Memorial Weekend Cooking

The first observance of Memorial Day was held on May 30, 1868, to honor soldiers killed in the Civil War. Today, Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday in May to honor all Americans who have given their lives during wartime. The event became a federal holiday in 1971.   

There are many ways, large and small, to pay tribute on this day to those who lost their lives and those missing in action: displaying a flag, writing a letter or contacting a family who has a missing service member or who has lost a loved one, attending a Memorial Day service/ceremony or parade in your area, and visiting a grave site. Be sure to check your newspapers for other events being held in your area.

                                        Red, White, and Blue Mixed Berry Salad

Cook's Notes: A light, flavorful salad that is perfect for your Memorial Day celebrations as a main lunch entree or dinner side. It's jam-packed with fruit, greens, candied pecans, diced cooked chicken, and cheese crumbles. It's totally customizable to your tastes. Only a bit of dressing was drizzled on the salad in the photo, so the ingredients were more visible. The ingredients for the salad are listed, with quantities depending on the number of servings required.

Salad Ingredients:

• Mixed greens
• Cooked chicken slices
• Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries
• Mandarin oranges
• Sliced pears
• Cheese or feta crumbles
• Candied pecans or walnuts

Salad Directions:

• Grill chicken or bake chicken ahead as well as the candied pecans.
• Mix up salad ingredients and drizzle with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons good-quality dark balsamic vinegar or Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3-4 teaspoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
• 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinaigrette Directions:

• Add all ingredients to a blender and mix well. Place dressing in a small covered jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, shake the balsamic vinaigrette and add salt and pepper to taste.

Candied Walnuts or Pecans
Ingredients:

• 1 cup walnut halves or chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

Directions:

• Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add the walnuts, butter, and brown sugar, and let them melt, stirring constantly with a spatula to coat the walnuts. Turn off the heat once the walnuts are coated and the butter and sugar are fully melted.
• Pour the walnuts onto a piece of parchment paper in one single layer, separating them to prevent them from drying clumped together.
• Allow to dry before putting in an airtight container.

STRAWBERRY MARGARITA SLURPE

Ingredients:

• 2 cups strawberry margarita mix
  
• 1 cup club soda
• 2 cups crushed ice
• Tequila 

OPTIONAL, but really makes it a party drink

• lime slices and fresh strawberries for garnish
• Sugar sprinkles
• 1 teaspoon corn syrup

Directions:

• Prepare glasses. Using your finger or a small paint brush just for food, brush corn syrup along the rim of the glass. Dip glasses in sprinkles and set aside.
• Combine margarita mix and crushed ice in a blender, and blend until the desired consistency. Add club soda and pulse just to combine.
• Pour into prepared glasses. For adults only, top with a shot of tequila. Garnish with fruit and enjoy.

Appetizers

shrimp served in small cups or shot glasses with sprigs of parsley 

fruit and cheese plate

Charcuterie Cups

Charcuterie Board

Skillet Cherry Sauced Pork Loin

Spring Marsh Flowers 

Cherry-Sauced Apple Pork Loins 

Cherry-Sauced Apple Pork Loins

A mouth-watering skillet dish with a perfect blend of flavors and textures. The cherry sauce can be made ahead and added to the pork loins following the cooking instructions below. The recipe is an Ever Ready special and serves 2. The sauce can be used over chicken, biscuits, pound cake, or shortcake.  The pork loin was served with smashed potatoes and a biscuit.

Ingredients:

• 2 pork loin pieces
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil 
• 4 thin slices from one Granny Smith apple 
• cherry sauce (recipe below) 
• pork rub seasoning (recipe below) 

 Cherry Sauce Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cherry preserves
• 1/2 package dried cherries
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup of onions sauteed in 1 tablespoon of butter
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth mixed with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch 
• 2 tablespoons of brandy or dry red wine

Cherry Sauce Directions

• Heat all ingredients in a saucepan except brandy or wine on low until thickened. Add in wine or brandy, mix well, and set aside covered. 

Pork Rub Seasoning

Ingredients:
Base blend

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons  smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

For a deeper, richer flavor add

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

For a little more spice add

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon  chipotle powder

Directions:

• In a medium mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, stirring to combine completely.
• If you like a blend that is a little has a richer, deeper flavor, add the chili powder and cumin.
• For something with a little more kick, add cayenne, red pepper flakes, or chipotle powder.
• For a richer, deeper, spicier blend, add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, red pepper flakes, or chipotle powder.
• Transfer to an air-tight container like a mason jar and store in a cool place.

Pork Loin Directions:

• Begin by patting the pork loin dry with paper towels. This step helps remove excess moisture, allowing for a better sear. Season the pork loin generously with salt and pepper, ensuring an even distribution of flavor. If desired, you can enhance the flavor further by adding a pork seasoning rub. 
• Select a heavy-bottomed skillet and heat the pan over medium-high heat with olive oil. Allow the oil to shimmer before adding the pork loin. Carefully place the seasoned pork loin into the hot pan. Sear the meat for 2-3 minutes per side, or until a golden-brown crust forms. This searing process not only adds flavor but also helps seal in the juices, resulting in a tender and moist pork loin.
• Once the pork loin is seared, reduce the heat to low. Top each loin with 2 apple slices and cover with the cherry sauce. Cook on low heat, covered, for 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.   

ON THE HORIZON-Memorial Weekend  Baking

Fishing Pole Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Your favorite cupcake mix

White frosting tinted blue-reserve some white frosting to create the squiggle line

Pretzel rod

Goldfish cracker

Directions:

Use the photo as your guideline

A Birthday Feast

 

PART TWO-Rhubarb Search 

On a trek up from the cities to the north, I finally found rhubarb (some 50 miles away) just in time for my husband's birthday pie. 

Follow the link to the recipe I used. https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/05/strawberry-rhubarb-pie.html

The pie paired well with a BBQ dinner served with a side of Chopped Mexican Salad for company.  

Cook's Notes: I added the dressing and tortilla strips right before serving. The salad pictured served six.  

Salad Ingredients:

• Mixed leafy greens
• Chopped cherry tomatoes
• Diced red onion
• Diced red and yellow mini peppers
• Chopped avocado
• Chopped cucumbers
• Drained and rinsed black beans
• Can of Mexicorn 
• Grated Cheddar cheese
• Southwest tortilla strips

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt 
• 4 tablespoons mayo or Miracle Whip
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin or Elote seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Dash of garlic
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons of water  

Salad Directions:

• Prepare the ingredients as listed and place them in a bowl. 
• Cover bowl with a sheet of wax paper and refrigerate until serving. 

Dressing Ingredients:

• In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Taste test to balance ingredients. Add only as much water as needed for the correct consistency. Place in a covered jar and refrigerate until needed. The dressing will last 4 days refrigerated.    
  
  
  

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