Canning Cookbook- Sweet Pepper Relish

It's the time of year that I love- time to use up LOTS of stuff as our gardens all come to an end for the season. If you remember, I love going to a local you-pick farm and loading up on the beautiful vegetables they grow every year- cucumbers for pickles, tomatoes by the ton and sweet Gypsy peppers. I never had a Gypsy pepper until I tried them from the farm. They are a sweet pepper, not as big as a bell pepper, but very similar in flavor. Ripe peppers are usually yellow but if you can leave them on the plant long enough they turn into gorgeous orange and red tones. I love spending time in the fields (they really are farm fields filled with vegetables there) picking peppers and tomatoes in the sunshine. 

Last year I lugged home a good forty to fifty pounds of gypsy peppers. I spent my evenings dicing and spreading the little pepper cubes on dehydrator trays and ended up with several quarts of dried diced peppers. Throughout the winter months, when a single bell pepper can cost as much as two dollars in the grocery store, I can just rehydrate a couple tablespoons of diced pepper and continue with my recipe. No worrying about keeping fresh peppers in the veggie drawer, no cleaning, no prep- just open a jar. They are so handy! 

Another great way to preserve those beautiful garden peppers is to make relish. Sweet peppers or hot, the choice is yours. Relishes are easy to make, don't require a pressure canner, and make great gifts during the holiday season. Bell peppers, and gypsy peppers, are always available in a variety of colors and have such a delicious sweet flavor they make a great condiment for sandwiches, cold meat plates, and more.

This pepper relish recipe comes from the NCHFP website. If you aren't familiar with this website I encourage you to check it out. There is so much information housed there, from safety to basic recipes to salsas, sauces and soups plus complete and detailed instructions on how to safely can foods at home. In this recipe you will see the peppers broken down by color. You can use any combination of bell peppers or other sweet peppers as long as you do not exceed the total number of cups of peppers. Throw a hot pepper or two in there if you like a little heat. 5 cups of peppers is about 7 or 8 large bell peppers, or about 3 or 4 pounds before grinding (remove seeds and stems!!) If you use Gypsy peppers you will need......a lot more. These pictures come from the kitchen of Suzanne Ledford, a home food preserver from Canton, North Carolina, who has done a fantastic job. Her relish is made with yellow bell peppers and looks flawless and beautiful in those jars.  Let's make some relish!

Suzanne's relish looks beautiful made with yellow bells.

Sweet Pepper Relish
adapted from the NCHFP 

5 cups ground green bell peppers
5 cups ground red bell peppers
1 1/2 cups ground onion (about 3 medium)
2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar or white vinegar-5% acidity
2 cups sugar
4 teaspoons pickling salt
4 teaspoons mustard seed

Prepare a boiling water bath canner and pint or half pint jars. NO quarts !!!

Combine relish ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring the mixture to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking and scorching.

Suzanne has her jars ready and heated, relish simmering away,
and look at the time- that was P.M.!! 

Ladle the hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims, fix lids and rings, and place in boiling water bath canner. Process for 10 minutes. Allow the jars to cool undisturbed 12 to 24 hours before checking the seals and removing the rings.

It's a little bit bittersweet to know that this year's garden will be my last garden at The Little Lake House. This year we had terrible luck with our plants so maybe it's just as well. My adventures as a small town resident are drawing to a close as I prepare and pack up and get ready to head back to the city after nearly five years as a small town girl. It had it's ups and downs for certain, but I'm glad I was able to have the experience.

It's State Fair Time- All American Apple Pie Gets a State Fair Update

It's that time of year again. The Iowa State Fair kicks off in two days with the annual parade through downtown, and ten days of  rides, shows, food, competitions, concerts, food, tractor pulls, lemonade, food, baby animals, arts and crafts, food, free stuff, contests and of course- food! The Iowa State Fair is the once a year event for many of us to throw good eating habits out the window and have that fried-something-naughty-on-a-stick. You can't eat that everyday but once a year, you just have to!

The first ever Iowa State Fair was held in 1854, a mere eight years after being granted statehood.  It was quite an event for the time, admission was 25 cents. Women on horseback was the entertainment highlight of that first fair. Ten women participated, all competing for a gold watch as the prize. The fair moved around Iowa several times before finally landing at it permanent home in Des Moines in 1879. In 1886 the current location of the fairgrounds was purchased, and the rest is history.

Our great state fair is well known for many things, from crashing locomotives for entertainment, to the famous Butter Cow, and most notably, for being the inspiration for Rodgers and Hammerstein's Tony Award-nominated musical State Fair, the story of the Frake family and their Iowa State Fair experiences in 1946.

Now, without a doubt, when we talk about the state fair, we usually don't talk about the historical stuff (other than the musical, because most Iowans think that is pretty cool actually), we talk about the FOOD. Starting in the early days with humble lemonade and popcorn, to today's fair with more vendors than I can count, selling everything from corn dogs, to hot beef sundaes (yes, it's a thing) to deep fried butter on a stick (yes....that is also a thing). Deep fried, on a stick and hugely oversized- think smoked turkey legs- is the Special of The Day at the fair. Every year several new signature items are added to the food lineup. This year they include the Bacon Brisket Bomb, Corn in a Cup, and fried Apple Pie on a Stick. 

I used regular bamboo skewers you can find in any kitchen
store, but I cut them in half.

Of course, our office loves to have food days. We have one for loads of occasions and certainly State Fair Food sounds like an amazing chance to whip up something utterly naughty, maybe fried, maybe on a stick even..... and share it. So the committee that plans events sent out an email last week announcing a State Fair Food Day with prizes in several categories. My brain immediately started planning......and after much internal debate settled on Apple Pie on a Stick. I have heard that the fair's apple pie on a stick is simply apple wedges, threaded on a skewer, then dipped in funnel cake batter and fried. Well......I can do better than that!! Let's make MY version!

Apple Pie on a Stick With Bourbon Cinnamon Glaze

(makes about 36)

2-3 Granny Smith apples

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 batches double crust pastry (3 packages store-bought)

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon Bourbon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

milk

bamboo skewers

Prepare your pastry. If using the store bought rolled up kind (and hey I did!!) let it rest at room temp while getting the apples ready.

Peel, core and chop the apples into small cubes. The "pies" are small so you need tiny pieces of apple. Place apples in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, allspice and ginger over. Toss well to evenly coat the apples with the mixture. Set aside.

I love the flavor of cinnamon and allspice with apples, so I
went pretty heavy handed with spices. You can adjust to suit
your taste, same with the sugar.

Roll out (or unroll) the pastry and cut into circles using a biscuit cutter, cookie cutter or, as I did, the ring from a canning jar- that is the perfect size. Working with one pie at a time, use your fingers to moisten one side of a pastry circle. Press a skewer lightly into the pastry.

A canning jar ring made the perfect cutter. I moistened the
pastry circle with water and lightly pressed the skewer into
the dough so it would be pretty secure.

Spoon on about a tablespoon of the apple filling into the middle. 

Top with a second pastry circle and press the edges to seal. Crimp however you like, as fancy as you like, and cut a couple slits in the top to allow stem to escape. 

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

If you like, you can brush them with milk and sprinkle with
sugar before baking. I did not, since I was adding a glaze.

I made a batch at a time, working on the next dozen while one was in the oven.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a rack to cool.

Aren't they pretty?

In a small bowl combine the powdered sugar, bourbon, vanilla, spices and enough milk to make the glaze a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over the pies (on a rack over the cookie sheet is good) and allow the glaze to dry before storing loosely covered.

I was a little disappointed that the food day ended up being cancelled because not many people were able to participate. That's not unusual this time of year- it's back to school, fair time, families are busy with kids, sports, school supplies, vacations and so on. Sadly that meant no prizes and no voting, but I did get a quality coupon that's redeemable for paid time off as a thank you for participating, so I was happy. All my team members said I would have won Best Food on a Stick so I went home with very few leftovers and feeling pretty good!!

An Old Favorite Gets a New Look- Philly Cheesesteak Lasagna

It's a million degrees in Iowa today. Normally on such a hot day I'm not big on making something like lasagna, a dish that needs to spend an hour in the oven. I'm hot, crabby, just went through road rage on the commute back to the peaceful lake, and now I'm going to fire up the oven? I must be nuts.

Actually I am a little sad that it's blazing hot out there. This weekend downtown Des Moines is home to the annual Italian American Heritage Festival and as much as I'd love to go I just can't deal with the heat and humidity. Growing up on the south side of Des Moines this annual festival was one of my favorite things. Back in the early days the festival was held in Columbus Park. Carnival rides arrived, food stands were built, bocce ball courts set up, and crowds of hungry folks eating pasta and enjoying music and activities filled the park the entire weekend. As a junior high girl, this was THE spot to see and be seen, the place to meet guys, the reason for spending 2 hours in front of the mirror with a curling iron, only to have the humidity turn those curls into nothing. In those days my best friend Liz and I hung out at the festival- all three days- and rode The Scrambler, ate cavatelli usually catered by Guido's or maybe a group of Italian ladies from one of the Catholic churches, played carnival games (I never won anything) and tried to catch the eye of the guys from the other junior high school. Risque times, for sure.

These days the festival is held downtown in Western Gateway Park. The event had grown tremendously and has moved several times. The rides are no longer around but plenty of activities keep festival goers entertained. Old guys still play bocce and lots of live music still entertains the crowd. The food has improved, with lots more food options and some very upscale vendors are really bringing the goods.

Learn more about the Italian American Heritage Festival by clicking HERE. 

In the spirit of that great Italian classic, lasagna, we are also having a little bit of pasta at the Little Lake House tonight but we are switching things up and bringing a whole new look to an old friend. Instead of the usual meat and red sauce and ricotta cheese lasagna we're having an All-American version- straight from Philadelphia. Yep, you got it- Philly Cheesesteak Lasagna. It's super easy to put together- savory ground beef with grilled peppers, onions and mushrooms layered with melty cheese, tender noodles and Alfredo sauce. Use your favorite brand of sauce in this dish- we're cheating a little with bottled sauce and you'll never know! Definitely not your Nona's lasagna, but it's gooooood.

Philly Cheesesteak Lasagna

1 package no boil lasagna noodles

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 large onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 medium green bell peppers

salt, pepper or favorite meat seasoning

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon beef soup base

2 jars Alfredo sauce

1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

cooking oil

Prepare the vegetables: I use a very large onion. Cut the onion into small julienne strips. Remove the seeds from the peppers, cut into similar sized pieces. 

Heat a couple tablespoons of cooking oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to brown. Don't let them get too soft. Season the veggies with the meat seasoning. Remove to a large bowl and set aside.

Crumble the ground beef into the same skillet; break up with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with the Worcestershire sauce, some of the meat seasoning and add the beef base, mixing it into the meat drippings. Cook meat until browned and cooked through. Add to vegetables in the bowl and mix.

Using a large baking pan spoon about 1/2 cup of the Alfredo sauce in the bottom and spread it around. Arrange 4 noodles on top, breaking them to fit. Spoon half of the meat mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese. Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce in the first jar over evenly. Top with another four noodles. Spread the remaining meat mixture over, including any juices in the bowl, another 1/3 of the cheese. Layer another 4 noodles on top and pour the second jar of sauce over all.

Add about 1/2 cup of water to the jar, cover, shake, and add water to the pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cheese, bake another 15-25 minutes until hot and bubbly, noddles are tender, and cheese is starting to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yes, I did use some pre-made sauce in this recipe because, let's be honest, who wants to make homemade Alfredo sauce just to turn around and make lasagna? Not me! Probably not a lot of busy families either, when kids are hungry, laundry needs to be done, the dog needs a walk and you just want to get something on the table with a minimum of fuss. Toss together some crispy salad greens and pop some garlic bread in the oven, or breadsticks, and you have a whole new take on lasagna.

Salad For Lunch

Every Wednesday is Summer Lunch Day in our office. What a great idea- each week a couple different people sign up to bring a lunch dish to share with the team. Doesn't have to be fancy. Most weeks we have a couple salads or a salad and a dessert of some kind. It's a great way to socialize with the team, enjoy some home cooking, and try new dishes. 

Personally I really enjoy potluck meals like that. So many of the dishes remind me of foods my mom and grandmother used to make. Casseroles, for example, might be a Midwestern thing but they make a potluck meal really special. Our office has a cubicle we all call The Food Cube. It's set up for potluck meals- power strips for crockpots, containers of plastic forks and spoons, stacks of paper plates and bowls. Packets of condiments, all ready to go at a moment's notice. We even have a team crockpot that stays in The Food Cube in case someone brings food that needs to be heated- no need to lug your own heavy crockpot around.

Pasta salads are always a hit at our lunches. Fresh veggies, fun pasta shapes, sometimes a little shredded or cubed cheese make a filling dish that just about every loves. When it was my turn to bring a dish pasta salad was a natural choice, especially in this house where pasts reigns supreme. With this salad I decided to go with a Greek twist, using the veggies commonly used in a Greek salad, like tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, olives and herbs. Tossed with pasta in a vinaigrette dressing, with Mediterranean herbs and cheese it was a refreshing change from the mayo type dressing.

I prefer orzo in this dish but this time I as unable to get it- our little grocery store didn't have any! I was stuck using pasta rings. Also, feta or goat cheese are lovely crumbled into the salad if you like.

Greek Style Pasta Salad

1 pound small pasta such as orzo

1 small cucumber

2-3 Roma tomatoes

6 scallions

1 cup ripe olives

1 small bell pepper

3 cloves garlic

2/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

squeeze of lemon juice

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

couple handfuls fresh baby spinach

Heat the olive oil til warm but not sizzling. Lightly crush the garlic cloves and place in the oil. Set aside and allow to steep at least an hour. 

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Cook to al dente- do not overcook! Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

Chop the cucumber into small pieces and add to the bowl with the pasta. Cut up the tomatoes and chop into similar sized pieces, removing the seeds if you like. Add to the bowl. Chop the bell pepper and scallions (including the green tops) and into the bowl they go. Slice the olives and add those too. Add the herbs, salt and pepper.

Fish out and discard the garlic cloves. Combine the olive oil and vinegar in a jar. Cap the jar and shake to combine. Pour over the pasta and vegetables, toss well. Add the Parmesan and spinach, squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over and toss again. Cover and chill until serving time.

This salad makes a great lunch entree and as always, you can add grilled chopped chicken, shrimp or any other meat or seafood you like. You might want to keep a little extra vinegar and oil handy in case you need a little extra for serving. I like to be able to taste the punch of the vinegar in my Greek salads. 

Canning Cookbook- Triple Cherry Jam

The other night the Little Lake House, and a whole lot of others in Iowa, were rocked by storm after storm after storm. All day long, starting in the early morning, the rain and thunder and lightning just kept coming. Tornado sirens sounded in the nearby town of Dexter and like it always does, the satellite tv signal was knocked out by the storm. Even at nearly 3 a.m. the storm raged on. In the morning much of Iowa awoke to flooded roads, rivers bursting out of their banks, basements turned into indoor pools, and storm debris all over.

photo courtesy of Chris Winget

One casualty of the storm was a cherry tree at the aquaponics farm a few miles away. Checking my email this morning I was surprised to see Cherries!! in the subject line. I had no idea they even had fruit trees! The tree's misfortune was my good luck, because I scored a big bag of fresh sour cherries for a mere $3.00. While chatting with the farm owner, he hinted that this is the perfect amount of cherries for a pie. Good idea, although I already had plans for these guys.

It's getting to be canning season around here again. The pile of empty jars in the storage room is growing and the cupboards are starting to look a little bit like Old Mother Hubbard's cupboards. The tomatoes and tomato jam are long gone. So is the salsa, and many of the jams. A few odd pickles remain, a few pints of salsa verde, several jars of green beans, and a decent stash of apple butter. The cherry jam I made before has been gone for months and I've been waiting patiently for cherry season so I can replenish my stash. As you can imagine, I wasn't too heartbroken to hear about the rush sale on cherries at the farm (although losing the tree means there will be a lot fewer cherries next year) because I got a great head start on pitting cherries tonight. Those have been safely stashed in the fridge, and tomorrow I'll grab some sweet juicy Bing cherries, and my very favorite, Rainier cherries, to add to the pot. They will add a new dimension of cherry deliciousness to my jam and beautiful color too.

photo courtesy of Chris Winget

Triple Cherry Jam

2 cups chopped pitted sour cherries

1 cup pitted chopped Bing cherries

1 cup pitted chopped Rainier cherries

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 box powdered pectin

5 cups sugar

Pit and chop the cherries. I like to use a food processor to chop the cherries. Just add the pitted cherries to the workbowl and pulse several times to desired size. I like to keep some larger chunks of fruit in the jam so I only pulse two or three times. Measure 4 cups fruit. Place in large heavy stockpot with the lemon juice and pectin.

Sour cherries, pitted and ready to go.

Bing cherries and Rainier cherries

Measure the sugar and set aside.

Place the stockpot over medium high heat and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Add the sugar all at once. Return to boil, stirring the entire time, and boil for one minute. Remove from heat and skim foam.

Ladle the hot jam into prepared canning jars to 1/4 inch headspace. Fix lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Let jars cool undisturbed overnight before removing the rings and checking seals.

I had enough cherries to make a double batch BUT you should never double a batch of jam or jelly. You might end up with a jam that doesn't set properly. Make two batches instead. You don't even have to wash the stockpot between batches, just add the fruit and cook the next batch. Each batch makes about 8 8-oz jelly jars.

Next up on the agenda? Popping an English muffin in the toaster, slathering that bad boy with real butter and adding a nice big spoonful of this luscious cherry jam. It's also really good served with a creamy cheese as part of a cheese plate, spooned onto a slice of cheesecake or even as part of the PB&J.

NOTE: This recipe has not been tested by the NCHFP. If you are not comfortable canning untested recipes, please do not use this one. Having said that, cherry jam is a basic recipe and this one differs from tested recipes only in the fact that there is more than one type of cherry in the mixture. Acidity is not affected.

Product Review: When It's Too Hot To Cook (Much)

It's been a few months now since I have been making that daily commute back to the city for work. It's been great getting back into the swing of things, and I am really enjoying being part of a big company again. I don't miss the teeny tiny three person office environment one bit. I'm very lucky to be working where I do. The company is very focused on maintaining a happy environment for the employees and we have loads of social activities like barbecues, contests, community volunteering opportunities and so much more. The company brings food trucks onto the campus every week so we don't have to go far for lunch and have a rotating lineup of options. 

Just this past week the company announced they would be hosting a weekly farmers market on the campus. I was so excited to hear this! That has been the one thing I did miss about my previous job- having access to our small ton farmers market, and even participating as a vendor. Now I don't have to worry about missing out on garden fresh vegetables that I can't or don't grow at home. I can stroll over to the market before getting in my car and heading home.

In my office we do a weekly lunch sign-up for fun. Every Wednesday one or two people volunteer to bring lunch for our team. There are twelve of us, so it's not a HUGE endeavor or a full scale catering event by any means, but just a fun way to be social and try some new foods. During the most recent Wednesday lunch one of my coworkers brought in a salad- Asian flavors with crunchy veggies and crispy wonton strips. Really really good. Reminded me of an old church cookbook recipe I used to make using bagged coleslaw mix and uncooked crushed ramen noodles, but it wasn't exactly the same. She shared her secret "recipe"- it IS a bagged salad, a complete salad kit she picked up at the grocery store, and it was so delicious I thought it would be great to use as a starting point for summer meal in one salads on these hot hot hot no-cooking days!

The Dole Chopped Salad Kit is such a great idea. I chose the Asian Sesame variety, the same as the one my coworker brought to lunch. Everything you need is in this one bag- the salad greens including kale, shredded carrots, sliced almonds, those crunchy wonton strips and Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette.
  

I am dressing mine up with some fresh additions. Chopped scallions, because I happen to have them on hand, and some julienned baby bok choy are going in the bowl. 

Baby bok choy is has a crisp crunch and great flavor

Because I am serving this salad for dinner I thought it would be nice to get a source of protein in there as well, so I am pan-grilling some shrimp, which have been seasoned with Feiny's Chesapeake Bay Rub, and quickly seared in a wok. They literally cook in a minute or two so I am in and out of the kitchen super fast and they are delicious and perfect with the Asian flavors in the salad. 

The shrimp were juicy and delicious with just a hint
of caramelization from the hot skillet or wok

Dinner prep went super fast. I bought shrimp with the peels intact so I had to take a few minutes to peel them and pull off the tails before tossing with the Chesapeake Bay Rub and that was the most difficult part of "cooking." I wish I had grabbed a cucumber because that would have been a great addition to this salad, so would water chestnuts! It took just seconds to toss the veggies in a large bowl with the dressing and extras, plate up a serving and top with some of the shrimp. Done!

Yes, that IS an autograph on the package- because I am a
dork like that. Actually, Adam hand-packages his rubs and
sends them out as ordered so you always get a freshly
mixed batch. 

You can find this salad kit at just about any large grocery store. Of course I picked it up shopping in the city after work, it's not available out here in our teeny grocery store. You definitely want to get yourself some Chesapeake Bay Rub too- get that by clicking HERE.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Ridiculously Easy Brownies

Come on and admit it. We have all been there. It's the evening, you're kicked back relaxing for the night. Comfies are on, hair is pulled up, and suddenly you remember. Food day in the office tomorrow. Ugh.

While I rarely buy prepackaged mixes, I cannot deny they are handy in emergencies such as this. Brownie mix, in particular. Brownies are easy to make, don't require a lot of fussy decorating or frosting and just about everyone loves them, right? Of course! So when faced with the dreaded Tomorrow Is Food Day And I Didn't Make A Thing....... brownies (and a secret stash of brownie mix) are my go-to emergency food.

The occasion this time was Cinco de Mayo. Bring your favorite Mexican food to share, they requested. Mexican? How do you make nachos for an office potluck? I work for a huge company. I am NOT making a bazillion enchiladas or tacos for 100 people. Instead, 2 boxes of brownie mix and a 10x15 sheet pan made life so much easier. How did I manage to get brownies to fit in the Mexican theme? Easy- ever heard of Mexican hot chocolate? A little cinnamon.....a little chocolate........

Ridiculously Easy "Mexican" Brownies

2 packages (9x13 size) brownie mix

1 1/3 cups oil

4 eggs

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 small bag sliced almonds

1 cup cinnamon chips*

You will find these in the chocolate chip area- I used half the bag, approximately one cup

In a large bowl combine all ingredients except the almonds and chips. Spread the batter in a 10x15 sheet pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle the almonds and cinnamon chips evenly over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting. This make a TON of brownies- great for a crowd or party, and super easy. I used the no-name store brand brownie mix, just the plain one, no caramel or anything else in the mix. They turn out ooey and gooey and just the perfect brownie soft and chewy consistency. The cinnamon really warms up the bars and the chips are absolutely delicious. Believe it or not I got a ton of compliments! 

Reflections of winter and a warm mug of potato soup

Winter is hanging on in Iowa. Gray skies, cold nights, snow and wind alternating with hints of the spring to come. Shoveling and snow plowing. Browsing through garden and seed catalogs. Time to grab an afghan, a warm kitty for my lap and a good book. Hoping......

The view outside is pretty....well, grim. Barren trees, a frozen lake, brown grass where there is no snow. Not a very pretty spot this time of year. The wildlife, however, can be quite amazing. We have lots of regulars around here, deer, geese, foxes. It's not unusual to find a raccoon grubbing in the trash for a snack.

This year the lake has seen a lot more American Bald Eagles than I can remember in a long long time. They are majestic birds, so strong and graceful. Some days we had so many eagles fishing for lunch it looked like an eagle refuge. It would be wonderful if they would settle here and build a nest.

This is one of those times of year that I really appreciate a few instant things in the cupboard. Instant cocoa. Instant cappuccino. Instant soups. There is something so comforting about sitting down to a big mug of hot soup, or filling a thermos with piping hot soup for lunch later. We don't buy many pre-made mixes at the store and most of them have way too much salt and preservatives for my taste anyway, so making my own instant mixes is the way I prefer to go. 

This instant potato soup is my favorite. I use a dehydrator so when I make it I like to use my own dehydrated scallions (green onions) that have been pulsed in the food processor to make a powder, my own dehydrated herbs from my garden and if I have it around, dehydrated cooked potatoes instead of store-bought dried mashed potatoes, but those work just perfectly and don't cost much at all. When choosing a chicken bouillon to use, I prefer the dry powder type. Granules tend to settle at the bottom of the jar and of course the moister types won't work at all in a dried mix. This is also a great idea to keep in your desk drawer in the office for a quick and easy lunch, and makes a great homemade gift too. Just write the instructions on a cute card and add a cute soup mug and you've got a thoughtful homemade gift.

Instant Potato Soup

2 cups dry instant mashed potato flakes

1 1/2 cups dry milk powder

1 1/2 tablespoons instant chicken bouillon (I like the powder best)

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

pinch ground white pepper

1 tablespoon dried chopped chives

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Scoop into 1 quart jar or container. To make a serving of soup, place 1/2 cup mix in bowl or mug and add 1 cup boiling water.

NOTE: If you are a dehydrating person like I am, you can make your own instant mashed potatoes too, by cooking potatoes til tender, then flaking or ricing onto waxed paper of fruit roll up trays and running in the dehydrator until completely dry. A quick buzz in the food processor and you're all set.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with an Iowa Twist

Nothing says winter food quite like winter squash. From pumpkins to acorn squash, I love them all. One of the most popular winter squash is the butternut. It's a firm squash and holds it's shape well, making it a great squash for roasting. I love tossing some cubed butternut squash and potatoes and roasting them alongside a pork loin or turkey breast. Butternut squash lends itself well to both savory and sweet preparations and makes a great "pumpkin" pie.

Butternut squash also makes a very wonderful soup! Roasting first brings out it's sweetness and sauteed onions and herbs combine to make a delicious and filling fall soup. This soup is a little lighter than some recipes, with no added heavy cream, and gets a little Iowa personalization with the flavor boost from bacon. Iowa pork farmers are proud producers of some of the best bacon in the world. This soup makes a great first course, a light lunch or a great dinner by the fireplace with a thick and gooey grilled cheese on hearty artisan bread.

Let's make our Iowa Butternut Squash Soup! You will need-

• 8 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• salt and pepper
• 1 medium onion
• olive oil
• several sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 6 slices bacon

Melt the butter in a shallow roasting pan. Add the cubed squash, toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 375 degree oven until tender but don't let the squash brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. I am using butter-
nut squash that I had canned previously, so I can skip the roasting step. I still want to season with salt and pepper though.

In a large stockpot heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion, season again with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until translucent and tender. Add the thyme sprigs, the cubed squash and chicken stock and simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

While the soup simmers, prepare the bacon. Cut the bacon slices into lardons. Cook in a skillet until crisp and browned. Remove to a paper towel and let drain. Add a teaspoon of bacon drippings to soup.

Remove the thyme sprigs from the soup. Using a food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return to stockpot. Reheat over low heat.

To serve, ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the crumbled bacon and additional thyme leaves or chopped chives. 

This soup just screams comfort to me. I have loads of quarts of butternut squash canned in the pantry so it's super easy to get dinner on the table- just drain, drizzle with butter and give it a quick roast and you're ready to go. With all this bread-baking I've been doing, this soup is going to be a mainstay for the winter. I'm going to switch it up and use Hubbard squash, Delicata and some of the other squash I have stored away too!

Cooking my first spaghetti squash

Can you believe I have NEVER cooked one of these things? That's right- never. I have eaten them, when I was younger my dad, the 1970s version of a foodie, was always on top of the trends and he grew these in the garden a few times. I don't remember how he finished them, I just remember them being in the garden and the kitchen.

Recently spaghetti squash have been in food news quite a lot. A low carb replacement for pasta, it's a big favorite of dieters. Vegans replace pasta made with eggs with this vegetable. It's just a healthy version of something many of us really junk up with meatballs, sauce and gooey cheese. We're not doing that today. In fact, we're going to serve ours as a light vegetarian entree, or a delicious side for a simply prepared grilled meat. A while back I stopped in the Vom Fass store in Des Moines and picked up a jar of their Pesto Rosso- so I'm going to give our spaghetti squash a light toss in some pesto and a hit of fresh herbs.

I can't tell you how delicious this blend of sun dried tomatoes,
extra virgin olive oil, basil, cashews and Grana Padano cheese
is. You need to check it out for yourself. 

But first we have to cook this crazy thing. Many people bake it in the oven- certainly an easy way to do it, but it can take a while, so we're going to get some assistance from Chef Mic (rowave) and get dinner on the table in minutes. Start with a sharp heavy knife and a stable cutting surface. USE CAUTION- winter squash do have a tougher skin and this one is round and oblong and might move on the board. Watch your fingers!  Cut the squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove the seeds- I use a melon baller and it works like a charm.

Place the squash halves cut side down in a glass baking dish, like a pie pan. Cooking them one at a time, microwave on high for 10 minutes. Remove to the cutting board while the second half cooks. When it's cooled for a few minutes, use a fork to separate and remove the thready meat- kind of like raking. You will have beautiful strands of squash that look just like spaghetti. At this point you can use your squash in any recipe you would use cooked pasta- from Italian to Asian noodles. 

I placed my squash "pasta" in a large bowl and tossed with a couple tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, pesto to taste, salt and pepper. When combined, pile into serving bowl and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a little sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese. Served with a pan seared pork loin chop, the squash was so tender and delicious. I wanted more squash and less of everything else!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation nor free product for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."