Kringla

Today's post is written for the next generation of Clarks, my daughters and their cousins, who miss the taste and smell of Grandma's kitchen.

My first introduction to kringla, a Norwegian cookie, was Christmas eve 1975, my first Christmas with Sam's family. That evening I learned not only about kringla, but also about oyster stew, lefsa, and krumkake. Kringla is the tasty treat that Sam's mother made throughout the year and one that I know Sam missed. Eventually, I acquired the recipe and baked kringla, too. I'm not sure that my kringla tastes quite like Grandma Opal's or MumMum Hannah's, but here's how I make it . . .

Kringla

1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 egg yolks
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3 cups flour

Cream the sugar and butter together with electric mixer. Add egg yolks and beat well. Add sour cream, then buttermilk beating well after each. Stir in lemon extract. Sift dry ingredients and stir into mixture. Chill dough overnight. 

On well floured counter roll out spoonsful of dough into long thin ropes and shape into pretzel shape. Bake 8-9 minutes at 375 degrees until barely beginning to brown. Cool on waxed paper or cooling rack. Store in covered container or freeze. 

I use a scant tablespoon of dough for each kringla.
Scoop it out of the bowl, and scrape it out of the spoon
and onto the counter.

I plop about a dozen out onto a well floured
counter then put the bowl back in the fridge.
Keep the dough cold or it will get too
sticky to handle easily.

Use your hands to roll each blob of dough
into a skinny log. Stop when you get a little
bigger than a pencil. It should be 8-9" long.
If longer pinch an end off. When you get a
few extra ends, roll those together to make
another kringla. Think play dough here!
Also, use plenty of flour on your counter!

Pick up your dough log by the ends and quickly move it
to your cookie sheet. I sort of use my other fingers
to support the whole thing as I move it. Lay it down
and loop the ends around to make the above shape.
I line the cookie sheets with parchment paper, my baking
friend! It keeps cookies from burning and makes
clean-up a breeze.The kringla in the picture is baked.
They are really skinny before baking. I forgot to take a
picture of the raw, shaped kringla. Sorry!

It takes a little practice to get them onto the
cookie sheet, but after you bake a pan or two you
will be a pro! This is the shape I use, but Grandma
had some variations. Can you remember what
her's looked like? Originally these were "dunking cookies"
and were often baked a little longer than I bake mine.
I like them soft so I bake them 8-9 minutes at 375. The
original recipe said to bake at 450 degrees for 10-12
minutes. If you dunk yours in milk or coffee you
might want to bake hotter and longer than my recipe.

Now you can make kringla, too and your kitchen can smell and taste just like Grandma's!
Have fun!

Zucchini Bread And More

I simply love the vegetables and fruits of summer. I just can't hardly get enough. My little garden has been prolific this summer, but when the zucchini burst forth I could no longer stay ahead of it. I ate it raw, I spiral cut it into "noodles", I sautéed it with onions and peppers and add cheese and salsa, I grilled it, I baked it and top it with pizza toppings, and finally I succumbed to baking zucchini bread. 

However, when I pulled out the recipe and saw "1 cup oil" and "2 cups white sugar", I balked. How can I take a healthy and harmless, wonderful vegetable and smother all the healthy benefits with that? So, I went on a hunt and found a recipe called Zucchini Gingerbread. Click here for that original recipe if you want http://allrecipes.com/search/default.aspx?qt=k&wt=zucchini%20gingerbread&rt=r&origin=Home%20Page

Now this was more up my alley. The first time I made it, I followed the recipe exactly. Then I made a few little changes and after a few experiments here's what I decided I liked best. 

Spiced Zucchini Gingerbread

3/4 c. honey

1/4 c. molasses

1/4 c. coconut oil

3/4 c. plain greek yogurt

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 eggs

2 1/2 c. shredded zucchini

3 c. whole wheat flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9” x 5” loaf pans.

Combine honey, molasses, oil, yogurt, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in shredded zucchini.

Sift together the dry ingredients. Add to mixture and stir to combine. 

Fill pans 2/3 full and bake 50-60minutes. Top will be brown and springy and will not look wet. Toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool thoroughly on wire rack. 

Wrap tightly. This bread freezes well.

And just because anything this good might be yummy turned into chocolate I experimented just a little bit more and came up with this . . .

Spiced Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Use above recipe. Reduce cinnamon to 1 tsp. Omit ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Add 1/2 c. powdered cocoa with the dry ingredients.

A few pictures and a little explaining . . .

I always scan through the recipe for any prep work which should be done before beginning anything else. 

Shred the zucchini.
I find a hand grater works great, either style works well.
I use the big holes.

In no time at all I had half of that big-ish zucchini shredded
into about the right amount.

Measure. Honestly, if you have a little more
or a little less I don't think it makes too much difference, but get close.

Sift the dry ingredients. Oh, boy! Smell the cocoa or the spices!

I love the gingerbread flavors, but if you don't,
just use the cinnamon and the nutmeg. 

I know most people like to use spray to grease the pans. I usually use shortening and only grease the bottom and just the very bottom edge of the sides of the loaf pans when making quick bread and here's why . . .

The dough or batter rises as it bakes. If the pans are greased all the way up the sides it is sometimes too slick and the batter slides back down a bit resulting in a "ledge" around the top before it rises into a dome in the center. I'm not sure that is a great description, but if you have ever noticed it you will know what I mean. I can control where I rub the shortening better than I can control the spray. Use whatever you like.

Chocolate version ready to go in the oven, using small pans
which make great little gifts. The round one is just because it is fun.
Notice there are 6.

Baked, removed from pans, and cooling. Notice there are only 5?
Hmmmm . . .

Oh, NO! How did that happen?
I'm not exactly sure, but the pan landed right side up, empty
and the loaf landed upside down, mostly intact.
Now you know which loaf I sampled.

The Gingerbread version made in two 9"x5" pans
like the recipe specifies. 

The whole wheat flour adds vitamins, minerals and fiber not found in the all-purpose version. The yogurt sneaks in a little more protein and keeps the bread moist with the reduced amount of fat from many of the recipes out there. 

Since I have had success with the little loaf pans and the small round pans, I think this recipe would also work well as muffins. The small pans bake about 30 - 35 minutes and I think muffins might be done in about 20 minutes. Test with a toothpick to be sure.

If you want to freeze these loaves make sure they are totally cooled before wrapping tightly. Be sure to use freezer bags (not storage) which have a vapor barrier to keep the bread fresh without freezer burn. 

I have tomatoes ripening in quantities beyond sandwiches, salads, and slicing. I plan to hunt down a Tomato - Basil Soup recipe next. If anyone has a good one, please let me know! 

Happy delicious eating!

A New Twist On Veggies

During a recent quilt shop adventure with one of my sisters and a sister-in-law I could hardly believe my eyes when I turned the corner and found an entire shelf of vegetable fabrics! An entire shelf of fruit fabrics stood directly above. I have seen veg and fruit fabrics before but never to this extent! Oh, my goodness! I could hardly believe my eyes! I walked away to look through the rest of the store, but soon I found myself in front of that shelf again. What would I do? What choice did I have when it was calling my name?

My new vegetable collection

I found that fabric winking at me and demanding it go home with me. The vegetables called much louder than the fruit. And so, the choosing began. A stack started on the counter, green beans, kale, asparagus, tomatoes, purple onions, potatoes, garlic, carrots, some corn. The switching was minimal and the cutting began. 

Will my quilt be a soup or a salad or maybe a garden? I'm not sure, but in another shop I found the cabbage fabric that will link it all together. A plan is formulating in my mind and before long the sewing will begin. I can hardly wait to show you the finished quilt sometime later this summer. It will be delicious!

In the meantime, I will soon be sharing some of the great recipes I have recently acquired from my sister Pam. I have a new Spinach Quinoa Salad and a new Spicy Cole Slaw that might jazz up your summer meals. 

I hope you have some fun projects lurking in your future.

Mrs. Clark's Clean(er) Eating

Over past couple of months I have been cleaning up my eating. That means I have been doing my best to avoid processed foods, eating whole foods instead. I'm not saying I have completely come clean, but I have cleaned up my act. By avoiding most processed foods, I feel like I can allow myself an indulgence every now and then. Sugar becomes a treat, not something I am mindlessly eating at every meal. 

Since I have been eating this way I haven't been using many recipes. In the words of my sister Pam, "I don't use recipes I just make stuff." And that's about right. I don't use many recipes and if I do, it is for inspiration, rather than for following. I simply cook real food. 

Here's What I Mean . . .

Tonight's dinner of vegetables, whole grains and shrimp

This was a typical evening dinner for me. I chopped up some yellow pepper, some onion and some kale. I cooked that in some lightly salted water water along with a brown rice and barley mixture, making a pilaf. While the pilaf was cooking I made the salad with spring mix and spinach, green pepper, cucumber, shredded carrots and tomatoes. I cooked the shrimp quickly in a bit of coconut oil, just enough to grease the skillet. I cooked it for only a couple of minutes, until the shrimp turned white and pink. I sprinkled on a little salt and pepper and some oregano and thyme. I dressed the salad with a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic. I drizzled a tiny bit of that dressing over the shrimp, too. Delicious!

I was inspired to change up my eating by watching my girls eat as they have learned to minimize sugar and processed foods. If they can do it, surely I can do it! About the same time, my church offered a class called The Daniel Plan which focuses on keeping all aspects of one's life healthy and strong. In the food portion of this study, minimizing sugar, MSG, and hydrogenated fats was urged along with maximizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. All of this sort of worked together to challenge me to make some changes. 

And Next . . .

Tomorrow morning I will be cooking some buckwheat for breakfast. That will be new! My plan is to cook it like oatmeal along with some chopped apple and cinnamon. 

I hope you enjoy hearing a bit about my latest adventure in the kitchen. 

Egg Rolls and Crab Rangoon

 Mrs. Clark's Kitchen had a little egg roll fun earlier this evening. Yes, four friends gathered around the island and pitched right in chopping vegetables, cooking meat, manning the fryer and enjoying some kitchen fellowship. The friends were surprised that the egg rolls were much easier than anticipated. Here's what we did . . .

Egg Rolls

Everything needs to be cut very small.
The mixture is cooking at this point.

1/2 lb. ground beef, turkey, or pork

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 c. finely chopped cabbage

1/2 c. finely chopped water chestnuts

1/2 c. shredded carrot

1/4 c. finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

8 egg roll skins

Oil for frying

Cook meat with garlic until meat is no longer pink. Drain fat. Add cabbage, water chestnuts, carrot, and onion to skillet and stir-fry 2 minutes.  Combine soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and ginger. Add to skillet. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

For each egg roll, place an egg roll skin on a flat surface with corner pointing toward you. Spoon about 1/4 cup of filling mixture across and just below center of egg roll skin. Fold bottom corner over filling, tucking it under on the other side. Fold side corners over filling, forming an envelope shape. Roll egg roll toward remaining corner. Moisten top corner with water; press firmly to seal.

Fill electric skillet or deep fat fryer with 1 inch of oil. Set at 375 degrees and fry egg rolls a few at a time in hot oil for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in 300 degree oven while frying remainder. 

Egg roll wrappers are bigger than won ton wrappers.
Look for them in the refrigerated produce section.
We will use the won ton wrappers for crab rangoon.

Notice the placement of the filling,
 below the center and diagonal.

Pull the bottom corner up over the filling.

Tuck in the outside corners and roll it over.
When you get to the last corner, wet it with a drop of
water and seal the corner down.

Our egg rolls have some personality, waiting for the fryer.

Golden brown and crispy.

And then . . .

As long as we had the fryer going we might as well make some crab rangoon, too, don't you think?

Crab Rangoon

8 oz. crabmeat, drained and chopped

8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/2 tsp. A-1 sauce

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

30 won ton wrappers

1 egg yolk, beaten well

1 Tbsp. water

Mix A-1 sauce and garlic powder into cream cheese and add cream cheese. Combine well.    Combine beaten egg yolk and water and set aside.

Place heaping teaspoonful on each wonton wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with egg mixture. Gather the four corners of the won ton together at the top and pinch together to seal. 

Heat oil to 375 degrees. Add won tons in batches and fry till golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with Chinese mustard or sweet and sour sauce. 

Chop the crab. Use canned or even imitation crab.
 If using canned crab remove any cartilage before chopping.

Use a wooden spoon or even an electric mixer to soften
the cream cheese.

Put a little filling in the center of each won ton wrapper.
 These are similar to egg roll wraps, but smaller.

Crab rangoon, waiting for the fryer.

Don't crowd the skillet. Too many at a time
will cool the grease and the fried food will be greasy.

Yummy!

Didn't my friends do wonderful work on these tasty foods? They jumped right in and didn't hesitate at all to pick up a knife or a spatula or to stand over the skillet or the fryer. We completed our dinner with a beef stir fry. I'll have to write about that another day. There is something quite satisfying about cooking good food together and sitting around the table to enjoy it. Nice evening. 

Look at all those beautiful vegetables, so nicely cut by my friends!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day calls for a special dinner. It is a different kind of day for me now, but my memories are sweet. I had a couple of friends over for dinner, friends who have the same situation I have. We had a nice dinner and shared Valentine's Day memories of our husbands. 

Good Memories

When I think of Valentine's Day and Sam I can't help but think of conversation hearts.  :)

In the days leading up to Valentine's Day Sam was famous for buying a bag (maybe more) of these and handing them out to me and I think to the girls, too. He might silently hand me one that said "My Girl" or "Kiss Me". It always made me smile when he would hand these to me one by one. Sometimes he would pour out a handful for me and we would have silent "conversations". He would give me "Kiss Me" and I might respond with "Bad Boy" which might bring his "Later". Well, you get the idea. Sometimes the "conversations" were a bit sketchy, but they always ended well. The memories of it all make me smile.

Back to the purpose of this blog, sharing the possibility of good food.

Ranch Parmesan Chicken

This was one of Sam's favorites and I baked it for tonight's dinner. Here's the easy to do recipe, which was one of the most requested recipes from my Foods II class at NHS.

1/2 cup crushed cornflakes

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons Ranch dressing mix

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup butter, melted

Line baking dish with parchment paper or grease the dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a shallow bowl combine the cornflakes, Parmesan cheese and ranch dressing mix. 

Dip chicken in the melted butter, then roll in cornflake mixture to coat. Place chicken in prepared baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until juices run clear from chicken. Serve at once.

Just a little bit more . . .

I use the flat side of my meat mallet to gently crush the cornflakes in a ziplock freezer bag. You could also use a rolling pin.

My chicken breast halves were too big for one serving, so I cut them in half. If it is very thick on one end I pound it a bit with the flat side of my meat mallet to flatten it a little.

This is very flavorful and has a nice crunch on the outside. Don't over bake or the chicken will be dried out and tough.

Tonight I served this with some green beans with cherry tomatoes and a fruit salad. Nice dinner. We started the meal with a Strawberry Bellini and ended it with Chocolate Valentine Cookies.

Enjoy!

Here's A Green Bean Winner!

At Christmas time I wanted a new way to jazz up some veggies for dinner. In perusing the internet searching for recipes I ran across Green Beans With Cherry Tomatoes at allrecipes.com and thought it would look rather festive on the table. This dish was a hit and now that I have made it 3 times I have my tweaks down to where I am happy to share the recipe.

Green Beans With Cherry Tomatoes

serves 8

1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

1 cup water

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. chopped fresh basil

1 pint cherry tomatoes

Place beans and water in large saucepan. Cover, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender. 

While beans are cooking melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic salt, pepper and basil. Add tomatoes, and stir just until tomatoes are soft.

Drain water off beans and pour the tomato mixture over the green beans. Toss gently to blend. Serve at once. 

A Short Bit More . . .

If the tomatoes are large you might want to cut them in half. I left them whole this time and they seemed a bit too big.

If you don't have fresh basil you can use dried, but only use 3/4 teaspoon.

I have only used frozen beans, but I look forward to using fresh beans from my garden this summer. Two 12 ounce bags of frozen beans are needed for this recipe. If serving fewer than 8, it is easy to cut the recipe in half. 

These beans not only look pretty, but they are very tasty. I think a crumble of bacon on top would be a nice addition, too.

Bonus 

I found this at the store last week . . .

So, I turned it into this . . .

It turned out very yummy! I followed the directions on the package, but I baked the fish instead of frying. 

I made a little cole slaw with cabbage, green onion, green pepper. I used salsa and plain greek yogurt with some cumin for the dressing and topped the fish in the shells. I topped my green salad with tomatoes, yellow and red peppers and a bit of salsa. 

Delicious dinner on a very cold night!