lentil soup

 
Lentil Soup
My version is vegetarian/vegan friendly
Enjoy!


Olive oil
1-2 yellow onions, chopped
1/2 to 1 Tbsp herbs/spices--I use mainly Adobo from Uruguay and some cumin 
Sautee in pot until onion is soft and herbs/spices are fragrant 

Stir in
Two 14.5 ounce cans of petite diced tomatoes
Two cans of water
One pound of lentils
2 diced potatoes
3 diced carrots
Bring to simmer and cover, simmering until vegetables and lentils are done, about 30 minutes
Most of the water will be taken up, so watch carefully towards the end to make sure it doesn't scorch

Stir in
One 14 ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk and 1/2 can of water, more if needed
Stir in one drained can of corn or a handful of frozen corn
Gently heat 
I add salt and pepper and a splash of flavored vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil before serving

Our friend Hugo introduced us to the Uruguayan version of Adobo--available from Amazon. It is a great mix and I use it in most of my soups. I store it in a mason jar.
I've been getting flavored vinegars from American Vinegar Works. Love their selections and they make great gifts. Apple Cider Vinegar would work too.

Shopping list:
Fresh foods:
onions
carrots
potatoes

Canned goods:
Petite diced tomatoes
Unsweetened coconut milk
Corn

Pantry:
Uruguay Adobo, I use the brand Monte Cudine
Cumin
Olive Oil
Flavored vinegar
Salt and pepper

round-robins and reunions and rhubarb dessert

Rhubarb time bring memories of my mom's rhubarb dessert. We loved it. We never tired of it. It was so sad when the rhubarb bolted and we had to wait another year to have it again. It was rather recently when I discovered you could buy rhubarb, I thought it was only available in your own yards.
This dessert was a regular item mom would bring to pot lucks.

Mom received the recipe for her dessert from a friend at the annual Company K picnic. This was a reunion held at Terrace Park in Sioux Falls by the families of  men who were called up to the draft  and sent to serve from Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota in 1952. They were Company K at army boot camp. For decades we would gather for this.

Another army related group we had reunions with was a group that had gathered at the DeHamer home in South Carolina near Fort Jackson in 1952/53. Mr. and Mrs. DeHamer were Dutch-American transplants from Michigan who at church invited service members and spouses to come to their home on Sunday afternoons to eat and relax. Most who took them up on this were other Dutch-Americans, because, well, that is what we do.
This group would have reunions every 3 years and has (yes, continues to this day for 66 years) a round-robin letter. It is like a group-chat in letter form.  It arrived at my mother's when I was there last week.

A third reunion we had was annually with a group of my mother's childhood friends. They have been so for over 80 years and also have a round-robin letter.

I love these connections my parents made that continue for decades.

Round-robin letters

Rhubarb Dessert 

(adapted and annotated, because I cannot leave well enough alone)

Crust (use food processor, metal blade)

1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pulse til coarse, press into ungreased glass 9 by 13 pan, bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes

Filling (use mixer, paddle)

7 egg yolks

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup flour

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pour over 5-6 cups of chopped rhubarb on top of crust, bake 1 hour

Meringue (use mixer, whisk)

7 egg whites beaten stiff

slowly add mixture of 6 Tablespoons sugar and 2 Tablespoons corn starch

Spread evenly and bake til brown, about 12-15 minutes.

Tastes best at room temperature, but we usually start on it while it is still hot.

block party! chili cook-off winner!

It is once again block party! Our block's 58th anniversary party--one of the first and longest running block parties in Chicago. It is Andy and my 29th.
The theme this year was County Fair. As usual, I hang several of my quilts on our porch railings.

 We collected ketchup and toilet paper for the neighborhood food pantry.

  I won the chili making contest! We also had a pie baking contest.

 Dunk tank, bouncy house, pony rides.

Just a day enjoying our neighbors. The band and dancing in the streets starts at dusk.

Lynn's Award winning Chili!

(all amounts are estimates)

3-4 lbs ground beef--browned and drained (collect, discard fat, return liquids to meat)

To the pot of browned meat, add the spices and stir until the meat is evenly mixed with the spices.

Spices: (vary amounts by your taste  preferences)

1 tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground red pepper

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Rinse and drain three-four 15 oz cans of beans.

I use a variety, including black Beans, light red kidney, and dark red kidney

In a large crock pot, place

1-2 chopped onions

2/3rd of the meat

the beans

the rest of the meat

Pour over top:

One 29 oz can petite dice tomatoes

One 8 oz can of  tomato sauce

1-2 small cans of diced mild green peppers

I rinse out these cans, adding the water to the crock pot to bring liquid level to 1 inch from top.

Put above ingredients into large crock pot. Cover and cook for 4-5 hours on low.

About 1/2 hour before serving, add:

1 cup of frozen corn

about 1/2 cup of dried polenta mixed with about 1 cup of water (if no polenta, use corn meal)

Cover and cook for 1/2 hour, stirring twice

Serve sprinkled with grated cheddar or jack cheese

vet bollen for the new year!

Vet Bollen--Traditional Dutch New Years Eve/Day treat!
(actually, Olie Bollen as I don't have a couple of quarts of lard in the house)

Sift together:
1 cup sugar
3 cups flour
1/4th rounded teaspoon of nutmeg

Whisk together:
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs

In small bowl, mix:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Stir in a bit of the buttermilk mixture into the soda mixture. Then stir into remaining buttermilk mixture. Fold into the flour mixture--you may need to add a bit more buttermilk if too dry. It will be a thick batter.
If desired, stir in raisins or chopped apple.

Drop by teaspoonsfull into hot oil or lard. Turn over when brown to fry other side. Remove to draining rack to cool.
Can shake in sugar, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or leave plain.

Note--this is made with a home made baking powder concoction--the cream tartar and the baking soda and the acid of the buttermilk. This is more unstable that purchased baking powder so you need to use up the batter right away. I like it better than the purchased powder that can give a metallic taste to fried foods.

broccoli and pasta

This is a dish of Andy's mother. He tried to describe it for many years but I could never get it right. My last visit with her I asked her to make it as I watched.

I made this in a large sauce pan on the stove.
You don't drain the pasta--the water is totally absorbed.

Saute in olive oil:
One onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced or a teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 pound (1/2 box) acini di pepe #20
Add to pan and brown slightly.

Add 1 quart water and bring to boil

Add one head of broccoli chopped pretty small, stems and head both
Don't stir yet--put lid on and let pasta cook while steaming the broccoli

After about 5 minutes stir, you may need to add more water to prevent scorching

Put lid on again--the broccoli needs to get pretty soft but not soggy
Cook until done.
Stir often, add water if needed.

Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan  cheese--use shaved if you can get it
Salt and pepper as needed

brownies

My family loved brownies and I like to use the One-Bowl Brownies on the Bakers unsweetened chocolate package.
Because I cannot leave well enough alone and because I like a thicker brownie, I make the recipe with 1 1/2 times the ingredients, add a bit of salt, and add walnuts.

Put into a pyrex two quart bowl and microwave for 2 1/2 minutes:
6 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
Take out and stir until chocolate is melted.

Stir in:
3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

One at a time stir in:
5 large or 4 extra large eggs

Stir in:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup walnuts

 Grease 9 by 13 inch pyrex pan. Spread in batter. Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Finnish Pancake

In a blender, mix:
4 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a 9 by 13 inch pan.  I do this by putting the pan with the butter in it into the oven as it preheats.
Pour in the batter (will be very thin).
Bake for 20 minutes.
It will puff up  but will collapse as it cools.
Great with fresh fruit or jam or syrup.

tarrale--Italian Easter Cookies

This is a recipe from Andy's family, the Cervasio and Sorace families. They immigrated from Calabria.
Andy said his mother and his grandmother made these cookies every Easter.

1 1/4 sticks of butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Mix. When creamed, add 6 eggs, two at a time.

Sift together and add:
5 1/4 cups white flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix, then turn onto counter and knead for a bit.
Mound then cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

Pull off a piece the size of a small egg. Roll into a rope between your palms, then place on parchment lined baking sheet, coiling the dough.
Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from sheet and let cool on rack.

When cool, ice with powdered sugar mixed with either lemon juice or water with a drop of vanilla.
I like to ice twice to give a thicker coat, and sprinkle with a bit of lemon zest if doing the lemon, or with nonpareils if using the vanilla icing.

This makes about 50 cookies, or 40 if Andy keeps sneaking the dough.

I love these portraits--taken in New York during the Mad Men days of the 1960s

Andy's grandmother, Catherine Sorace Cervasio. Born in New York City. Worked as a bookkeeper. Our Eve Catherine is named for her, as were Andy's mother and sister.

Andy's grandfather, Andrew Cervasio. Born in Italy, emigrated to New York at age seven. Served in WWI as a coal tender on troop ships. Attended the University of Michigan for engineering and became a construction estimater. Andy is named for his grandfather.

chocolate coconut bread

Chocolate coconut bread--makes 2 loaves

Cream together:
1 cup butter (do not use margarine or oil)
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Add in:
4 eggs, one at a time
2 cups buttermilk (I usually make sour milk with 3-4 Tbsp cider vinegar and enough milk to make 2 cups)

Sift then add in just until mixed:
3 cups flour
1 cup cocoa--I like to use Hershey's Special Dark for this recipe--gives a beautiful color to the loaf
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder

Stir in:
1 cup coconut flakes
1 cup chocolate chips

Grease two bread pans. Spread in batter. Bake 350 degrees for about a hour.
It is a bit tricky to get this just right for timing--too long and it will be too dry or burn.
If you make this in mini loaf pans, watch very carefully. If they do come out dry on the edges, wrapping as discussed below can help.

Remove from oven when toothpick comes out clean.
Place pans on sides on cooling rack for about 10 minutes.
Remove bread from pans.
Cool completely.
Wrap in waxed paper or other wrap for at least 10 hours after they are cool to let moisture and flavor redistribute. Tastes better if you give it that long.

It is similar in flavor to a Mounds candy bar! This is my recipe--use and share and enjoy.

red velvet muffins

They make a pretty decent red velvet muffin at the Jewel, so I went online to see what recipes were out there to try to replicate it.
Erin at Dinners Dishes and Desserts had a recipe I thought I'd give a go.

http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=1225

They turned out pretty good. I don't use liners because I like a bit of crust on muffins.

I followed Erin's recipe with these alterations:
I used cider vinegar because that is what I had in the house
I replaced the red food coloring with vanilla because I am too much of a '70s child to trust red food coloring. Any others of you missing the tan M&Ms and still leery of the red ones?

tip #15 cranberry cardamom muffins

Cranberry Cardamom Muffins


1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
¼ cup white sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup ground flax seeds (optional)--grind in blender
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cardamom

1/2 cup butter room temperature
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
½ tsp vanilla

Sugar-in-the-raw to sprinkle on top

Directions
1. In a bowl, toss cranberries and nuts with 1/4 cup sugar; set aside. In another bowl combine flour, flax, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Set aside.
2. Mix butter and second two sugars. Add eggs and milk; stir in flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in nuts and cranberries. It will be a stiff batter. Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full. I like to sprinkle each with sugar-in-the-raw before baking.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done. Makes 24 muffins

I developed this recipe to use some of the flaxseed my Dad gave us for Christmas. I think I use the flax quite often, but I feel like the widow of Zarephath as the jar never empties—in fact, it looks like I’ve hardly used any at all.
The ground flaxseed gives these muffins a great texture. I do not use muffin papers so the outsides have a nice crust to them too.
They are great with cream cheese.

Tip: cardamom is very expensive--$10 a jar--because I use it seasonally, I store it in the freezer to keep it fresh. My neighbors borrow from me so they don't have to invest in a jar for just a few teaspoons a year. We do this with more things. Good neighbors!

tip # 14 turkey salad

Our favorite recipe from my mother-in-law Lu is Turkey Salad.
Great on a pretzel roll a couple of days after the feast.

To make, cut up some onions into wedges, have some dried parsley leaves, and lots of leftover turkey. You will need to use a hand grinder like this one I have of my Grandma Dykstra (Seth has asked my mother, his Grandma Dykstra for hers as she is taking apart her kitchen.)
You can use a food processor but while it will taste the same, it will not be the same consistency.

Grind the turkey, adding to the grinder parsley and onion as you go.

Take this ground mixture and add lots of fresh ground pepper and some mayonnaise. How much? Each member of this family likes a bit different proportions, so whoever helps me grind gets to choose the amount for this batch. I enjoy the conversations while we do this together.

Tip: After a feast it is easiest to debone the turkey while it is still warm--you will have the meat ready for the salad or other leftovers, the bones on the boil for stock, and room in the fridge for everything else.

tip #12 macaroni and cheese, making the crumbs in bulk

I hesitate to mess with Cook's Illustrated recipes out of respect for their rather obsessive attention to getting it just right, but I have adapted their Macaroni and Cheese recipe to our family's taste.
It is a change of the proportions of seasonings and the sauce to macaroni ratio.

My biggest innovation comes from my dislike of getting out the food processor to make the bread crumbs. I now make a triple batch and put the extra in a zip lock freezer bag so it is ready to go the next two times I make it.

Macaroni and Cheese (with 4 guys in the house, I usually double this recipe as seen in the photograph)
crumbs:
3-6 slices of white bread (I sometimes use Pita) and 3-4 Tablespoons cold butter, shredded in food processor
macaroni: 1 pound shells or elbows, cook until just past al dente stage
sauce: 3 1/2 T butter, melted, stir in 2 heaping teaspoons of dry mustard and 1/4 heaping teaspoon of cayenne pepper. stir in 1/4 cup flour and cook for a couple of minutes. gradually stir in 3 1/2 cups milk. cook until medium white sauce. stir in 2 1/2 cups of shredded cheese mixture of cheddar, jack, and colby. stir in some black pepper.
assembly: mix sauce and macaroni. put into broiler safe pan that has been sprayed with Pam. top with crumbs. put under broiler until toasted.

black bean polenta casserole

This is my go-to recipe for when vegetarians are eating with us, but we all like it so it has become a regular in our rotation of meals around here. I adapted it from a Bon Appetit recipe. It makes a lot and I have at times cut the recipe in half and made it in a 9 by 9 square pan. Tastes great for a few days reheated.

Black Bean Polenta Casserole

Rinse and drain:
1 large can hominy (29 oz)
1 large can black beans (29 oz)
2 cups frozen corn

Mix and stir into the vegetables:
1 jar salsa verdi (500grams)
2-3 teaspoons cumin

To sprinke on top: 8 ounces of chedder/jack shredded cheese (or mozzarella or chiuaua or monterey jack)

Reconstitute 1½ cups instant polenta in 4½ cups boiling water.

Spray 9 by 13 pyrex pan with Pam. (I usually make it in two smaller pans so we have another meal to share or for later.)
Spread in the polenta.
Sprinkle in about ¼ cup of cheese.
Scatter and lightly press in the vegetables mixed with the salsa.
Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

Spray foil covering with Pam and cover.

You can bake it now or put in the fridge to bake later in the day.

Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Increase heat to 475 degrees, take off foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

OK, odd story, as always with my cooking.
I buy lots of my spices and herbs in bulk and store them in half pint and pint mason jars. They aren't labeled which usually isn't a problem because the color and smell tells me what they are. I was on the phone while cooking and pulled out what I thought was the cumin, measured out a tablespoon and put it in the bowl. I realized it was dill seed and was able to get most of it out, but some had soaked into the ingredients. The resulting casserole with a hint of dill seed was pretty good!

potato and corn chowder

Over at Pioneer Woman she has an enticing recipe for corn chowder that looked like it could help me on my quest to clean out the freezer. We are in a no-buy frozen stuff mode and have to use something out of it every day. This recipe used frozen home made chicken broth and a bag of corn Andy used to ice his knee last night. And a bit of bacon.
I made a lighter version than hers and added potatoes and substituted with what I had on hand--I'll save her version with cream for another day. Her version used fresh corn that would be wonderful. It wouldn't have helped Andy's knee though.
I made it all without leaving the house to visit the Jewel. A good day.

POTATO AND CORN CHOWDER

1/3 lb bacon, diced
3 medium onions, diced
In soup pot brown bacon slightly, stir in onions and saute until soft.
Add:
1 small can diced green chilies
1 lb cut corn
2 tsp dried thyme leaves
4 potatoes, cut into a tiny dice
2 quarts chicken broth
Cook until potatoes are done.

Stir in 1/3 cup corn meal mixed with 1/2 cup water
Simmer until slightly thickened.
Add 2 cups milk and heat through.
Top each bowl with freshly ground black pepper.

And the freezer is now down to a couple of boxes of my mom's applesauce, sausage, a box of phyllo dough and cheese. And the cardamom. Plug those into a recipe search engine and see what I can make!
(The can is holding up that side of the shelf because the support broke.)

chocolate chip cookies

My mother and sisters and I call these Peggy Vis' cookies, because we got the recipe from her, but you can call them Lynn Dykstra's cookies since you are getting it from me, and I did tweak the recipe a bit. (unless you know Peggy--then, keep her name on it!)
What makes these cookies good:
--the creaming step is extended to where air is incorporated and the dough takes on a foam consistency. Makes a wonderful sandy texture.
--the home made baking powder eliminates the metallic taste that sometimes comes with regular baking powder. This also makes the dough a bit unstable, so you need to bake the cookies right after making the dough, not freeze to bake later.
--they are a good cookie that freezes well. They must be kept in an air-tight container as the weather will get in them quickly.
--it is not a chewy cookie. Seth once complained I did not make soft chewy cookies like his friends' mothers. I said Dutch people like a hard cookie we can dunk in our tea. and he should consider himself lucky to have a mother and friends' mothers who bake and quit whining right now. There.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (two sticks) room temperature butter (no margarine)
1 cup canola oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar

Beat in mixer at medium-high speed for 5 minutes. (I use a Kitchenaid.)

In a small bowl mix
1 egg
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add to mixer bowl.

Add 4 cups of flour.

Add 1 1/2 cups of walnuts and one 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips.

I use a small scoop and make all the balls of dough at once and put them on a plate. I usually get 110 cookies unless there is someone in the house eating cookie dough.

Bake on parchment paper on cookie sheet; they spread a bit but not too much. I can fit 20 on a half sheet baking pan.
If baking two sheets at once, switch the location of the pan half way through the baking time.

350 degrees for 14-17 minutes. We like them on the darker side. Well, I like them on the darker side and I'm making them, so that is what my family gets.

orzo salad

Andy's favorite

Dressing:
1/4 cup mustard (use honey or brown or dijon)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup vinegar (use combination of balsamic and seasoned rice)
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Stir in:
1 small onion minced
1 big or two regular cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 regular can of chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 cup of frozen corn (use white super sweet if available)
1 regular can of small black olives, drained

While the above marinates, prepare:
1 napa cabbage chopped
1 pound orzo
Cook orzo, drain, do not rinse, toss hot with chopped cabbage to wilt it.

Pour marinated mixture over orzo and cabbage and toss.
Slice up 8-10 sundried tomatoes drained of oil and scatter on top.
Use lots of fresh ground black pepper.
Is best at room temperature.

This is the basic recipe. At times I add:
Roasted asparagus
Roasted peppers
Artichokes
Chopped fresh tomatoes

dutch treats

Seth's class is studying the Netherlands, and, good mama that I am, I am feeding the class this noon--pea soup, banket, and hot chocolate.
Droste Cacao is no where to be found in this city--I used to get it at the Jewel, but I have been to 6 stores in the last week with no success, so it is Hershey's Dark for the cocoa. I do have an old Droste tin I can hide it in.
I just sampled it and the pea soup is wonderful--I think the kids (5th graders) will like the nickname for this soup--SNERT.
The banket baked beautifully. My great aunt's recipe calls for dividing the dough and filling into 7 equal portions. WHAT?? Seven equal portion? I make it into 6 equal easily, but how do you eyeball seven? My mom thinks Aunt Hattie said 7 because she would hide one on a top shelf just for herself to snoop from. Good incentive to figure out how to divide into sevens.

Erwtensoep/Dutch Pea Soup--my mom's recipe that I adapted for the crock pot. Mom also prefers an unsmoked pork roast for the meat--I prefer smoked ham hocks. From her mother Ella Scholten's recipe.

The night before:
1 lb dried split peas and if you can find them, 1/2 cup of dried whole peas. I usually find them in the Hispanic food aisle. Sort and rinse peas. Place in large pan and fill with cool water, covering by 2-3 inches.

In the morning:
Drain and rinse peas. Do not reuse soaking water.
Put peas in crock pot with 2 smoked ham hocks or a ham bone or small smoked port butt or an unsmoked pork roast. Add water to cover by 1 inch.
Set for low for 6 hours or high for 4.

In the afternoon:
Skim bubbles from the top and discard. Remove meat from the crock pot. When it is cool enough to touch, discard the rind and bones, chop up the meat and return to to the pot. If there is not enough meat, I add some cut up ham.
Chop a large onion and 1-1/2 cups chopped celery with the leaves and saute for a few minutes if you wish--else just put in the pot.
Peel and dice a sweet potato
Scrub and dice 2-3 potatoes and 2-3 carrots
Add all these vegetables to the peas and cook another 1-2 hours.

In the evening:
Salt and pepper to taste. A bit off nutmeg may be grated on top.

When cold, pea soup is really stiff; reheat with a bit of water. Pea soup scorches easily, so reheat gently.

Banket (Dutch Almond Letters)--my great Aunt Hattie Scholten's recipe.
Dough:
1 cup cold butter
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold water
Mix dough as for pie crust--I use my Kitchenaid mixer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Filling:
1/2 lb almond paste (1 cup)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs plus 1 yolk (save the white)
1 tsp vanilla
Beat almond paste until smooth. Add sugar and beat. Add eggs and yolk and vanilla. Cover and chill overnight.

Divide dough into 7 (!) equal portions. Roll each into a 4" by 14" strip. You have to work fast to keep the dough cold. It will be a really thin piece--I flip it over with each pass of the rolling pin. You really have to have someone show you how to do this. Find one of my sisters if I'm not around.
Take 1/7th (!) of the filling and place down the center of the dough. Fold ends of dough in, then roll sides over filling.
You are going to have to watch me or one of my sisters for this part too.
Place seam side down on parchment paper. You can shape these into letters, but I usually go for the straight pastries so I can fit 3-4 on a sheet.
Prick down the center every 2 inches to let steam escape. Beat the reserved egg white into a froth and brush the tops. Sprinkle with more sugar than you think you will need. Again, you will have to watch Janna or Beth or me.
Bake 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Hide one on a top shelf for your own snooping.

A few hours later:
Success! They are all ready to go work on the polders.

black-eyed peas

Happy New Year!
We are eating Black-eyed Peas for luck on New Years Day.
2 lbs. black eyed peas, soaked in cold water overnight, drained and rinsed well and put into my large crock-pot with 4 of the smallest ham hocks I’ve ever seen from the market. I put in some concoction of herbs and spices Seth came up with in his laboratory. Cover with fresh cold water and cooked on high for about 4 1/2 hours. Remove ham hocks, let cool until you can handle them, remove and discard the rind and bones, return meat to pot along with 2 medium sautéed onions. Stir in a 6 oz can of tomato paste. It needed salt—tasted great—I think the good luck associated with Black-eyed Peas is that you know you’ve eaten, must have felt good in the cold days in the past. I'm lucky my family likes peasant food.

Seth found a stone in his peas--no, mom, I didn't sort them carefully. I told Seth it meant he had extra good luck this year.

My other New Year’s tradition is to clean one or two drawers/cupboards in my kitchen each day in January, putting many extraneous things into the good-will box and broken items in the trash. Where do these extra spoons/utensils come from? I may run them by the neighbors. Also, how come in a household where no one drinks coffee do we gain 6-10 mugs a year?

last minute potluck ideas

This time of year has potlucks several times a week. I enjoy cooking and baking, but the timing isn’t always right.
Here is a short list of how to survive the potluck season with class when you don’t have time to cook.

Presentation is everything—now is the time to haul out all those pretty glass serving pieces that sit in your cupboard. If you don’t have any, or worry you may have to leave the dish behind, head to a thrift store and buy something for very little money.

Blackberry Salad
Toss one large container of pre washed salad greens with some bottled poppy seed dressing. I use T Marzetti’s. Put into a beautiful glass bowl. Scatter 1-2 boxes of blackberries on top. They will look like jewels on top of the white/green salad.

Mustard and pretzels
Buy a pretty jar of German mustard. There are some really cute little ones in a variety of flavors. Buy a package of matchstick pretzels. Arrange on a tray with the jar of mustard.

Herring
Buy a jar of either the cream or wine herring or both if I am going to be there. Put in a beautiful glass bowl, top with some chopped parsley. The people who love herring will love you. The people who don’t won’t touch it, leaving more for those who do love it, who will love you even more.

Iced Tea
There are never enough good non-alcoholic beverage choices. Make a pot of good tea, whatever variety or flavor you like, and bring it as a pitcher of really good iced tea.

Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Salad
If you can find decent tomatoes, buy a few along with some fresh mozzarella and large fresh basil leaves. Slice the mozzarella and tomatoes into ¼ inch slices, alternate them along with a basil leaf, drizzle with olive oil and a bit of rice wine vinegar and top with fresh ground black pepper. This is really pretty and Christmas colors! Hold the vinegar if you have to make this ahead as it will darken the basil. It is still good with just the olive oil.

Bread and butter and jam
Buy a good loaf of bread, some artisanal butter and a good jam. Something so simple and good. Here in Chicago, I like D’Amato’s on Grand or Palermo on Harlem, Amish Roll Butter, and blackberry jam.