melt the chocolate morsels with the parafin ((2" x 2" size) ,  Using a toothpick stuck into the cooled buckeye ball, dip into the chocolate.  Coat about 1/2 to 3/4.  Drop back onto the cookie sheet.  Don't touch to any other ball, keep them all separate.  You might have to use other cookie sheets or flat serving plates to make sure they don't touch.  Cool, then pack in containers gently and refrigerate.  When dipping I usually leave the cookie sheets in the fridge and take a small plate to bring out only a few balls at a time, like maybe 10 to 15.  Then dip them and place on a waxed paper covered plate next to the stove.  That way, the balls stay chilled enough to coat properly.  It isn't that hard to make, just takes more cookie sheets and plates than usual.  But they clean up fast.  Getting organized with everything ready to go helps and making sure there is room in the fridge to slide in the balls to chill before dipping.  I can't remember how many that makes, but I know when I was giving them to friends or packing them in with cookie presents, I made 2 or 3 batches during the season.

~posted by Kelly Simer (Spencer)