Column from April 23, 2009

Serving up the freshness of spring

Spring is finally here (I think) and with it is the beginning of fresh produce.

Already, stands are popping up to sell asparagus, onions and strawberries, which are a great topping for cheesecake.

My children have always loved cheesecake. Of course, they probably come by it naturally, as it is also one of my favorite desserts.

Cheesecake has quite a history. The earliest history dates back to ancient Greece, where it was a popular dish. With the Roman conquest of Greece, the secret fell into Roman hands.

Small cheesecakes were served to athletes during the first Olympic games held in 776 B.C. on the Isle of Delos.

The first recipe was recorded by Athenaeus, a Greek writer, in about 230 A.D.

“Take cheese and pound it till smooth and pasty; put cheese in a brazen sieve; add honey and spring wheat flour. Heat in one mass, cool, and serve.”

Quite a bit different than recipes today!

Cheesecake was introduced to Great Britain and western Europe by the Roman conquering armies. By 1000 A.D., the popular desserts were flourishing throughout Scandinavia, England and northwestern Europe.

In the U.S., there are several styles of cheesecake, with most relying on cream cheese as the main ingredient. Other countries use a variety of cheeses and ingredients to create their own unique recipes.

A quick search on the Internet will reveal thousands of recipes for this smooth and creamy dessert. This one is from one of the cookbooks on my shelf.

New York-style sour cream-topped cheesecake

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

1-1/4 cups sugar, divided

4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla, divided

1 container (16 ounces) sour cream, divided

4 eggs

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mix crumbs, butter and 2 tablespoons of the sugar; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup of remaining sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add1 cup of the sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.

Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Mix remaining sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until well blended; carefully spread over cheesecake. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Cool. Cover; refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Lift cheesecake from pan, using foil handles. Top with strawberries just before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Makes 16 servings, 1 piece each.

Column from April 16, 2009

Cooking with the stars

When I was a little girl, I loved to watch western movies.
In fact, the one school night I was allowed to stay up late was when Gunsmoke was on TV. I don’t think there is an episode I missed.
In fact, unlike the song says, Matt Dillon did, indeed, ask Miss Kitty to marry him. She turned him down.
Another favorite was The Rifleman. I met Chuck Connors when I was a teen-ager. He was the guest of honor at an American Soap Box Derby parade in Akron, Ohio, where I grew up.
When he fired off his Winchester, it sounded just like the famous opening of that series.
I still enjoy a good western, except now I see the humor in them. Fights break out and no one gets seriously injured, even though they get hit over the head with a bar stool or fly through a window.
And a six-shooter can fire off dozens of rounds before needing to be reloaded.
Imagine how excited I was several years ago to find the cookbook “The All-American Cowboy Grill.”
This book contains recipes from many of the legends of western cinema. The recipes are highlighted by snippets of information about the stars and the roles they portrayed.
Although some of the actors were gone by 2005, when the book was published, family members generously contributed their recipes.
It’s really a fun book and I truly enjoy browsing the pages.
Now, each time I watch a video or DVD of one of those old films, I can also refer to one of my favorite cookbooks.
Most of the recipes are prepared on the grill and with warm weather just around the corner, it’s a good time to think about outdoor cooking.
At our house, my son is the master chef of the grill. He is quite creative and always puts on a good meal.
This is one of the recipes The Rifleman contributed to this great book.

Branded chuck roast

1 (3-pound) chuck roast, 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick
1 teaspoon Accent
1/3 cup wine vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Sprinkle both sides of roast with the Accent. Place in a shallow baking dish. In a bowl, thoroughly combine the vinegar, ketchup, oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour the mixture over the roast and marinate for 2 to 3 hours, turning once or twice. Place the roast on the grill and cook about six inches from the heat. Turn the roast and baste with marinade every 10 to 15 minutes. Cook for a total of 35 to 40 minutes for a medium-rare roast or until desired doneness.
Note: This dish can also be prepared in the broiler.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Column from April 9, 2009

Table Scraps: Those colorful Easter eggs make great salads

Easter is this Sunday.

I truly enjoy the Easter holiday – chocolate bunnies, pretty dresses, special church services, fancy baskets of goodies.

And colorful boiled eggs.

What fun!

My father would buy huge baskets and hide them for us to find on Easter morning. He didn’t make them difficult for us to find, but it was a great surprise nonetheless.

I’ll never forget the first time he didn’t hide them. I got up that morning and tore the house apart looking.

I suppose he thought we had gotten too old for such things.

Oh, I was so disappointed. No Easter bunny? Was it time for me to stop believing?

I took it harder than finding out my parents were the ones who put the presents under the Christmas tree.

That’s why I still get something for my son. Like me, he loves chocolate.

So does my grandson, although we do try to limit the sweets for him. But a little chocolate bunny doesn’t hurt!

Another treat they enjoy is a hard-boiled egg. They especially like the egg salad sandwiches that often follow Easter. Not to mention the deviled eggs they gobble up.

So, what does one do with all those eggs when Easter is over? Granted, you can only eat so many before you get tired of them.

In addition to sandwiches, there are a variety of salads you can make to use up extra boiled eggs.

I found this recipe for a quick and easy macaroni salad years ago and I still make it every now and then. It has a good taste and it’s great for a fast side dish.

Egg macaroni salad

7-1/4 ounce package macaroni and cheese dinner

10 ounce package frozen peas

1 medium tomato, chopped

¾ cup salad dressing

½ cup celery slices

½ cup chopped onion

½ teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

6 hard-boiled eggs

Prepare dinner as directed on package. Add peas, tomato, dressing, celery, onion and seasonings. Chop 5 eggs; add to mixture. Mix lightly and chill. Stir in additional dressing before serving, if desired. Garnish with remaining egg, sliced.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Column from April 2, 2009

Cooking up savings in the grocery line

Everyone seems to be in agreement … the economy is making it difficult for family budgets.
This past weekend, I talked to my daughter about that very subject. She is an accountant, so money matters are something she understands.
She lives in Oregon and has a great job. Yet, even she is concerned about layoffs.
She said several people have been let go at her workplace. So far, though, her department hasn’t been affected.
As a single mother, that’s good news for her.
Here in Othello, we have been feeling some of the impact of the current recession. Fortunately, our standard of living hasn’t decreased to the point it has in other parts of the country.
Some of that has to do with the fact that we are an agricultural community and people have to eat. Food is a necessity.
However, we still have had to tighten our belts a little and one way we can do that is in our food budget. That means we need to look for recipes that lower the amount we must spend at the grocery checkout.
There are a variety of meals that can do just that. Stews, soups, pasta dishes … all are economical and can stretch the food dollar. They are also nutritious and tasty.
One of my favorite cookbooks is “The Old-Fashioned Cookbook” by Jan McBride Carlton. It is one that used to belong to my aunt Dorothea Foulkes, who lived in Othello and had lots of friends here.
She was a wonderful cook and she knew how to get the most out of her food budget. For many years, she cooked for a crew of ranch hands out on the dryland wheat farm in the Michigan Prairie area east of Othello.
This book, copyright 1975, combines recipes with a touch of history by explaining where some of the recipes came from and the terms used.
Here’s one recipe that will provide a hearty meal for six.

Farmhouse stew

1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 cups finely shredded cabbage (a 1-1/2 pound head)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 (8-1/4 ounce) can tomatoes, undrained

In 12-inch skillet, sauté beef in butter until crumbly, stirring often. Mix in flour, salt and pepper. Blend in remaining ingredients and heat thoroughly. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes or until cabbage is very tender, stirring occasionally.