Most delicious spinach salad

I made up this salad for Valentine's Day dinner with my husband. It's sort of a conglomeration of various salads I've had over the years... but the end result is utterly delicious!! This recipe makes enough salad for two, so adjust your amounts as needed.

2-3 c. baby spinach

1 apple (I used Jonagold)

~3 strips of bacon, fried and crumbled

1/4 c. walnuts, chopped

1/4 c. feta cheese, crumbled

2 T. maple syrup (do NOT use the fake stuff!)

2 T. olive oil

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

Fill two salad bowls with baby spinach. Cut an apple into eighths, then slice each eighth into pieces. Scatter a handful of apple slices over the spinach (be generous). Scatter crumbled bacon, chopped walnuts, and crumbled feta cheese over top of it all.

Mix together the maple syrup, olive oil, and vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salad.

Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti

I have been thinking about what Christmas baking traditions I would like to start in my family. Last Christmas, I didn't do much baking other than some cinnamon rolls and gingerbread people. This year, I haven't done much either (having a newborn slows productivity), but I did manage to make these cranberry-pistachio biscotti from my mom's recipe box. I realized I've found recipe #1 for the Singer Christmas Cookies folder -- they've made the cut!

1-3/4 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1 tsp. vanilla

4 T. butter

1-1/2 c. raw pistachios

2 eggs, beaten

sugar

Mix first four ingredients in food processor. Add cranberries, mix again. Add vanilla and butter in chunks. Mix until cornmeal texture (add a little water if needed). Add nuts and eggs. Fold into mixture 10-15 times. On floured surface, divide dough into four 8" logs. Spray cookie sheet with oil. Place logs on cookie sheet, flattening slightly. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes. Set on rack 15-20 minutes to cool. Slice and bake on sides for 7-10 minutes.

Signs of fall

Potted mums... mine are on the left, Douglas' on the right. Also note that they are dripping wet with October rain.


Apple-blackberry pie with REAL whipped cream, sprinkled with nutmeg. Luscious.


Out come my woolly yarns and halted projects are begun once again.


And of course the leaves are turning all kinds of vibrant, warm colors.


My handsome Irish husband digs out his flatcap and sweaters! I love it when he wears stuff like this. ;-)

One year!

Douglas and I were happy to celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary yesterday. We had a low-key celebration, attending church in the morning and relaxing at home in the afternoon and evening. I fixed a special fondue dinner with imported Swiss gruyère and emmentaler cheeses. For dunking, we had French bread chunks, broccoli, cauliflower, apples, and pears. No photos to share because it all disappeared too quickly! ;-) However, I can share the recipe.

• 1-3/4 c. dry white wine
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 3/4 lb. imported Swiss cheese, grated (about 3 c.)
  
• 2 T. flour
  
• 2 T. butter
  
• 2-6 T. heavy cream
  
• salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• 3 T. kirsch
  

Place the wine and garlic in a medium saucepan. Reduce to 1-1/3 c. by boiling. Strain out the garlic and return to the saucepan. In a small bowl, mix the cheese thoroughly with the flour. Add the cheese to the pan a little bit at a time, stirring constantly until all the cheese is in the pan. Stir until smooth, without letting it boil. Mix in the butter and the cream, a tablespoon at a time, until the proper consistency is achieved. The fondue should be thick enough to coat the spoon heavily, but not so thick that it clings to the spoon solidly. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the kirsch. Transfer to fondue pot and dip away!

(For the pregnancy version of this, I just leave out the kirsch -- I think the wine is cooked long enough that it's no longer a problem. If you want to avoid it altogether, you could probably use chicken broth instead.)

Laura's Autumn Pancakes

1 c. white flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 heaping T. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 T. wheat germ or ground flax seed (optional)

2 T. oil

1/4 c. molasses

2 eggs

1-3/4 milk

Blend the dry ingredients together in large bowl. In a medium bowl, blend the wet ingredients, then mix with the dry ingredients until the batter is thoroughly blended. Pour the batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto a skillet on medium heat. When bubbles begin to appear in the batter, flip the pancake with a spatula to cook the other side. When the pancake is finished cooking, flip it onto a plate and eat them warm!

Suggested toppings:

warm applesauce

maple syrup

apple butter

vanilla yogurt with apple slices

This is my first "totally made up" recipe (aside from a disgusting fiasco at age 8 or 9), so if you try it, let me know what you think!

Eggs a la goldenrod

Lunch was inspired by my morning walk along the Indiana roadside.



Make medium white sauce by melting 3 tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add 3 tbsp. flour and blend together, then add 1-1/2 c. milk. Cook until thick and smooth, stirring constantly. (This will take forever unless you up the heat a little as you go. Just be careful not to scorch or scald the sauce. You can get away with working on the eggs while this is thickening, just give the pan a stir frequently.)

Hard boil six eggs, then strip off the shells and cut eggs in half, dividing the yolk from the whites. Coursely chop up the egg whites and add them to the white sauce. Spoon the sauce over a piece of toast. Press the yolks through a sieve (I use a garlic press), then sprinkle the yolk over the white sauce mixture. Eat it while it's hot!

(This made enough for one pregnant lady, one hungry husband, and one visiting sister-in-law.)

Quiche

Earlier in the week, I made an impromptu quiche for dinner with ingredients we had on hand.

• start with a pie crust
  
• slice up two roma tomatoes and line the bottom of the crust
  
• chop up some broccoli and toss it in
  
• crumble a little feta cheese and scatter it around
  
• chiffonade any fresh basil you may be able to eke off your sickly basil plant and toss it in
  
• beat up six or seven eggs, add a little soy milk and some salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then pour it over the veggies into the pie shell
  
• bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes

It was delicious!

Lemonade

I bought some lemons at the farmer's market to make some old-fashioned lemonade as per the instructions in The Little House Cookbook. The result was far more refreshing than canned lemonade! I think I'm hooked on homemade lemonade as a summertime treat.

Guacamole

• two ripe avocados
  
• two roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
  
• 1/4 large purple onion, chopped
  
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
  
• handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  
• salt, cayenne pepper, and lime juice to taste

Cut up the avocados and scoop out the innards into a medium bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork. Add the chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and cilantro and mix with the avocado mash until evenly coated. Add salt, cayenne pepper, and freshly-squeezed lime juice to suit your taste.

LAURA'S NOTE: This recipe is extremely flexible -- you can vary the amounts or ingredients to reflect whatever you have on hand, but it's always delicious! My husband is always very happy whenever I make this. It's yummy to eat with tortilla chips, or make your own healthier chips by toasting a whole wheat tortilla, then cutting it up into bite-sized pieces. I also think this tastes great as a dip for cauliflower.

Canisters

My husband gave me these canisters for Christmas. Let me now sing their praises... Aside from being attractive, they are sturdy stoneware that will last a very long time, unlike the cheap canisters I've seen in stores (when I was able to find any at all). They are large enough to hold plenty of flour or sugar -- and that's another thing I love, there's a canister for brown sugar! Usually a trio will include "coffee" as the final third and since we're not regular coffee-drinkers, I love the brown sugar jar instead. I also love the wide open mouths that give you enough room to dip in there with a measuring cup -- no awkward and messy pouring. Obviously, I think they're great!

Thanks, dear!

Gingerbread

Yesterday afternoon was time well spent, as I frosted gingerbread boys and girls in preparation for our Christmas guests!

Cottage Pie

This has been one of my favorite dishes to fix since I was married. It really hits the spot when it's cold outside! The amounts are extremely flexible so feel free to experiment a little.

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
  
• 2 onions, finely chopped
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• around 1.5 lbs. ground beef
  
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
  
• 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  
• 1 c. beef or chicken stock
  
• 1/2 c. red wine
  
• salt and pepper
  
  
• around 5-7 medium-sized potatoes, peeled
  
• 4 tbsp. butter
  
• milk
  
• salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened but not brown. Add the garlic and stir well. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. (Alternately, you can brown the beef separately and add it in with the onions and garlic once it's cooked, if you want to drain off the fat as I usually do.) Add the carrots and season well with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour, stock, and wine. Season with salt and pepper. Heat until simmering and thickened.

Transfer to baking dish and bake in the oven for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into chunks and add them to a pot of boiling water until soft and mashable. Drain well and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Add the butter and enough milk to get the potatoes to the consistency you like (smooth and spreadable, but not overly wet). Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the ground beef mixture into an oven-proof baking dish and spread the mashed potatoes on top. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake at the top of the oven for 15-20 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Reception

We had our reception at a family friend's Georgian-style home.


The lawn was set up with tables and chairs.


Guests were served tea,


along with sweets (strawberry macaroons, cream puffs, butterscotch scones, and cupcakes with rose petals)...


...and savories (cucumber sandwiches, chicken salad on mini-croissants, and open-faced roast beef tea sandwiches).



Douglas and I sat at a small table on the south-facing portico...


...but this didn't last long as we soon began greeting our guests, table by table.


And lest we forget the cake, here it is!


Complete with vintage cake topper from my grandmother's 1947 wedding.

In the good ol' summertime

Take a peek at Cheri's and April's blogs to see what I was up to on Monday! :-D It was wonderful to meet these two lovely ladies, even though our time together seemed too brief. I did make a purchase at Denver Fabrics while we were there; perhaps I can share more about that later.

Back home in Nebraska, we're in the midst of blackberry season. We have a thicket of blackberries by the side of our house, courtesy of the birds (seriously -- we didn't plant it!). They are tart and juicy and utterly yummy on waffles, hot cereals, with yogurt, plain, or in a pie (I plan to bake one today!).


The bowl was a gift from Cheri -- isn't it beautiful??
It seems like the summer is flying by so quickly, I can't believe it's mid-July already!

Birthday cake

Same recipe as last year's cake -- when I find a Good Thing, I tend to latch onto it. We are considering using this recipe for our wedding cake, as well.

(This photo was before the 25 candles were added -- gives you an idea of what the wedding cake might look like!)

Tea and crumpets

Crumpets are one of my favorite teatime treats! You'll need crumpet rings (like these) to make them, but it's worth tracking some down in order to have fresh, homemade crumpets. I recommend the following recipe, which came to me by way of my friend Susan:

• 1 pkg. yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1/4 cup warm water (~110 degrees F)
  
• 1/3 cup milk at room temperature
  
• 1 egg
  
• ~4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine yeast, sugar, and water and let stand until bubbly. Blend in milk, egg, and 1 tbsp. of butter. Add flour and salt and beat smooth. Cover and let stand in a warm place until almost doubled (around 45 minutes). Brush insides of rings and surface of griddle with the melted butter. Heat rings and pan over low heat. Pour about 3 tbsp. of batter into each ring.


Bake until holes appear and tops are dry (around 7 minutes). Remove rings and turn crumpets to brown the other side lightly (around 2 minutes). Repeat with remaining batter.


Serve warm, or cool and toast before serving. Makes 7 to 8 crumpets.

(LAURA'S NOTE: I usually triple or quadruple the recipe. The amount you get will vary by the size of your crumpet rings and how heavy-handed you are when pouring batter.)

Orange marmalade cake

Today I made an orange marmalade cake for my Aunt Joanna's birthday. We didn't have round cake pans so the cake is square!

Christmas table

The "things" on the plates are Christmas crackers, if you're wondering.

On the Christmas menu:

• Roast goose
  
• Roast beef
  
• Yorkshire pudding
  
• Roasted potatoes with herbs
  
• Corn and peas
  
• Carrots with coconut
  
• Marinated broccoli, cauliflower, and radishes
  
• Green salad with pomegranates, pears, and pecans
  
• Flaming Christmas pudding
  
• Cranberry cake with butter rum sauce

Fezziwig Ball: the food

On the way up to the big city to do some shopping late last week, Mom and I planned out the menu for our ball. Some of this is subject to change, but we'd like to have a variety of savories and sweets. My grandma loves to cook so she will help us out in getting all this ready.

• hot wassail
  
• cold water (for the dancers!)
  
• bacon rounds (bacon, onions, and cheese on rye rounds)
  
• sugar and spice pecans
  
• green tea-infused deviled eggs (recipe in the Dec. Tea Time magazine)
  
• cream puffs
  
• cucumber sandwiches
  
• cranberry-pistachio biscotti

Sunday dinner

(By the way, around here it's "lunch" every day but Sunday, when we usually pull out all the stops... such a feast must be called "dinner"!)

My mom and I have been doing a bit more hostessin' than usual lately. Today we had some new friends over for Sunday dinner after I visited their church this morning. On the menu:

• pistachio-encrusted chicken
  
• butternut squash puree
  
• fruit salad (bananas, pineapples, mandarin oranges, pomegranates, and shredded coconut in yogurt)
  
• green salad with broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots
  
• Snickers pie

Dad and I promptly worked this off by taking a walk in the 65-degree weather -- it's so beautiful outside today!