Kitchen Delights Revisited
This week we will look back at a few of Darlene’s last columns with us (7 years ago). Sounds like we were having a similar summer. Darlene did write a few more after this.
We are thankful for all the years Darlene sent in her column. Many of her recipes are used as weekly rotations in many kitchens to this day! Enjoy!
Published July 21, 2019:
These hot, humid days, I stay inside as much as possible. I’m one of those people who hate this kind of weather! The poor construction people, who have to work in this heat. Even Alaska is getting real hot weather. They probably don’t have air conditioners in their homes.
I’ve been looking through some old photo albums. The ones I love looking at are the ones from the summer vacation trips I did with my cousins. Every year, the seven of us took a trip. Most of the trips we did were in Minnesota. Now, as we are all “lots older,” we are lucky if we can find a time to have lunch with each other. Now, I enjoy the memories, the things I got to see, and the fun times and all the laughs we had together.
Tender Pork Loin
Yield: 6 servings
3-4 lb. pork loin roast
3/4 -1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
6-8 onion slices
12 oz. can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
3 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. honey
1-1/2 tsp. paprika
3 sprigs of rosemary or 1 tsp. dried rosemary
Preheat oven to 325°F. Rub entire roast with seasoning salt and pepper; place in small roaster. In a small bowl, mix apple concentrate, mustard, honey and paprika; spoon over roast. Add onion slices and rosemary on top. Cover and bake for 2 hours. Take cover off, baste with juices; return to oven and bake another hour, or until done.
Super Nachos
Yield: 10 servings
1 ripe avocado, peeled & pit removed
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 C. finely chopped onion
1/2 C. chopped Roma tomato
1/4 tsp. salt
15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
2/3 C. water, divided
2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 T. chili powder
7 oz. tortilla chips
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1 C. sour cream
In a small bowl, mash the avocado with lemon juice. Stir in the onion, tomato, salt and pepper; set aside. Mash beans with 1/3 C. water; place in a skillet, cook over medium heat until hot. Stir in oil; remove from heat and set aside.
In a skillet, brown beef; drain. Stir in chili powder and remaining water; cook until liquid evaporates.
Line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange chips in a single layer. Top with teaspoonfuls of bean and meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400°F., until cheese is melted (about 4 min.). Top with avocado mixture and sour cream. Serve immediately.
Cool Cucumber Sandwich
Great Summer Sandwich
1 T. prepared ranch salad dressing
2 slices of bread, toasted
12-15 thin cucumber slices
2 bacon strips
2-3 thin slices of tomato
Spread salad dressing on one side of each slice of toast. Layer cucumber, bacon and tomato on one side, top with second slice.
Best Ever Lemon Pie
9-inch pastry crust
6 T. cornstarch
1-1/4 C. sugar
2 C. water
Zest of a lemon
1/3 C. lemon juice
3 egg yolks
2 T. butter
1/2 tsp. white vinegar
2 drops yellow food coloring, opt.
Place crust in pie pan, flute edges. Using a fork, prick bottom and sides. Place another pie pan inside (this is to keep it flat as it is baking). Bake at 350°F. for 22-25 min.
In a large microwave bowl, combine cornstarch and sugar. Add water, zest, lemon juice and egg yolk (egg whites reserved for meringue). Whisk until egg yolks are blended in. Cook on high in microwave, whisk, return to microwave, continue cooking, checking after each minute, cooking until thickened. Whisk in butter, vinegar and food coloring.
Pour filling into the baked crust. Prepare Meringue.
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
6 T. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl, beat until frothy. Add powdered sugar, a teaspoonful at a time, beating as you add, until soft peaks are formed; beat in vanilla.
Pile meringue onto pie filling, covering the filling right to the crust edge. Swirl and pull up points of the meringue. Bake at 350°F. for 8-12 min., or until peaks are golden.
Meringue topped pies are made for sun-shiny days!
Helpful Hints:
Weed Killer: 1 gal white vinegar, 3 C. salt: Heat together in a saucepan until salt is dissolved. Add a small bottle of Dawn® dish soap. Pour into sprayer. Works better than RoundUp®. Divide in half if you don’t want such a big batch. Cover and store for next time.
Two things ants dislike are red pepper and cucumbers. Slice them and place them where you see those little creatures.
Ferns like to be watered with egg shells soaked in the water you water them with.
Another Weed Killer: 1/2 gal apple cider vinegar, 1/4 C. salt and 1/2 tsp. Dawn® dish soap. The Dawn® soap strips the weeds of its protective oils, so the vinegar and salt can attack with deadly force. Kills weeds on first application.
Don’t discard empty plastic yogurt containers. Wash them, fill with punch and freeze. They make “large ice cubes” to place in punch bowls to keep cool and don’t dilute the punch. Fill them with lemonade, freeze and use them in your lemonade.
Great-tasting hamburger mixture for grilled hamburgers: Mix 1 lb. ground beef, 1/4 C. brown sugar and 1 T. ketchup. Pat into patties.
To easily clean the grate on your charcoal grill, try this trick. After you have finished grilling and fire is cooled down a little, place a sheet of aluminum foil (shiny side down on the grate). Leave on for 10 min. When you remove the foil, meat particles and ashes can be easily brushed off.
“Because life’s circumstances change, our happiness may not remain. But if we’re walking with the Lord, our life’s joy He will sustain.”
Published July 28, 2019:
Hopefully by next week, someone else will be writing Kitchen Delights. I just celebrated my 83rd birthday on July 2. It’s time to have someone else share recipes with you each week.
I’m so very grateful to the Wright County Journal-Press and The Drummer, that they gave me this job. I’ve enjoyed working for them for 30 plus years. They are a great company to have worked for.
I remember after the last job, so many years ago, I prayed that I would find a part-time job, where I didn’t have to stand on my feet all day, and would be less hectic.
This is how it all happened, that I got to write this recipe column. My great friend, Marge Anderson Burlingue’s sons went hunting with Jim III and Tom McDonnell. While the boys got talking, they said they needed someone for the column that Allie Ebert wrote. Someone to replace her since she died.
I was praying to find the right job. Jim McDonnell Jr. called and asked me if I was willing, since they all knew I love sharing recipes. I started just before Christmas, and shared Christmas recipes. Thank you to Jean, Tom and Char. I will never forget your kindness.
Raspberry Custard Pie
Yield: 6-8 servings
9 inch single pastry crust
3 eggs
1-3/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. flour
1/3 C. cream
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
Pinch of salt
4 C. raspberries (or more)
Topping:
3/4 C. flour
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. butter
Line a 9 inch pie pan with pastry; flute edges. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add the sugar, 1/2 C. flour, cream, extract and salt.
Add raspberries in the crust. Pour custard over the berries. Combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter. Sprinkle crumbly mixture over the top. Bake at 375°F. for 50 min.
Turkey Cobb Salad Sandwich
Yield: 8 sandwiches
1 lb. loaf Ciabatta bread
1/2 C. bleu cheese dressing
3 C. shredded lettuce
1 lb. thinly sliced deli turkey
6 slices crisp cooked bacon
8 slices Muenster or American cheese
2 lg. Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, thinly sliced
Long, frilly topped toothpicks
Cut bread in half lengthwise. Spread each cut side with dressing. Layer bottom half of bread with 1-1/2 C. shredded lettuce, next turkey, bacon, cheese, tomato, avocado and remaining lettuce. Place other half of bread on top. Secure with toothpicks. Cut into 8 pieces.
Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins
Yield: 12-15 muffins
2 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
6 T. butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. almond extract
1 C. buttermilk
1 C. fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 C. chopped pecans, opt.
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; whisk together. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and extract. Add buttermilk, alternately with dry ingredients; don’t over mix. Fold in berries and pecans.
Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375°F. for 25 min.
Grilled Mushrooms
Yield: 4 servings
1/2 lb. whole mushrooms (med. size)
1/4 C. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
Thread mushrooms on skewers (metal skewers work best). Melt butter in a small bowl, add dill weed and garlic salt; brush over mushrooms. Grill over hot coals, baste and turn often as they cook.
Breaded Orange Roughy
Yield: 6 servings
1 C. crushed cornflake crumbs
2 tsp. lemon pepper
3/4 tsp. seasoning salt
2 eggs
3 T. water
6 orange roughy fillets (4 oz. ea.)
1/2 C. flour
Lemon wedges
In a shallow dish, combine the cereal crumbs, lemon pepper and salt. In another shallow dish, beat eggs and water. Place flour on a plate.
First roll the fillets in the flour, then dip each into the egg-water mixture, then roll into crushed cereal-seasoning mixture. Place on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray. Bake at 425°F. for 9-11 min., or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Caramel Peanut Butter Bars
Yield: 5 dozen
1 yellow cake mix
1 C. rolled oats, quick or old fashioned
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1 egg
2-3 T. milk
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
12 oz. jar caramel ice cream topping
1 C. chocolate chips
In a bowl, combine the dry cake mix, rolled oats and peanut butter. Mix in egg and a little milk, as needed. Reserve out 1-1/2 C. of the crumbly mixture. Press remaining crumbly mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 inch pan. Set aside.
Beat cream cheese until soft. Place caramel topping (lid off) into microwave for a few minutes to soften. Add to the cream cheese, mixing until blended together. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Break up crumbly mixture, sprinkle over the top. Bake at 350°F. for 22-25 min.
Thank you to all my many recipe friends. I love you all. May God bless each and every one of you.
Quote of the Week:
“When the weather is hot, keep a cool mind. When the weather is cold, keep a warm heart.”
~ Ajahn Brahm
