Tag: Easy

Kristina’s Kringle

Ingredients

Bar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter

1-2 T water

Topping

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

3 eggs

1 t almond extract

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2-4 T milk

1 t almond extract

1/2 cup sliced almonds sliced

Directions

OVEN 350º Parchment covered quarter cookie sheet or standard cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Bar

In medium bowl cut butter into flour using pastry cutter or forks. Add water by the tablespoon until dough comes together. Pat dough out in quarter cookie sheet or 8 by 16 inch rectangle using standard cookie sheet.

Topping

Add 1 cup water and 1/2 cup butter in sauce pan and bring to boil. Add 1 cup flour over low heat until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat and add in eggs one at a time mixing  vigorously. Add in almond extract and combine. Spread on bar mixture. Bake for 50 – 60  minutes until golden brown. Cool and frost with glaze.

Glaze

In small bowl add cream cheese, powder sugar, almond extract, and 2 T milk. Beat until smooth with electric mixer. If too thick add additional milk. Drizzle on bars and sprinkle with almond slices. Cut and serve

Note: My Mom’s take to work treat. The nurses all liked it and asked her for seconds. My Grandmother gave this recipe to her. My Grandmother made this recipe for as long as I can remember. I have no idea where she got this recipe. I do not know who Kristina was?

 

 

 

My Grandmother’s Summer Salad(Pasta)

Ingredients

3 cups pasta rinsed and drained*

1 cup celery diced

1/2 cup radishes large dice plus 3 for decorating

1/4 cup green onions

1/4 cup carrots diced

1/4 cup new peas

1 t parsley chopped

2 eggs hard boiled diced plus one for decorating

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 t Dijon or yellow mustard

Salt and pepper

Paprika

Directions

*My Grandmother liked to use bows(Farafalle) or spirals(Fusilli) instead of elbow macaroni.

In small bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and mustard and set aside. In serving bowl add pasta and vegetables and toss. Add the dressing and combine.  Season liberally with salt and pepper. She then dressed her finished salads with rose radishes and egg slices arranged on top and sprinkled paprika on the eggs. I use egg slices and radish slices with chopped parsley or cilantro in place of paprika for dressing up finished salad. Refrigerate a couple hours for ingredients to blend. 6 servings

Note: My Grandmother had three vegetable gardens every summer. She raised food for summer feasting with family and friends but also put away food for the winter months.

 

 

Mexican Black Beans

Ingredients

2 cans black beans rinsed and drained

3 T olive oil

2 shallot chopped fine

3 garlic clove minced

1 Serrano chili minced

2 cup chicken broth

3/4 t cumin

Salt and pepper

1-2 T lime juice

Directions

Place medium sauce pan on medium low heat with 2 T olive oil. Add shallot, garlic, and chili and cook until fragrant about 2-3 minutes. Add drained beans, chicken broth, lime juice, pinch of salt, and pepper. Combine ingredients and adjust taste. Cook for 20 minutes.Stirring occasionally. Remove and serve. Serves 4-5

Note: Very versatile. Can be used as  side, used in burritos, a soup,salads, or mashed and used as refried beans. We like them!

Curly Kale Salad with Lemon Garlic Parmesan Dressing*

Ingredients

1 bunch  of curly kale

1/2 cup olive oil

5 garlic cloves minced

1/3 cup Parmesan Reggiano grated plus 1/4 cup  set aside

1/3 cup lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Directions

Remove kale ribs, wash and spin and tear into bite size pieces or if in a hurry rough chop.

Pour into salad dressing shaker, olive oil and lemon juice. Add minced garlic and cheese and shake. Add pinch of salt and ground black pepper

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Toss kale with about 1/2 of the dressing. Sprinkle with set aside cheese and serve. Serve 2-4

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Note: I have used Lacinato Kale and Red Russian Kale also but prefer curly kale for this recipe as its ruffled leaves capture and hold the cheese and garlic.

Notes

*Use the best olive oil available for salad dressings. An extra virgin olive oil that is fruity and peppery is my favorite for salad dressings and dipping..

*I buy a Parmesan-Reggiano that is cut from a wheel. I bought pre-packaged Parmesan that was expensive and was disappointed. It made a big difference in the flavor balance of the salad dressing and the taste of the finished dressed salad.

 

 

 

Easy Pan Fried Fresh Sweet Corn

Ingredients

4 large ears of fresh corn on the cob*

2 T butter

Salt and pepper

Directions

Remove husks and silk from corn. Remove corn kernels by knife from cob. Melt butter in skillet over medium low heat. Add corn and toss to coat the kernels. Stir occasionally. Corn is al dente in 1 1/2 to 2 minutes¹. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Yields 4 servings

Note:

1Fresh harvested sweet corn is sweeter and less starchy tasting. It still has its husk on and is not dried out. It pan fries very fast. The corn on the cob we’ve bought husked and plastic wrapped in a four or six pack seems to be much starchier in taste and does not pan fry fast.  It can take 4-5 minutes for this corn to lose the starchy flavor. Sugar is sometimes is needed if a sweet flavor is desired.

We always had fried sweet corn in the summer when visiting my Grandmother on her farm. As Grandchildren our job was to husk the corn. She then would turn it into our favorite side dish along with her fried catfish. The corn this summer seems sweeter and more tender than her fresh off the field sweet corn.

Chunky Egg Olive Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients

8 eggs hard boiled

1/2 cup mayonaise

1 T Dijon mustard

1/4 cup green salad olives chopped

1 celery stalk diced

1/4 t fresh ground pepper

2 T chives chopped

8 slices whole wheat or sour dough bread

4 large Romain lettuce leaves halved

Directions

In small bowl fork chop eggs. Add mayonaise and mustard and combine. Add olives, celery, pepper and mix.  Refrigerate for couple of hours or over night for ingredients to meld. Add chives and mix before serving. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Note: I have spiced it up by adding a few drops of hot pepper sauce occasionally.