Happy Springtime everyone. Yes, this is the nicest time of the year—my favorite season!

BEST BANANA MUFFINS
This recipe was kindly sent in by Margie Hardy (Programme coordinator for older adults at Steveston Community Centre. She’s responding to my request for family favorite and have been baking this since 1981 and her son still requests it all the time. I tried it and it is Good! Thanks Margie.

Preheat oven to 375 degree.

Make topping first:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup granola or crunchy cereal
1/4 cup melted butter
Stir in small bowl and mash it up till crumbly.

Mash 2 ripe bananas and stir in !/2 cup brown sugar and 1 egg.

Add: 1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
4 Tbsp. melted butter
Fold dry ingredients into the banana and then fold in the melted butter.
This makes the muffin very tender.
Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, if you like nuts.
Put mixture in 12 muffin cups, sprinkle on the crumbly topping .
Bake for 15-20 minutes until brown and firm on top.

Trouble shooting cooking tips:

Apples. When using apple slices in a tossed salad or as garnish, dip in lemon juice or any other high-acid fruit juice to prevent them from darkening.

Bacon. To separate thin slices of bacon, simply roll the entire package crosswise before you open. The slices will separate in an instant.

Baking Powder. If baking powder picks up moisture from the air, it loses its leavening power.
To test the powder before using, mix a teaspoon in 1/2 cup water.If it bubbles furiously, the powder is still usable.

Bread: To slice homemade bread without squashing, pop the loaf in the freezer for a short while, until the bread is slightly firm but not solid. It will slice as thin as you like.

Cheese. The best way to keep hard cheeses that you’ve purchased in bulk for an extended period of time is to cut into smaller pieces and dip into hot paraffin wax. Rewrap and store.
Cutting thin slices from soft cheeses can be difficult unless you dip you knife in hot water before each slice.

Coffee: Make your instant coffee taste like perked. Boil for about 30 seconds , then turn off heat and let stand for a minute before serving.

Eggs: To find out how fresh your eggs are, place an egg in cold water. If it sinks, it’s fresh, If it bobs up at one end it’s fairly fresh. Stale eggs float.

Flour: Store a bay leaf in your flour to keep it insect free, or keep large quantities in the freezer.

Gravy: The trick to no lump gravy is “browned” flour. Place a little on a cookie sheet and brown in the oven. Store in a jar in your refrigerator until ready to use. It also gives a rich color to your gravy.

Honey: If your liquid honey crystallizes, remove the lid and place jar in a saucepan filled with several inches of hot water. Leave until melted.

Meat: To keep meat juices in your next roast or hamburger patty, do not salt before cooking.

Meat loaf: When you’re in a hurry, form meat loaf mixture into several small loaves. Bake in miniature foil pans or muffin tins. In about 15 minutes the meat will be cooked through.

Molasses: Measuring molasses needn’t be a slow affair. Begin by rinsing your measuring cup in cold water or brush the inside with vegetable oil. The molasses will be easier to pour.

Mushroom: Add a dash of lemon juice to the butter in which you’re sauteing mushroom to keep them white.

Onions: For tearless chopping, refrigerate or place onions in freezer for a little while before chopping.
Remove onion odors from hands by scrubbing with salt before washing.
If odor persists, rub hands with parsley or celery leaves.

Oranges: The white pith beneath the peel is bitter. If you drop the orange in a boiling water before peeling the pith will pull away with the rind much easier.

Pasta: Make pasta perfect by cooking in a very large pot of boiling water with a tablespoon of salt and vegetable oil added. Cook uncovered and stir often. Pasta is ready when medium firm.
Drain but do not rinse. If not serving immediately, return to pot .
Lightly coat with oil or butter to keep strands separated.

Puddings: To prevent skin from forming. press a piece of plastic wrap into the surface before refrigerating, but do not seal tightly.

Tea: Enhance the flavor of iced tea by adding ice cubes made from fruit juice.

Tomatoes: Drop into a bowl of boiling water to loosen skins, then immediately transfer to cold water before peeling.

I hope some of these suggestions will be of some value to you.  

This is the very first Community Kitchen, published in the March 1985 issue of The Bulletin.

This is a favourite dish for family dinners, parties or to order in a restaurant. Also it is not so formidable to make because you can buy ready-made wonton wrappers which are already rolled out into thin round sheets and save a lot of preparation time. One package yields approximately 36 wrappers.

GYOZA
(Fried Meat Dumplings or Kuo Tieh)
1 pkg.Wonton Wrap (approx 36 wraps)
1 Ib. ground lean pork (or half and half
with lean ground beef)
5 leaves of Chinese cabbage
(parboiled and chopped fine)
1 stalk of green onion (chopped fine)
1/4 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp. shoyu (soya sauce)
1/2 tsp. salt

Sauce:
3 tbsp. shoyu
1 tbsp. sake
3 tbsp. vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
several drops of chili oil (or tabasco sauce)
Some recipes suggest that you parboil Chinese greens or cabbage to soften it slightly but I find that no matter how well you drain and dry the cabbage it remains watery. Chop the cabbage quite fine and add chopped green onions. Combine with meat and seasoning.
Place about 1 teaspoon of the meat mixture on to the wanton wrap. Wet wraps top and sides, pull edges of wrapper toward centre, pinch pleat in a half-moon shape. Heat oil, medium heat, add gyoza and saute until the bottoms are brown. Add hot water to third height of the gyoza. Cover tightly and steam until the water has evaporated. Serve with sauce.
Sauce can be made has hot as you wish. And you can make your own interesting filling, such as adding water chestnuts, bamboo shoots or shrimps (dried or fresh). BON APPETIT!

From the March 1987 issue of The Bulletin.

HAPOSAI
8 Vegetables
These days it feels as if spring is around the corner. Maybe it is, but that bright sun can fool you, it’s often pretty brisk outside and how lovely it is to have something warm to eat for supper. Here Is a Japanese Beef Stew that I found quite tasty and easy to make.
1 Ib. lean beef, sliced thinly
or 1 Ib. of fried meatballs
2 green peppers, chopped coarsely
2 carrots in 1/2” slices
4 ribs celery in 1” lengths
2 onions, cut in 8 wedges each
1 tin tomatoes, 28 oz. or three ripe tomatoes cut in wedges
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. minced ginger
2 cups stock
4 Tbsp. shoyu
4 Tbsp. vinegar
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
Sauté meat or fry meatballs in the oil. Remove to a pot and stir fry vegetables one at a time and add to the pot. Add tomatoes, garlic and ginger. Dissolve cornstarch with the shoyu and pour into the boiling stock to thicken and season with sugar and vinegar. Pour the thickened stock into the pot of vegetables and meat. Bring to boll and serve with hot rice. You may adjust sugar and vinegar amounts to get a pleasant sweet-sour taste.
NOTE: You may substitute cauliflower, bean sprouts, broccoli, bamboo shoots etc. as you wish, and you may delete any of the vegetables indicated except bell peppers, tomatoes and onions which are essential to a good flavour.

CHOCOLATE CRUNCH
Plan to make lots of this! Even if you hide it, It’s sure to be found. Use any leftover melted chocolate in Fruit and Nut clusters.
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup crisp rice cereal
Coating: 4 Semisweet chocolate baking squares (1oz. each) cut up.
Mix peanut butter and corn syrup well in small bowl.
Add rice cereal. Work together.
Shape into log 1-1/4 inches diameter and 8 inches long. Chill.
Cut with sharp knife into 1/4 inch slices.
Coating: Melt chocolate in small saucepan over hot water, or on low, stirring often until smooth.
Do not overheat. Dip slice, pierced on fork, into chocolate, allowing excess to drip back into saucepan.
Place on waxed paper to harden.
Makes 32

CHOCOLATE CHERRIES
Fabulous! Have fun making your own. Will keep up to 8 weeks at room temperature. Chill if keeping longer.
60 Maraschino cherries with stems
Fondant: 2/3 cup marshmallow crème
2 Tbsp. hard margarine, softened
1/2 tsp. almond flavouring
1-1/3 cup icing sugar
Coating: 1 lb. tempered chocolate
Spread cherries on paper towel. Dry overnight.
Fondant: Beat marshmallow crème, margarine and almond flavoring in medium bowl until smooth.
Gradually beat in icing sugar. Turn out onto counter.
If too sticky, work in a bit more icing sugar.
Flatten 1 tsp. fondant (marble size), then mold and cover the entire cherry.
Coating: Melt chocolate in small saucepan over hot water or on low, stirring constantly. until smooth.
Do not overheat. Pour some of melted chocolate in a small narrow glass.
Place glass in a bowl of warm water. Holding cherry by the stem, dip the cherry in the chocolate and coat
completely. Allow excess to dip back into glass.
Place on waxed paper. Let set. Redip bottom if necessary to seal completely.
Let stand at room temperature for at least two days for fondant layer to liquefy.
Makes 5 dozen.

CHOCOLATE JELLY ROLL
For a simple look, dust roll with icing sugar or, to dress it up, ice with whipped topping.
4 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
4 tsp. warm water
Filling: Chocolate butter icing
3/4 cup butter (not margarine), softened.
1/4 cup boiling water.
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup cocoa, sifted.
Beat all 5 ingredients in a medium bowl until mixture lightens in color and texture.
Makes generous 2 cups.

Combine eggs, sugar and vanilla in medium bowl.
Beat well until thick enough to leave trail when egg beater is lifted.
Should be thick and mousse-like.

Sift flour and cocoa onto plate. Add to batter. Fold in. Add water. Fold together.
Turn into greased and waxed paper lined 10 x 15 inch jelly roll pan.
Bake in 450 degree oven for 10 -12 minutes.
A wooden pick inserted in centre should come out clean.
Turn out onto tea towel dusted with icing sugar, Remove wax paper.
Turn crisp edges. Rollup from short end with towel.

Filling: Unroll when cool. Spread with icing icing to edges.
Roll up without towel. Cut into 12 slices.

If whipped topping is used to cover the cake, chocolate curls to decorate a strip on top and perhaps strawberries around the sides of the roll.

Happy Valentines!

Mochi – 2 to 3 cakes per person.
Nori — buy the ajitsuke nori — flavoured nori in rectangular shapes.
You can use the big flat sheets and toast it to crisp it but don’t burn it, and cut it using scissors about 2 inches by 4 inches

I use a toaster oven and place the mochi on a small sheet of foil paper sprinkled with flour (to prevent sticking). I toast it twice and it mushrooms up and becomes crusty and a shell is formed. Some charring enhances flavour but don’t burn it. Takes about 5 to 8 minutes, If you don’t have a toaster oven use the broiler in a regular oven and keep it 4 to 6 inches away and watch it closely to the desired doneness.

To Eat: Wrap the nori strips around the hot, broiled mochi, dip it in 2 Tbsp Soya sauce and enjoy.
I add 1 tsp. sugar or brown sugar and mix it with the soya sauce (if you like it sweet).

SWEET POTATO MOCHI

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. mochiko
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1-1/4 cups brown sugar
1 can (13-1/2 oz.) coconut milk
1-1/4 cups water
2 cups cooked and diced sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon black sesame seed
Kinako (yellow soy bean powder)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease a 13 x 9 baking pan.
In a large bowl, sift mochiko, baking soda and salt.
Add brown sugar and and mix well.
Add coconut milk and water and mix well.
Fold in sweet potatoes; pour into prepared pan.
Sprinkle with sesame seed. Bake for 1 hour.
Cool and cut into 2 x 1 inch pieces. Coat each piece with kinako. Makes 54 pieces.

Hapa Seafood Chowder

Stock:
½ medium onion, coarsely chopped
½ carrot, coarsely chopped
¼ fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
1 piece kombu, about 3-4 inches long
1 cup bonito flakes, lightly packed
¼ teaspoon peppercorns
1 sprig parsley
½ bay leaf
4 cups water.
Bring this to a boil in a large pot, then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes, drain and discard the solids.

Cream sauce:
3 tablespoon butter
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
Melt the butter, add the flour and cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Gradually whisk in the stock, stirring quickly and cook over medium high heat until the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for a few minutes. Set aside

The fish:
1 Tablespoon butter
½ small onion, diced to about ¼ inch pieces
1 carrot, cut in ¼ inch dice
1 medium new potato, cut in ½ inch dice
½ pound firm white fish such as halibut, cod, snapper, cut in 1 inch pieces
½ pound sea scallops, cut in 1 inch pieces if needed.
2 tablespoon sake
2 teaspoon light soy sauce
½ cup whipping cream
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon shichimi powder
4 slices bacon, diced, fried until crisp and drained.

Thinly sliced green onions or chopped parsley, croutons
Melt the butter over medium heat and add the vegetables and sauté over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
Add the seafood and continue to sauté, moving the seafood gently for 2 minutes.
Add the sake, cover and continue to cook over moderate heat until the fish is almost cooked and the vegetables are soft—another 4-5 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water if it is too dry and sticks.
Add the seafood to the sauce mix, stir in the soy sauce, whipping cream, shichimi powder, salt.
Heat until hot, taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper (preferably white pepper), if needed.
Garnish the soup with the reserved bacon, green onions or chopped parsley, your favourite croutons.

I have been looking for Christmas baking and this time I am submitting a few new ones and some oldies. You have probably tried them  also, but I haven’t for a long time. Happy Baking!

BAKLAVA ROLLS
A friend, Reisa Schwartzman, brought these over for our Thanksgiving dinner and I thought they were so good and not as sweet as the diamond shaped ones I made before. I phoned her for the recipe to put into this column and she was in Chicago on business so I went in to the internet to get this but there were so many variation so I doctored it up and made it and it turned out very well so here it is.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30-45 minutes.
Ingredients: 1 lb. Phyllo sheets (frozen-454 Gm. pkg.) Thaw overnite in fridge.
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)

Filling: 1 lb. walnuts (or pecans or pistachio etc.) coarsely ground
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
Mix together in a bowl.

Syrup: 1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups sugar
10 whole cloves
1/2 lemon (juiced)
Combine water and sugar in pot and simmer over medium high heat until you get a thick syrup about 15 minutes or longer.
Remove from heat and add lemon juice and stir and cool. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Directions to assemble:
Brush bottom and sides of 9×13 pan with butter using pastry brush,
Place a well wrung tea towel on the counter and put the phyllo on top and then cover with another well wrung tea towel on top and keep it covered while working since the pastry dries up fast.
Carefully take one sheet of phyllo on counter and brush it with butter.
Place the next pastry on top and butter it. Third layer butter and sprinkle the filling sparsely on top.
Take one end and roll it as tightly as possible to the end
Place it in the pan with the ends on the bottom. Brush with the butter on top.
Repeat with the rest of the pastry and place in pan touching each other.
Bake in preheated oven 30 to 45 minutes until nicely browned.
Reisa cut hers in 4 pieces and called it Baklava cigars but I cut it into eight pieces (little bites)
Pour the slightly cooled syrup over the rolls.
You may sprinkle finely chopped pistachio nuts on top (I didn’t).
*It sounds complicated but it’s worth the time.

ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Alice Bradley kindly submitted this recipe and she said it is very good and easy to make.

1 orange, zest only
½ cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoon cornstarch
6 ounces bitter sweet, good quality chocolate
Remove only the orange zest from about ½ of the orange using a paring knife or vegetable peeler. Chop coarsely and put in food processor with the sugar and process until finely chopped. ( if you do not have a processor, grate the zest using a micro plane or grater, you should have about 2 teaspoon zest.
Beat the butter with the orange sugar until fluffy. Mix in the cornstarch and flour. Divide the mix into 2 and form each into logs about 1 ½ inch in diameter. Wrap in wax paper and chill at least 1 hour.
Slice into ¼ inch slices, place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until slightly brown on the edges. Let cool 5 minutes and remove from cookie sheet onto a rack.
Melt the chopped chocolate over hot water until melted. Let cool, keep slightly warm by placing bowl on a warm cloth. Dip part of each cookie in chocolate, remove any excess on the bottom and place on wax paper to chill. Store in tightly sealed container in a cool place or fridge.

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
My son’s mother-in-law Lynn Debou brought it over for our twins grandaughter’s 1 st birthday and it was very tasty so here it
it is and so easy to make.

1 cup rice krispies
1 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
2/3 cup peanut butter
vanilla to taste

Mix the above together and roll into 1 inch balls. Put icing sugar on your hands since it is sticky.
Melt 1 or 2 square semi sweet chocolate and dab it on top and place a sliced almond on top.

MARINATED PORK LOIN
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 small onion, grated
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root OR 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4  cup light soy sauce
2 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon firm-packed dark brown sugar

In a small bowl, combine oil, onion, ginger, lemon rind, garlic and soy sauce.  Stir to mix well.  Set aside.

Place pork loin in glass bowl. Pour soy mixture over pork and turn to coat evenly.  Cover and marinate overnite in the refrigerator.
Remove pork from marinade; drain well
In small bowl, combine wine, honey and brown sugar. Stir to mix well.
Place pork in shallow nonstick pan, pour wine mixture over top. Turn meat to cover all sides.
Roast at 375  degree F for 25 to 30 minutes or until meat’s internal temperature reaches 170 F. Remove from oven and let rest  Slice and serve.
Serve with steamed rice and snow peas.
Makes 5 servings.

Sesame Cucumber Salad
6 mini cucumbers ( 6-7 inches long)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon Mirin
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon freshly roasted sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon shichimi powder
Slice the cucumbers in 1 inch pieces
Make 5 cuts into each piece but not all the way through so it looks like an accordion. This allows the seasoning to penetrate the cucumbers in a short time so the cucumber stays crisp.
Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, mirin, sesame oil until well mixed. Pour this over the
cucumbers, mix and let sit while the sesame seeds are being prepared.
Roast the sesame seeds in a dry fry pan until it is golden but not burned.  Grind the sesame seeds in a suribachi until it is powdery.  ( You could also grind it in the mini bowl of a food processor ) Add the shichimi powder and mix.
Place the cucumbers in a serving bowl , sprinkle the sesame/shichimi  mix over the top and serve.

SALMON GOHAN
2 cups rice
2 cups water
1 small can salmon
2-3 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
2 medium carrots, cut small and boiled

Cook rice as usual
Just when the water is gone from the top of the rice, mix remaining ingredients and spread on top of of the rice.
(I add it on the last 15 minutes on the rice cooker)
Turn heat down and steam for 15 minutes
Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes
Mix and serve,     Makes 4-5 servings.

I received this on my e-mail and would like to pass it on.

KEYS TO KEEPING BERRIES FRESH
Raspberries in particular seem like they mold before you even get them home from the market.  There’s nothing more tragic than paying $4.00 for a pint of local raspberries , only to look in the fridge the next day to find that fuzzy mold growing on the sides.

An excellent tip on how to salvage berries that are starting to lose their lustre.
Wash them with one part vinegar and 10 part water (white or apple cider).
Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around.
Drain; rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted, I find that you can’t taste the vinegar) and pop in the fridge.

The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit and voila! Raspberries will last a week or more. I’ve had strawberries (local ones) go almost two weeks before getting moldy and soft. So go forth and stock up on those pricey gems knowing they’ll stay fresh as long as it takes for you to eat them.

Remember this tip for next year!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

CARROT PUDDING
I thought you may want to try this carrot pudding for your Thanksgiving dinner.  It’s been a favourite at our table for the past few years. It’s delicious!

Put in Cuisinart:
2 lbs. carrots cut into small pieces
1/2 cup margarine
3 eggs

Puree the above and add:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda

Put in greased baking dish uncovered and bake at 350 degree oven for one hour

BAKED ZUCCHINI STICKS
1 pouch Shake’N Bake extra Crispy Original Coating Mix
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water
4 zucchini, cut crosswise in half, then quartered lenthwise
1/4 cup refrigerated Ranch Dressing

Heat oven to 400 degree.
Mix coating mix and parsley on plate. Beat egg and water in shallow dish with fork until well blended.
Dip zucchini sticks in egg, then in coating mixture, turning until evenly coated.
Place in single layer on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake 20 min. or until crisp tender and golden brown.
Serve with dressing.       Makes 8 servings.

BLUEBERRY and WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK SCONES
3 cups flour
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. Sugar in the Raw.(Turbinado Style Golden Sugar) divided
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. milk, divided
1 egg beaten
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 cup blueberries
1 pkg.(6 squares) Baker’s white chocolate, chopped

Heat oven to 375 degree F.
Mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add 3/4 cup milk, egg and zest, stir just until mixture forms dough.  Stir in blueberries and chocolate.
Divide Dough in half.  On lightly floured surface, pat half into 7-inch rounds.  Cut each round into 8 wedges.  Place on baking sheet.  Brush with remaining milk.  Sprinnkle with remaining sugar.
Bake 25 min. or until golden brown

Note:  Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI LOAF
1 egg
1/2 cup Miracle Whip Dressing
1 -1/2 cups grated zucchini
1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350 degree F.
Beat egg and dressing in large bowl with whisk until well blended, stir in zucchini.  Mix remaining ingredients in separate bowl. Add to zucchini mixture, stir just until moistened.
Pour into 8 x 4 inch loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake 50 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 min.
Remove from pan to wire rack.  Cool completely.    Makes 16 servings.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I hope you enjoyed our great summer!

It’s been 10 years since my inaugural Community Kitchen Column and I hope I have brought you some recipes that you have enjoyed. I have asked for your submissions of your favourite family recipes but have received very little response. To those who have shared their recipes, I am eternally grateful.

If you can e-mail me what category of recipes you like to see in my column, I would really appreciate it.

FUKUJINZUKE
Recently I have made some fukujinzuke (I make it every year at this time of the year when vegetables are in season) and it’s so nice to have a jar in the fridge, even if it’s a little bit of work.

Cut 12 cups of vegetables in small pieces: daikon, carrot, beans, eggplant, cucumbers, zucchini, gobo (some people use celery, cabbage cauliflower and renkon as well). Put in a large container and add 1/4 coarse salt and mix it up.  Put weight on and leave it overnight.

Following morning, drain the liquid on a strainer and leave it for a day.
In the evening, make a syrup of 1-1/2 cup soya sauce, 1-1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup vinegar, grated ginger and red pepper seeds and konbu cut up  and sesame seeds. Bring to boil and add the vegetables  and heat for 2 minutes. let it stand in the syrup overnight and in the AM  drain again reserving the syrup. Let it drain for the day and repeat with syrup, bringing it to boil and adding the vegetables.and cook 2 minutes.. Repeat this process for two more days. On the fourth day bring it to a full boil and pack into steilized jars.  Seal. (I seal it in a 350 oven for 20 minutes. Makes 6 – 1/2 pint jars.

I ran out of jars so I froze them in a ziplock bags after it cooled and it’s the same result.

Enjoy!

I recently received some great interesting advice on my E-mail and I am passing it on to you.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
I didn’t know that!

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.

For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!!  Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!

Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm.
This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg.
Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size.
You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

No More Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don’t dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2 inch with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants  
Put a small pile of cornmeal where you see the ants.  They eat it, take it ‘home,’ can’t digest it, so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don’t have to worry about pets or small children being harmed. (It worked in our church’s basement kitchen.)

ANGEL FOOD CAKE SUMMER DESSERT
Angel food cake cut up bite size (bought or baked)
1 QT. canned peach or large tin of canned peaches
1/2 cup sugar
1 box small peach jello (I substituted orange jello when I couldn’t find the peach jello)
1 pkg. of Knox gelatin
1 regular can of evaporated milk
1 tub large light Cool Whip
Bring peaches and juice with sugar to boil.
Add 1 box of peach jello
1 pkg of gelatin dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water first.
Add to peach mixture and cool
Whip the evaporated milk which was cooled overnite in the freezer.  This helps to whip it.
Fold the whipped cream with the peach jello.
In a buttered 9 x 13 pan, put a layer of the angel cake and pour half the peach mixture over and repeat with the next layer of cake and the jello mixture. Refrigerate overnite.
Next morning, smooth Cool Whip on top and refrigerate.

PINEAPPLE AND BANANA DESSERT
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup melted margarine
Press crumb mixture into 9 x 13 oan. Bake at 350 deg.F for 8 min.  Cool.
1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs
2 cups icing sugar
Beat margarine till soft. Add sugar and beat in eggs until fluffy.  Spread over crust.
4 or 5 bananas
1 – 15oz. can crushed pineapple (drained)
1 large tub Cool Whip (light)
Slice bananas into thirds, lengthwise and arrange over icing mixture.
Top with Cool Whip. Sprinkle with sliced almonds or nuts or grated chocolate.
Chill.
Delicious.

FRUIT FANTASY PAVLOVA
1 cup (250 ml) Naturegg simply egg whites well shaken
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp each salt and cream of tartar
1-1/3 cup fruit/berry or extra fine sugar
Custard:
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp fruit/berry or extra fine sugar
1 Tbsp.corn starch
1 Naturegg Omega3egg yolk
1 Tbsp margarine
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
Fruit:
3 cups mixed berries or chopped seasonal fruit
2 Tbsp fruit/berry or extra fine sugar
1 Tbsp margarine melted
1/4 cup mint leaves
Line a large baking sheet with wax or parchment paper.
Place a 10 inch springform ring on the sheet.  Beat together egg whites, vanilla, salt and cream of tartar until foamy.  Beating constantly on high speed, gradually beat in sugar, by the spoonful, until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Scrape the egg mixture into the ring so that it comes halfway up the sides. Smooth the top.  Set in the centre of a cold oven; set the temperature to 250 F.  Bake for 2 hours to 2-1/2 hoursor until crisp on the outside but still soft in the centre.  Run a knife around the edge of ring.  Turn off the oven, let meringue cool completely in oven. Remove the springform ring; gently peel meringue from the paper and pick off any loose crumbs.Custard:  Meanwhile, whisk together milk, sugar ,corn starch and egg yolk in a saucepan set over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 7 minutes, or until thickened.  Stir in margarine and lemon rind. Let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until chilled.

Fruit:  Toss together fruit, sugar, margarine and mint.  Garnish the meringue with the fruit leaving an exposed circle in the centre; spoon custard into the centre.  Serve immediately.  Makes 8 servings.

This is a spectacular, eye-appealing dessert.

Have a great time at Powell Street Festival!

Alice Bradley has sent me these following recipes and I am grateful.  She says, “I made the ribs and they were good with the unusual ingredients being the stout to tenderize the ribs first and the espresso powder in the sauce. If you don’t have espresso powder, I think you can use instant regular coffee granules.”

BARBECUE SPARERIBS
4 lbs. baby back ribs, either whole or cut into 2-3 rib pieces

Rub mix:
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons cumin
1 -1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 tablespoon black pepper
Mix the spices together and rub over the ribs. Place ribs in non corrosive pan or freezer bag and marinate for few hours or preferably overnight.
Place the ribs on a rack in a large baking pan. Use 2 pans if necessary.
Add 1 can or bottle of Guinness stout. Cover the pan tightly with foil wrap and bake at 350 degrees F for 1-1/2  to 2 hours.
Remove from pan, discard any drippings, Barbecue the ribs with the following sauce:
1 bottle  Bull’s Eye barbecue sauce (or use your favorite barbecue sauce if you prefer)
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon espresso powder
Mix these ingredients together and brush over the ribs and barbecue over moderately hot flame until the ribs are browned and nicely glazed. Keep brushing with glaze as the meat browns.  Serve immediately.

CORN, BEAN AND TOMATO SALAD
Alice writes that she made this corn salad last weekend for a large party and everyone liked it and some asked for the recipe.

1 pound green beans, cooked until tender crisp and then blanched in ice water to chill. Drain and cut in 1 inch pieces.
1/2 pound frozen edamame, boiled for a few minutes according to instructions on package and drained,
6 -7 ears of corn, boiled until tender, cool slightly and cut the kernels off the cob. I guess you could make it with frozen corn, using a tender variety of corn.
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1-1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Dressing:
1/3 cup finely chopped basil
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste (at least 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Add more if needed.)
Combine the corn, green beans, edamame, red onion and cherry tomatos in a large bowl.
Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the vegetables, toss and chill.
Garnish with a few tomatoes and parsley sprigs.

BLUEBERRY ORANGE BREAD
With blueberry season coming up, thought you might like to try this.
This makes an excellent 2 large  or 4 small loaves  and it is so moist and light. Freezes well too.

4 cups flour
1-1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 cups blueberries, (if using frozen blueberries, keep frozen until it goes into the batter)
3 tsp. orange peel (optional)
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups orange juice
4 tbsp. oil

Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup melted or soft butter

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Generously grease and flour 2 large or 4 small bread pans.

With a spoon, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, soda and orange peel. Carefully fold in frozen or fresh blueberries.  Add lightly beaten eggs, orange juice and oil.  Mix carefully so as not to break blueberries.  Pour into prepared pans.

Mix all topping ingredients well by hand or with an electric beater.  Sprinkle on top of bread and place pans in preheated oven and bake 50 minutes for small pans; 1 hour and 15 minutes for large.  Check with toothpick and continue baking until pick comes out clean.