Strawberry Cobbler

 

Cook's Notes: I bought 2 quarts of strawberries, ready to make a strawberry rhubarb pie for my husband's birthday.

Seemed simple since it's mid-May and rhubarb is one of spring's first crops. I thought I wouldn't have any trouble finding it in stores. That proved to be a wrong assumption, as I called four local stores and none had rhubarb in stock. A neighbor who always has a prolific rhubarb patch did not either. It has been too cold. So I went with plan B and made a Strawberry Cobbler. 

Strawberries and a golden biscuit-like crust make for a sweet-tart, aromatic dish.
It will be a definite repeat, and it's the perfect springtime and summer dessert. A fresh-from-the-oven strawberry cobbler is one of my favorite ways to use in-season strawberries. The fruit absolutely steals the spotlight in this recipe, but the tender, biscuit-like topping doesn’t fall far behind. Serve warm with a big dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream, and you’ll win over eaters of any age.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• Grated lemon zest from a medium lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TOPPING:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
• 1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• Whipped cream or ice cream

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange strawberries in a greased 9x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar, flour, vanilla, and lemon zest; toss to coat. 
• In a small bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. A shortcut measure is to place the flour mixture in a food processor and pulse once. Place back in bowl and stir in cream just until moistened. Spoon the biscuit mix over the strawberries, then sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon on top.

• Bake until topping is lightly browned and filling is bubbly, about 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Other delicious ideas using strawberries 
Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar
Cook's Notes: A unique, gourmet way to serve this fantastic spring/ summer fruit! The balsamic vinegar brings out the berries' beautiful color and truly enhances their flavor. Great served with a simple pound cake, over vanilla ice cream, or on their own. The pepper really enhances flavor and gives the fruit a little zing. Chocolate balsamic paired with strawberries is amazing.
Ingredients:

• 16 oz. fresh strawberries, hulled, and large berries cut in half
• 2 tablespoons high-quality balsamic vinegar or Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions:

• Place strawberries in a bowl. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over strawberries, sprinkle with sugar, and stir gently to combine.
• Cover, and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour but not more than 2 hours. Just before serving, grind pepper over berries.

Strawberry Balsamic Sauce for pound cake or biscuits
Ingredients:

• 1 package (10 oz.) frozen halved strawberries in syrup, thawed
• 1/4 cup currant jelly
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3 cups fresh quartered strawberries, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1-2 tablespoons chocolate or regular balsamic vinegar

Directions:

• Drain thawed berries in a glass measuring cup.
• In a saucepan on the stove, add the drained juice, currant jelly, water, orange juice, almond extract, and strawberries.
• Add in cornstarch, and whisk to blend.
• On low heat, thicken the sauce and add in fresh strawberries.
• Remove the pan from the stove and stir in balsamic vinegar. Place the strawberry mixture in a bowl, cool, cover, and refrigerate until serving.

Spring for a Healthy Salad

First Wildflowers of Spring

Trailing Arbutus

Spring Beauty

Hepactica 

Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing with a few added twists. It's an Ever Ready Special featuring a lightened-up version of your favorite side dish! Made with fresh broccoli florets, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, bacon, and a tangy Greek yogurt dressing, this make-ahead salad adds the crunch of Asian noodles and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for your summer weekend entertaining. The recipe serves 4-6 and can easily be doubled. Allow 2 hours for the salad to be chilled. 

Blueberry Banana Oat Muffins were the perfect accompaniment for this spring salad. The recipe previously posted at https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2021/05/bluebery-banana-oat-muffin.html

 

La Choy Asian Style Crunchy Noodles are a delicious blend of wheat and rice flour that’s quick-cooked to a crispy golden brown, so they're always light and crunchy. Perfect for soups and salads or even alone as a light snack. They can be substituted for croutons in recipes.  
Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing
Ingredients: 

• 6 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• 3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• Asian-Style Crunchy Noodles-1 cup

Greek Yogurt Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup mayo
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Directions: 

• Whisk together dressing.
• Mix all salad ingredients except noodles.
• Add as much dressing as needed to moisten the salad but not drench it. 
• Refrigerate for 2 hours. Add in noodles right before serving. 
  

BE THE LIGHT

Celebrating Mother's Day

 Celebrating my mom, Mary Pat Lentsch (photo taken Christmas 2004)

Mother's Day, a day set aside to honor mothers, motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in spring.
Take time to thank your mom for her influence on your life's journey.
If you are a motherless daughter today, there are some ways to keep your mother's memory alive.

• Share stories and anecdotes about your mother.
• Wear your mother's favorite color -- a piece of clothing, nail polish, etc.
• Remember your mother's best advice and wisest sayings, follow, and share.
• Prepare your mother's favorite recipes, keeping her in your head and heart as you make and serve the dishes.
• Write something about your mother- a poem, a song, a recollection.
• Perform an act of kindness to honor your mother.
• Give to a charity in memory of your mother.

Some may have considered my mother a chocoholic. There wasn't a piece of chocolate she didn't like. She was tiny, weighing only 83 pounds. Her all-time favorite chocolate dessert was French Silk Pie from Bakers Square, but brownies came in at a close second, plus her supply of Dove Bars in the freezer kept her happy.

My mother liked to cook and try new recipes, and with eight of us she got in lots of practice. She always liked to try out some of her recipes in advance for upcoming bridge groups, which at one point numbered a total of 13!
So, in honor of Mom, I made this recipe as I know chocolate speaks to us all.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Icing

Cook's Notes: Imagine making a moist, chocolaty cupcake with a ganache topping and no mixer is needed. It's easy, tasty, and your day will rock with just one bite. 
cecipe from recipecritic.com and makes 10 cupcakes.
CupCake Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder e.g., Hershey's
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup coffee, cooled
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:

• 4 oz. heavy whipping cream ½ cup
• 4 oz. dark chocolate melting wafers or your preferred chocolate e.g. 1 bar Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate, broken into small pieces

Cupcake Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place paper cupcake liners in a 12 cup muffin pan
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together coffee and buttermilk. Whisk in the vegetable oil, then egg and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined.
• Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and fold into the liquid mixture. Add salt and sugar and whisk until a smooth batter forms.
• Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup and add batter to each of 10 cupcake liners.
• Bake 22-24 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and remove each cupcake. Set on a wire rack to cool completely. Add a sheet of wax paper under the cooling rack.
• Place cupcakes back into the muffin tin after icing. Refrigerate for one hour to have the icing set. 

Chocolate Ganache Directions:

• Microwave the cream in a heat-proof vessel for 50 - 55 seconds, watching it during the last few seconds to ensure it doesn’t boil over.
• Add the broken pieces of chocolate to a small mixing bowl and pour the hot cream over them. Allow it to stand for a minute or two, then whisk until the chocolate melts completely and the mixture is smooth. Let the ganache cool completely until it thickens but still pourable.
• The icing sets up fast, so only do 2 cupcakes at a time. Drizzle the ganache over the top and add sprinkles. Refrigerate the pan with the cupcakes for 30 minutes to set the icing.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Let's Go Fishing

Thousands of Minnesotans are set to officially put winter in the rearview mirror Saturday, May 8th, with the start of the 2026 fishing season. The opener, which is revered by anglers, is considered an official state holiday by those who participate — especially those who will hit the lake at midnight Saturday (the official start time) just to have a shot at a walleye. For many, it’s a family tradition like no other in Minnesota.
Fishing Advice
But with a chilly last few weeks, DNR has advice for those seeking walleye. "Those walleye are probably going to be looking for maybe a little bit warmer water, and so that's the place that anglers maybe want to think about targeting when they are choosing to go fishing. Protected bays and shallower waters may be your best options. The DNR also suggests using their online LakeFinder tool for the most detailed information on Minnesota lakes."

Ever Ready finds that a hearty Northwoods breakfast is the perfect start to a fishing weekend. 

Sausage Breakfast Casserole with Wild Rice   

Cook's Notes: 

 This hearty Midwest brunch dish is loaded with sausage, potatoes, wild rice, and cheesy goodness. It can be assembled the night before, making it easy to bake the next day. As a time-saver, make the wild rice and sausage ahead, and chop peppers, onions, and garlic. Refrigerate them separately until needed. 2 teaspoons of Elote seasoning can be substituted for parsley and Italian herbs, which adds more of a 'kick' to the dish. The recipe serves 4-6 and is an Ever Ready special.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced peeled red potatoes
• 1-1/4 cups cooked wild rice or a wild rice blend
• 1-1/2 cups cooked Sweet Italian Sausage, drained, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup each red and yellow mini peppers, diced
• 3/4 cup onions, diced
• 1 teaspoon each parsley flakes and Italian Herbs
• 4 large eggs  
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1-1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

• Bring water to a boil, add potatoes and cook 12 minutes until tender, drain.
• In a skillet, heat oil, add in diced peppers and onions. Sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add in cooked potatoes, sausage, spices, wild rice and 1 cup of cheese. Mix well and cook for 1 minute. 
• Whisk together eggs, milk, and seasoning in a blender. 
• Grease a 9 x 9 pan. Place the sausage, rice, pepper mixture on the bottom of the pan. Pour the egg/milk mixture evenly over the mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. 
• Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until eggs are set. Let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting.  

I plated the meal two ways for ideas-

One breakfast casserole with fresh fruit and an English muffin, and the other casserole with a mixed greens salad.  

Balsamic Grilled Cherries with Blueberries and Mixed Greens

Recipe adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com

Roasted cherries can be made ahead. 
Ingredients:

• 2 cups cherries, pitted and halved, or substitute frozen pitted dark cherries
• 2 tablespoons prepared lite Balsamic Dressing or 1-2 tablespoons dark balsamic vinegar (use good quality) 
• 3/4 cup prepackaged candied walnuts or pecans
• 8-10 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 1 pint of blueberries, rinsed and patted dry on a paper towel
• 2 cups sliced cucumbers
• 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
• Prepared Lite Balsamic Dressing to finish off the salad, or make your own balsamic dressing

Directions:

• Place the pitted cherries in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of balsamic dressing or 1-2 tablespoons dark balsamic vinegar to cherries and toss well. 
• Place cherries on a grill pan or tray, grill until tender, about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to occasionally turn cherries. Cherries can also be roasted in the oven at 400 degrees for 8 minutes on a parchment-lined rimmed sheet.
• Place roasted cherries on a paper towel. In a large bowl, add greens, grilled/roasted cherries, blueberries, goat cheese, red onion, sliced cucumbers, and candied walnuts. Drizzle with prepared balsamic dressing and serve immediately.

MAY THE FISH BE WITH YOU

Cherry Almond Cake

 Well, waking up to another brisk start to the day makes me wonder when spring is really coming to stay.

I was surprised to find at the store these lucious cherries so early in the season.  So I dug out my cherry picker 

and figured it was 

                                                    Cherry Almond Cake

This cake requires minimal effort to put together, less than 15 minutes of prep time, with NO MIXER NEEDED.  The perfect cake for your Mother's Day celebration.
Cook's Notes: For the cake:16-20 sweet cherries, pitted and halved, use 16 if the cherries are very large. You will need a cherry pitter or a long skewer to pit the cherries. The recipe was adapted from thecafesucrefain
Ingredients:

• 16-20 sweet cherries
• ½ cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
• ½ cup mild-flavored oil such as sunflower, grapeseed, avocado, canola, etc.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray. Set aside.
• Pit the cherries and cut each one in half (or quarters if the cherries are very large). Place a length of doubled paper towels on a work surface. Spread the cherries out on paper towels, then roll them up lightly to absorb some of the excess juice. Keep the cherries rolled up until ready to use.
• In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, and extracts until nice and smooth.
• Sprinkle the baking powder and salt over the top and whisk to combine. Add the flour and whisk just until incorporated.
• Add the oil and whisk well. Don’t worry, at first it will seem to separate, but keep stirring until smooth.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cherries, cut side down, over the top to within ½ inch of the sides of the pan.
• Bake for 25-27 minutes or until the cake feels springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. You can also use an instant thermometer inserted into the center of the cake to test doneness.
• Cool the cake on a cooling rack for 5 minutes; then invert it out of the pan onto the rack. Dust with powdered sugar, serve, and enjoy.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

 

Cook's Notes: Well, I was naive to think I had escaped the winter since the calendar does say May 5th, but WRONG! Up north, 32 degrees this morning. Where oh where did Spring go?

Moving forward with my original post for 

Let's begin with the fun part -a must for your celebration.

Margarita

Cook's note: The recipe makes 2 large glasses.

Ingredients: 

• 6 shot glasses of plain ( no alcohol) margarita mix ( I like to use Jose Cuervo) 
• 2 shot glasses of Tequila
• 1/2 shot glass Cointreau
• 1/2 shot glass Grand Marnier
• 1 tray of ice cubes

Directions:

• In a blender, crush ice cubes.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and blend till smooth.
• Dip the rim of the glass in lime juice and then into salt.

Since we need a warm-up here in the northern part of the state, I thought a bowl of  Chicken Tortilla Soup would be perfect.  This Mexican soup is a fairly recent incarnation. The soup is named for the fried corn tortilla strips used. It can usually be found on Mexican and Tex-Mex menus. Toppings for the soup include sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and homemade tortilla chips.

Cook's notes: The soup turns up the heat with a bit of a kick, loaded with Mexican flavor from Mexican salsa, cumin, and chili powder. Using a rotisserie chicken is a time saver. Prepared tortilla chips can be substituted for making your own.  
Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles with juice
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1/2 cup each mini sweet red and yellow peppers 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 32 oz. low-sodium chicken broth 
• 1 (7.76 oz.) Mexican salsa
• 1/4 teaspoon each cumin and chili powder 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups frozen corn or canned Mexicorn, drained
• 1/2 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro,  minced or parsley

Directions:

• In a large soup pot, saute onions and peppers in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes. 
• Add in the rest of the ingredients except lime juice and cilantro. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, uncovered. Add lime juice and remove the bay leaf before serving. Garnish with cilantro. 

Optional Homemade Corn Tortillas Strips

Ingredients:

• 7 small corn tortillas
• Vegetable oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil.
• Cut into strips and place on a baking sheet. 
• Bake until crisp, about 10 minutes.
• To serve, sprinkle crisp tortilla strips over the soup.

"Worries go down better with soup."

Jewish Proverb

Scrambled Egg Breakfast Taco with Smoked Salmon and a Tequila Sunrise

A delicious Sunday start to your Cinco de Mayo week 

Scrambled Egg Breakfast Tacos with Smoked Salmon 
Cook's Notes: Enjoy a delicious taco for breakfast or brunch to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Filled with healthy ingredients and loads of Tex-Mex flavor, this taco is definitely company-worthy. The recipe makes four tacos, but the ingredients can be easily increased to serve more. A sunrise cocktail with some fresh fruit is the perfect accompaniment to this meal.

Ingredients:

• 4 white corn shells
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup half and half or 2% milk
• 1 teaspoon Adobo (Mexican seasoning) or Elote seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup each of mini sweet peppers and onions
• 2 handfuls of torn spinach leaves
• 1 cup chopped pieces of smoked salmon
• 1 diced avocado
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
• A squirt or two of Sriracha sauce
• 2/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese or Mexican 4 Cheeses 

Directions:

• In a blender, mix seasonings with half and half or milk and eggs. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Wrap corn shells in foil and warm for 12 minutes.
• Melt butter in a frying pan, saute peppers, onions, and chopped spinach. Sauté until the spinach is wilted.
• On medium-low, add egg mixture, scrambling eggs until almost set. Turn off the heat and add in salmon pieces with chopped tomatoes. Mix well, adding a squirt or two of Sriracha to brighten the taste. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Divide the egg mixture among the four taco shells.
• Garnish each taco with sliced avocado and serve with a side of fresh fruit.

Tequila Sunrise Mimosa is quick, easy to make, and don't forget the paper umbrella, a must. 

The recipe is from www.gimmesomeoven.com/tequila-sunrise-mimosa/#more- 
and makes one drink. It's the perfect drink also for a Mother's Day Brunch. 
Ingredients: 

• 1 ounce tequila or mezcal
• Fresh lime wedge
• 4 ounces chilled champagne (or approximately half a glass)
• 4 ounces Florida’s Natural Orange Juice (or approximately half a glass)
• 1 splash grenadine
• optional garnishes: slice of fresh orange or lime

Directions: 

• Pour tequila (or mezcal) into a glass.  Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Pour in champagne until the glass is about half full, then fill the remaining glass (leaving a half inch or so of room on top) with orange juice. Add a splash of grenadine. Do not stir. 
• Garnish glass, if desired, with cherries, or add orange slices.
• Serve immediately while it’s still a little bubbly…and enjoy!