Chris's Apple Turnovers

When Chris shows up with these, crowds go wild. She always saves a few for Tom and I, because we are so busy chasing kids, or not there. Sometimes, they'll have a get together on a Saturday, and Tom will be working, so we don't go. We'll go on Sunday, and there is a little plate of turnovers set aside for us. Now, that's love. They do produce the filling in mass in the fall and freeze it. Then, you just have to whip out the crust and enjoy year round.

Filling:
5 C sliced apples
1 C white sugar
1/3 C water (if your apples aren't juicy. If they are freshed pick, and the kind that juice runs down your chin as you eat them, you can skip this.)

Slowly steam on low heat for about 10 mins until done. Apples need to be firm, and not mushy. Add 2 T sugar mixed in 1/4 C flour. Sprinkle over apples as you lightly stir. After it thickens, remove from heat and add 3 T butter, 1/2 tes. salt and 1 teas. vanilla. Let stand at room temp until cool.

Crust:
3 C flour
1 t salt
1-2 T butter
Up to 1/2 cup of water
Mix flour and salt. Cut in butter; add water as needed. This is a basic pie crust recipe. You can use anyone you want, really.

Form walnut size pieces of dough and roll into round patties. Put apple filling on half, fold over and pinch together with the edge of a fork. Bake as you would a pie. Glas with powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar, milk, and a tinsy bit of vanilla).

Read More

The gauntlet is thrown.

Four recipes (okay, 3-1/2 by weight) have been posted this month by the Aaron. One with a picture.

Who will meet the challenge?

Read More

Szechuan Chicken

Also from the Baks, I don't think (after my experiences in China) that this is really 'Szechuan'. Most of the Szechuan food was laden with very hot peppers and dark sauces.

But it is good.

Chicken Breast, Cubed
Fry with Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce (from previous post) and a tiny bit of sesamee oil

Carrots, sliced
Red Pepper, little strips
Onion, little strips
Celery
Green Onion
Zucchini or Broccoli

Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce
Sesamee Oil
Corn Starch
Chicken Broth

Cook Chicken with Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce. Remove from pan.
Cook carrots, red pepper, onion, and celery with Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce. Add a tiny bit of sesamee oil.

As carrot mixture begins to become transparent, add in zucchini (or broccoli, or pea pods).

Make a liberal mixture of Cornstarch and Chicken Broth.

Add to vegetables with Chicken.

Add the rest of the Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce.

Read More

Egg Rolls

We have some friends, Debbie and Scott Bak, who served in the Lao Branch here in the Twin Cities. The Lao Branch is known for its annual egg roll fundraiser. Scott invited me over to learn to make them one day:

Package of Spring Home TYJ Spring Roll Pastry (This is the brand they use)

Filling:
Cellophane Noodles - Prepare according to Package
Ground Pork, Browned and Drained
White & Purple Onions, chopped
Carrots, Chopped
Cabbage, Chopped
Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce (See previous recipe)
Pepper (Ground)

Beaten Egg (to seal egg roll wraps

325 for Ten Minutes to bake. Spray them with Pam (cooking spray) first.

Read More

Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce

This is a tough one:

1c. Soy Sauce
3/4 C. Brown Sugar

Boil in small saucepan.

This is to use in the Egg Roll Recipe and in the Szechuan Chicken recipe that are forthcoming...

Read More

Grandma and Grandpa Pratt's Buckwheat Pancakes

Better than a picture of the food - this is a copy of Grandma Pratt's handwritten recipe. On Grandpa Pratt's Suzy's Zoo Recipe Cards. I had them write this down for me when I was very young, laminated it with contact paper, and somehow it has survived many years. If I remember right, at least one of the two versions (it has a medium and a large) doesn't work well, so I welcome comments to tweak it... Asking them to write it down was a major task since I don't think they had ever measured ingredients. Alton Brown would tell us to convert it to weights.

You'll notice some odd incongruencies. Keep these things in mind:

Water and Egg whites are in the directions but not in the ingredients.

I assume that the 'large recipe' should be brown sugar just like the 'medium recipe'.

Medium:

Dry Ingredients:

2 c. Flour
1/2 Tsp. Soda
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Wet Ingredients:
1 Egg Yolk
1-1/2 c. Buttermilk

1 Tbsp. Oil

Water as needed

Mix together & then add whipped whites.

Large:

Dry Ingredients:

4 c. Flour
3/4 tsp. Soda
2 Tbsp sugar
Wet Ingredients:
2 Egg Yolks
2 C. Buttermilk
2 Tbsp Oil

Later on, after I was married, I got more detailed instructions over the phone one day; here they are:

1 Heaped Vienna Sausage Can (5-1/2 ozs +) of Flour
1 Heaped Tablespoon of Brown Sugar
1/4 Tsp. Soda (Not powder! Powder is Soda plus an acid, the buttermilk has acid in it)
Tiny bit of oil if the griddle is well tempered. A little more than a teaspoon if it's not a well-tempered griddle
1 egg, separated, even if the recipe is doubled
Put the yolk in the Buttermilk (1 cup?)
Beat the white until stiff
Add the beaten white after the rest of the fluid has been added to dry ingredients
After the first side bubbles, the second side should cook 1 or 1-1/2 minutes. Time it.

Read More

Easy Peasy Red Beans and Rice - crock pot style

This is a VERY easy recipe, makes a lot, is tasty and can be served many different ways.*cross posted from my personal blog*Easy Peasy Red Beans and Rice - crock pot style2lbs dry kidney beans2 cups brown rice8 - 12 chicken bouillon cubesgarlic powderonion powder3-4 bay leavesSoak your beans over night or do a quick sock (as described on the back of the package). Dump in your 6 qt crock pot and

Read More