Strawberry Pie with a Twist

Are you a fan of chocolate dipped strawberries? Strawberries dusted with cocoa powder? Strawberries and chocolate in any form? Then this might be the strawberry pie for you.

I borrowed a recipe from the Kroger website, and put my own spin on it. Sadly, I did not get photos of this delectable dessert.

STRAWBERRY PIE WITH A TWIST
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
1 pkg (+/- 14 oz) cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 tbsp arrowroot powder
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 3/4 cups water
1 pkg (3oz) strawberry gelatin
2 pints washed strawberries halved
Optional toppings: whipped cream, chocolate syrup, chocolate sprinkles

Directions:
Crust:
– Preheat oven to 325F.
– Crush cookies by preferred method. Place in bowl, add butter, and stir until thoroughly mixed and a little gooey.
– Pat mixture into pie plate, making sure the bottom and sides are covered with no breaks.
– Bake for 10 minutes, allow to cool to the side.

Sauce:
– Bring water and sugar to a boil.
– Add arrowroot and mix thoroughly.
– Remove from heat and stir in strawberry gelatin until dissolved.

Final:
– Arrange strawberries in cooled crust.
– Pour gelatin mixture over the strawberries.
– Refrigerate at least one hour or until set.

Serve:
– Top with whipped topping.
– Drizzle on chocolate syrup.
– Add chocolate sprinkles if desired.
– Refrigerate any leftovers.

 

Keep in mind that if strawberries cut in half are too much of a mouthful, cut them smaller. The smaller the slices, however, the more space there may be to fill in the pie. Adjust accordingly.

Adding other fruit, such as blueberries, can add a twist to the textures and flavors in this pie. Adjust the spices used to taste and give it a whirl.

I hope you enjoy this fresh fruit dessert as much as my friends did – it went quick!

— Ann Cathey

Waldorf Salads

Waldorf Salads have a long history in America, as noted in the exceprt from the Wikipedia page below. As Americans are wont to do, things have changed to suit different tastes over the years since it’s initial creation, giving us numerous ways to prepare and enjoy them.

From Wikipedia: “A Waldorf salad is a salad generally made of fresh apples, celery, grapes and walnuts, dressed in mayonnaise, and usually served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer or a light meal.

The Waldorf salad was first created for a charity ball given in honor of the St. Mary’s Hospital for Children on March 14, 1893 at the Waldorf hotel in New York City. Oscar Tschirky, who was the Waldorf’s maître d’hôtel and developed or inspired many of its signature dishes, is widely credited with creating the recipe. In 1896 the salad appeared in The Cook Book by “Oscar of the Waldorf”.

The original recipe did not contain nuts, but they had been added by the time the recipe appeared in The Rector Cook Book in 1928.

Other ingredients, such as chicken, turkey, grapes, and dried fruit (e.g. dates or raisins) are sometimes added. Updated versions of the salad sometimes change the dressing to a seasoned mayonnaise or a yogurt dressing. A variation known as an Emerald Salad replaces celery with cauliflower. The salad also may include zest of oranges and lemons.

One thing about Waldorf style salads is that they are chunky rather than smooth. This allows an individual to experience not a mash of flavors, but individual spikes of flavor and texture. That aspect has always appealed to me personally, and has led to some outlandish tuna salad coming out of my kitchen!

CHICKEN WALDORF SALAD
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 large Gala apple, diced
1 cup diced celery
1 cup mayonnaise Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place all cut ingredients into a large bowl.

Add mayo on top and fold together gently.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on a bed of greens.

 

TUNA WALDORF SALAD
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 12 ounce cans tuna in water (albacore recommended), drained
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 large Granny Smith apple, diced
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup brown mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Place all cut ingredients into a large bowl.

Add mayo on top and fold together. Be gentle so the tuna remains chunky.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on a bed of greens.

 

The Meat
Meat was not originally an ingredient in Waldorf salads, though it has become very popular over time. Chicken is likely the most popular protein source in use in the United States, though tuna, cubed ham and beef, turkey, and venison have all been seen in Waldorf style recipes. Leftover or broken meats are a popular source.

The Nuts
Nuts are also a later addition to the Waldorf salad. Use nuts that add a contrasting element to your salad. Walnuts are a dryer flavor with a softer texture. Pecans add a subtle sweetness and a stronger flavor. Almonds, whether they are whole, blanched, slivered or sliced, add a definitive hard texture and savory flavor.Pine nuts are generally smaller and have a popping mouth feel. Match your nut choice to your other ingredients and your individual tastes.

The Fruit
Grapes and apples are the tradition. Red grapes are the usual choice due to their size and sweetness.

Apples come in so many varieties that choosing one to your tastes can be problematic. The choices in the recipes above were made as examples of the use of a sweet apple and a tart one. Gala, Pink Lady, and a host of other firmly fleshed, round, sweet apples are available in most grocery stores. Granny Smith on the other hand is a consistently tart, firm apple that adds a bit of punch to the combined ingredients. Choose an apple that suits your tastes.

Celery
This is one ingredient I don’t particularly care for the taste of, but a lot of people do. It’s mildly sweet with extremely firm flesh, and adds a lot of fiber to the dish. Choose fresh stalks. De-vein them, removing the hard, fibrous strings from the backs of the ribs, and shop them into appropriately sized pieces. The leafy tops can even be used as a garnish for a finished salad.

The Binders
Mayonaise is the base binder for the Waldorf style salad. Adding spices, different types of mustard, or other similarly textures sauces can dress your salad up or down. Brown and honey mustard are quite popular.

The Spices
Be aware of the amount of salt, pepper or other spices used to cook the meat you use. This will add flavor to the salad and may negate the use of additional salt in your dish.
Curry is another wonderful addition to the Waldorf style salad. It adds a distinctive aroma and flavor to the other ingredients, and the sweet notes become more pronounced.

The Greens
Fresh baby spinach or mixed greens are used often as the serving base for Waldorf salads, though it’s very likely in the beginning to have been a pretty Romaine. Use what you like. Arugula is bitter, iceberg is mild, spinach has a texture all it’s own.

 

I hope you’ve found this dissection of the Waldorf salad as enlightening as I did writing it. This has been one of my favorite types of salad since I was a child, and is likely to remain on my personal menu for many years to come.

Enjoy!

— Ann Cathey

Quick and Easy Meals

 

There are a lot of variations  on recipes out there in the world, but sometimes we need a reminder to think outside the box. These recipes are all suggestions for a quick lunch or dinner when you have a lack of time to work with. They are based on ideas offered by a grocery snail mail supplement I received a couple of weeks ago.

Well, they aren’t so much recipes as guidelines that may be personalized as much as you like.

Chicken Salad
Prep your salad a day in advance. Pick up a whole roasted chicken and strip it. Mix the chicken with Greek yogurt, chopped celery, dried cranberries, chopped pecans or walnuts, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. For a little zing you might add some paprika. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to mingle and marry. Serve on sliced sourdough bread or over a bed of mixed greens for a simple lunch or dinner. Preparing this salad ahead of time also allows you to take some for lunch!

Lemon Chicken
This sheet pan dish is easy to prepare and delicious to serve. In a large bowl mix a small amount of melted butter and lemon pepper seasoning, to taste. Dip chicken and halved baby gold potatoes in butter mixture. Lay the chicken and potatoes out on a sheet pan. Brush the chicken with a bit of honey and roast with lemon slices on top at 425F for 15-20 minutes. In the last ten minutes of baking, add honey-brushed asparagus spears. Serve over saffron rice or a bed of baby leaf spinach with fresh lemon wedges on the side. The results are a sweet/tart treat for the palate. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Elegant Mushroom Pasta
Saute sliced mushrooms in a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Add in minced garlic, chopped baby leaf spinach and chopped basil. Stir until the greens are softened. Remove from heat and toss with your favorite pre-cooked pasta. This is a tasty treatment for leftover pasta, as fresh cooked. Add a sprinkle of Parmesan or Asiago for a delicious finishing touch.

Pistachio Crusted Tilapia
Thaw your fish, if frozen, then dip them in whipped egg whites. dredge each filet in a misture of chopped pistachios, bread crumbs, and parsley. Bake at 450F for 8-10 minutes or until the fish reaches a safe internal temperature of 145F. Serve atop a bed of your favorite greens. Slices of fresh peach or pear on the side are a subtly sweet accompaniment on the side. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Enjoy!

— Ann Cathey

Summer Frozen Treats

There are plenty of interesting flavors that you might combine to create cooling drinks or frozen treats to help combat the summer heat. Most fruits will freeze nicely, then they pop right into the blender to create beverages, or may be returned to the freezer in ice trays or popsicle molds. The variety available seems boundless!

Simple-Syrup Ice
Use a one-to-one ration of water and sugar in a small saucepan, heating and stirring until the sugar is dissolved completely. Pout into a ready ice tray and freeze. The resulting ice cubes may be blended into any slushie or smoothy to add moisture and sweetness.

Infuse your simple-syrup with more flavor by adding mint leaves, vanilla, or orange zest during the heating process. You may choose to strain the liquid before freezing, or not, as preferred.

Kiwi-Lime Slushie
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
1 kiwi, peeled, diced, frozen
1/4 honeydew melon, peeled, diced, frozen
1 cup limeaid
Agave nectar, if desired
Lime wedges

Toss frozen cubes of kiwi and honeydew into a blender, using just enough limeaid to create a frothy liquid. Add a dollop of agave nectar for extra sweetness, if desired. Pour into your glass, add a wedge of lime, and enjoy.

Watermelon-Coconut Slushie
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
3 cups watermelon, seeded, cubed, frozen
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 cup coconut water
1 cup frozen watermelon juice or ice
Mint leaves

Mix all ingredients except mint in a blender until you get a smooth consistence. Add a few mint leaves and blend again just enough to chop them up, releasing the oils into your mixture. Pour and add a sprig of mint to each glass.

Lemon Mango Slushie
Serves 4-8
Ingredients:
2 cups mango, peeled, diced, frozen
Juice of 2 lemons
8oz simple-syrup ice cubes, plain or with lemon zest infusion

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Cucumber Pineapple Fizzy
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced
1.5 cups pineapple, cubed, frozen
2 cup coconut water
1 cup ginger ale or coconut seltzer
4 basil leaves, fresh

Bend all ingredients until smooth. Garnish with fresh basil, sliced cucumber, and/or a wedge of pineapple as desired.

Remember that any of these fruity concoctions may be  to create flavorful ice cubes, or poured into molds with sticks to create popsicle-style frozen treats. Adding chunks of extra whole fruit will give additional textures to tantalize the tongue.

Try your favorite flavor combinations with any fleshy fruits and see what your family and friends like best!

–Ann Cathey

Add Color to Your Diet

Break away from the American tendency to eat brown and white. Meat and potatoes are great in moderation, but you need something more to help maintain your health. Add color to your diet! When grocery shopping, be sure to put at least five different colors of produce in your cart. This is a handy way to ensure nutritional benefits for the coming week.

Some examples:

Avocados
Avocados are a creamy source of heart-healthy fats, as well as non-animal proteins.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain lycopene, the antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red coloration. Lycopene may help lower the risk of certain types of cancer. Tomatoes are also a great tasting source of vitamin C.

Oranges
Speaking of vitamin C, oranges are chock full of that immunity-boosting vitamin.

Grapefruit
While not a favorite on everyone’s list, grapefruit is not only a vitamin C bearing citrus, some research suggests that it may help to lower “bad” cholesterol.

Bananas
Everyone knows that bananas are a good source of potassium, but did you know they are also full of B6, a vitamin that helps your body convert food into energy?

Cantaloupe
Sweet and juicy, these melons are high in vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy eyes.

 

Use these examples to make wise choices in the foods you purchase and eat. Adding color to your diet will add not only appealing visuals, but an assortment of vitamins and minerals!

–Ann Cathey

Slow Cooker Recipes from Crock-Pot #5

I like to use slow cooker liners. Whenever I buy a box of them, there is invariably a little handout inside that includes a few recipes. They are great for folks starting out with slow cookers!

This sweet treat is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Apple Crisp
Cook time on Low: 4 hours
Cook time on High: 2 hours
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
6 cups apples, thinly sliced
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp flour
2 cups bread crumbs, softened
1Tbs cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 lemon, juice and zest

Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine apples, granulated sugar, flour, and lemon zest.
2. In another bowl, combine butter, brown sugar and bread crumbs.
3. In the stoneware, layer one third of the bread crumb mixture, then one third of the apple mixture. Repeat layers of bread crumbs and apples and finish with a layer of breadcrumbs on top.
4. Cook as preferred until bubbly.

Notes:
While the recipe above does not specify how to soften the breadcrumbs, a tablespoon or two of a sweet white wine, hard cider, or mead are on my list to try out.

A dash of vanilla may be added to increase the richness of the dish, if desired.

Choose your apples according to what end result you want. Golden Delicious will add to the sweetness and be softer. Granny Smiths will give the dish a tart dash and cook up a little firmer.

Pears, raspberries, and blueberries will each add it’s own flavor signature to this dish. Experiment and see which you like best.

Peeling the apples is entirely up to you. The best nutritional value is found in the skins, but we are talking about a dessert dish, after all.

Adding a tablespoon of wheat germ to the breadcrumb mixture is a good way to add additional roughage to dish.

Serve like a traditional apple pie: shred a little cheddar on top while it’s hot, and sidecar with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream. Think I am crazy? Try it and find out!

— Ann Cathey

Holiday Appetizers

Appetizers range from the simple to the decadent. They can act as snack food during the day, a lovely start to a meal, and finger foods for next day brunch.

Veggie Tray
A super simple and elegant snack offering takes a little effort and a decorative touch to sparkle during your holiday gatherings. Pick up a pre-made veggie or cheese tray. Simply lay out the veggies or cheeses on an attractive tray. Place a dip for the veggies or a mustard for the cheeses in a glass bowl in the middle of the tray. Using your own serving platter rather than the black plastic that usually comes with the party tray will have your guests thinking you went to more trouble on their behalf.

Simple Salads
Any salad that can be tossed together the day of your event is a quick addition to your meal plan. A harvest salad is a twist on the traditional green salad that is sure to delight. Toss together baby Romaine and spinach, dried cranberries, diced roasted butternut squash, thin slices of radish. This salad lends itself to the maple vinaigrette below. Prep everything the day before if you prefer and toss the salad with a dressing just before serving.

Maple Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together all ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use and refrigerate any leftovers.

Warm Chicken Salad
This appetizer or brunch offering is a warm and cozy touch of fall for your guests. As an appetizer, use chicken and apple. If you are serving this later in the weekend, you  might consider turkey and pear as a variation. Prepare your chicken salad as you usually do. Add a hint of Dijon mustard. Mix in chopped apple or sliced seedless grapes, broken walnuts and a drop of honey. For the turkey variation, use pear and pecan. Toast slices of baguette and top with a piece of lettuce. Add a scoop of the salad and serve.

Hope you all enjoy these these little suggestions on making your holiday gatherings more enjoyable for everyone.

–Ann Cathey

 

 

Blueberry Muffins and Beyond

Who doesn’t like a fresh muffin on a cool morning, hot out of the oven, maybe with butter or cream cheese stuffed inside to melt? Here is a recipe that makes fruity muffins simple and satisfying. I stole it from my daughter after trying her muffins!

Blueberry Muffins (basic recipe)
2 c flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter, melted
1 lg egg
3/4 c milk
1 1/2 c blueberries

Preheat oven to 350*F.
Combine dry ingredients.
In separate bowl combine wet ingredients.
Fold dry into wet until thouroughly mixed.
Fold in blueberries.
Spoon into greased or lined muffin tins.
Bake approx 10 minutes or until golden.

Blueberry Lemon Cherry Variation

For a lemon variation add 2 teaspoons lemon zest and 2 teaspoons lemon juice (or more to taste) to wet ingredients.

The pictured variation is blueberry, lemon, and chopped maraschino cherries with a half tablespoon of the cherry juice.

Crushed pineapple may also be added for a different taste sensation. A variety of berries may be substituted for the blueberries, or added to them. Strawberries, dewberries, and blackberries are all tasty variations.

For folks with certain dietary restrictions, these substitutions are also handy:
Milk = Almond Milk, or other non-dairy alternative
Butter = olive or vegetable oil
Sugar = Truvia or other sugar substitutes suitable for baking
Egg = Egg white or egg substitute

With so many possibilities, how can you go wrong?