Thanks to Jeanne Valentine-Chase for this week’s recipe of the week.  Jeanne received a $25 Hammertown Gift Card for her Spring Rhubarb Coffee Cake when we first published this recipe (2009) because it’s not only made with fresh, seasonal ingredients but also because it’s an old family recipe she got from her Mom!

This is one of my favorite spring/summer recipes from a tattered and well used paperback cookbook (“Ways to Use Your Bundt Pan”) given to me by my mom about 35 years ago. As the daffodils and tulips bloom, our rhubarb plants are ready for pies, cakes and sorbet.
– Jeanne Valentine-Chase

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda mixed with 1 tsp vanilla to make a paste
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb

Topping:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream well butter and sugars and then egg. Beat until fluffy.
Add salt. Alternately, add buttermilk and flour then add baking soda/vanilla paste.
Stir in rhubarb.
In a separate bowl, blend nuts, sugar and cinnamon for topping mixture.
Pour 1/2 batter into greased and floured 12 cup bundt or tube pan or two loaf pans. Add 3/4 topping mix; pour in remainder of batter and then rest of topping mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until cake tests done.
Cool in pan(s) for 15 minutes and then gently turn out on wire rack to complete cooling.

This was the first postwar cookie to appear in Gourmet (in 1945), which makes it momentous. Moist, chewy, and sweet, they will remind you of something your grandmother might have made for the holidays.

And speaking of holidays, The Gourmet Cookie Book is available at Hammertown and would make a wonderful gift for that baker you love!

Ingredients:

• 14 Graham Crackers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-3/4 cups chopped dates
• 1 cup broken walnut meats
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Crumble 14 graham crackers (1 ½ cups) fine (in 1945 they would have used a rolling pin and wax paper — today your food processor would do nicely) and mix with the salt and baking powder.

2. Add chopped dates and walnut meats.

3. Beat 3 eggs well and gradually add the brown sugar, then beat in the first mixture of dry ingredients.

4. Pour into a well-greased square 9″ baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

5.  Cut while warm and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 3 dozen square bars

CLICK HERE FOR THE SWEDISH GINGER COOKIE RECIPE

Click to get the recipe and pattern

It includes the crowning of St. Lucia (with a crown of lit candles…and it’s scary because in Lindsborg the candles are real!).  She is usually the eldest daughter of the family.

This is followed by a parade down Main Street to the Swedish Lutheran Church (where I used to go) where there’s lots of Scandinavian food…including these Ginger Cookies.  In the old days, the aforementioned daughter would bring a tray of these cookies and coffee to everyone in the household on St. Lucia Day morning.

This recipe is from Edith Carlson and appears in our town’s cookbook, Measure for Pleasure. It was a gift from my late mother and is the most cherished cookbook I own.

You can add grated orange rind, ground clove, nutmeg or cinnamon to this recipe as well.  I especially love the cookie pattern included in the recipe!  (It’s in the shape of a pig…pork is popular at Christmas time!)  As you can see in the photo on the right…you can have fun with all kinds of shapes…making it a great baking project to do with your kids or grandkids.

Click the image on the left to get a PDF of recipe and the pattern.

God Jul!

Set oven to 400 degrees

Ingredients:

• 7 to 8 tart apples (macoun, granny smith, empire)
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 2 TBL all-purpose flour
• 1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• Pastry for 2-crust 9″ pie…(I recommend Pillsbury pie crust in a box…found in refrigerator section…it’s really good!)
• 2 TBL butter. cut up into tiny pieces

Directions:

1. Pare apples and slice thin. Combine sugar, flour, spices and salt and mix with apples.

2. Roll out one package of pie dough and place over pie plate to extend about 1″. Fill with apple mixture and dot with butter. Adjust top crust and trim to about 1″ over the rim. Tuck the edge of the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp the two together with your fingers. Sprinkle top with sugar for sparkle.

3. Bake in hot oven 50 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the juices begin to bubble out. Serve warm.

See?  Easy!

Ingredients:

• 6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (3 cups)
• 5 TBL plus two cups sugar
• 5 tsp cinnamon
• 3 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tbl vanilla
• whipped cream, optional

YIELD: 10 servings

Note: this cake can also be made with peeled, pitted and sliced peaches.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine the apples, five tablespoons of the sugar and the cinnamon and set aside.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar into a bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the oil, eggs, orange juice and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until well blended.

4. Drain the reserved apple mixture of excess moisture.

5. Spoon one-third of the batter into a greased 9″ or 10″ angel food pan. Make a ring of half the drained apple mixture on top of batter, taking care not to have any apple touching sides of pan.

6. Spoon another third of the batter over, making a ring of remaining apples and top with remaining batter. Bake one and one-quarter hours, or until done. Cover top with aluminum foil if top begins to overbrown.

7. Allow to cool to lukewarm in pan before turning out onto a serving plate. Serve immediately, with option whipped cream.

Nana’s Chicken Soup with Matzoh Balls

This is an “historical” recipe, taught to me by my mother-in-law and now I’m teaching it to my children and grandchildren. It’s already become a tradition with my granddaughter’s to help me make the matzoh balls…they love it!

CLICK HERE TO GET THE RECIPE

Joan’s Matzah Caramel Crunch or “Matzah Crack”

If  it’s Passover it must be time for Matzah Caramel Crunch, or as my family lovingly calls it, MATZAH CRACK.  You just can’t stop eating this stuff! This recipe has been a “friends and family favorite” for years and it’s so easy to make.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE RECIPE!

This scrumptious and very clever recipe comes from Doris  Cassar.   It has become a favorite at her and her husband’s annual Oscar cocktail party.  We especially love the final glamorous touch of  gold dragées on each cupcake.

It seems particularly fitting for us to feature DORIS’ recipe as it will be a “Doris” kind of night at the Oscars this year.  The incredibly talented and gorgeous Doris Day will finally be receiving her long overdue Oscar (for Lifetime Achievement).   And Doris Cassar will be receiving a $25 Hammertown Gift Card for sharing her recipe! — Auntie M

My husband Rick and I host an annual Oscar cocktail party, which we actually call “The Coveted Lefty Awards,” (for reasons only our closest friends understand.)  There are ballots to be filled and prizes to be won. The competition can be pretty fierce.

Each year we attempt to serve a witty yet delicious menu inspired by the best picture nominations. With a total of 10-this year presents a real challenge. Some highlights from my 2010 menu are:  Gruyere and bacon AVITARts (mini quiches) and A SEROIUS MANwich (pulled pork sliders.)

These tasty, glamorous cupcakes are always a winner for best sweet treat!

Red Carpet Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1 ounce red gel food coloring*
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cupcake Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
3. In another bowl, beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins, filling each cup about 1/2 way. Bake in the oven for about approx 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 8oz cream cheese (softened)**
• 8 tbl butter-1 stick (softened)
• 4 c sifted 10x
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp orange flower water-or to taste (optional)***
• sanding sugar, gold dragees (optional)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth.  Add the sugar and on low speed, combine.  Mix at high speed until light and fluffy.

Frost cupcakes generously with cream cheese frosting.  Accessorize with some fabulous sanding sugar and gold dragees. Thank the Academy and enjoy!

*For maximum color brilliancy, I prefer the gel food coloring to powders or drops.
**For a smooth frosting, be sure your cream cheese and butter are at room temp.
***I think this gives the frosting a light, “dressed up” flavor.

Makes approximately 24 cupcakes

The bars seem healthy enough, but quite high in sugar and really, when there are that many ingredients, I start to wonder.  I couldn’t help but think that a homemade alternative would be much-appreciated in my household.  Furthermore, the activity itself sounded like something I could easily do with my kids…a bonus for any multi-tasking parent…and the $1-$1.99 price tag on these babies would not be missed in the slightest.

Google lead me to numerous recipes where I found one I liked  (http://enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com/2008/06/homemade-cliff-bars-no-bake.html).  I made a few minor adjustments and went to town. I’ve made these fabulous homemade “clif” bars numerous times and there is plenty of room for variation depending on tastes, allergies and whatever you may have in the pantry.  The key is to keep dry and wet ingredient amounts consistent with the original recipe.  I double this recipe which for me yielded 16 bars.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups puffed rice or puffed wheat cereal
• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal or almond meal)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dried fruit (e.g., raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, etc.)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped nuts (preferably roasted or toasted)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (optional but they seem to stick a bit better with sugar)
• 1/3 cup nut butter (e.g., peanut, almond, cashew, soynut)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Combine the cereal, oats, flaxseed meal, dried fruit, and nuts in a large bowl.

2.  Bring the honey and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat (I have used agave nectar for part of the honey/syrup but never used entirely agave), stirring constantly; remove from heat.

3. Stir in nut butter and vanilla until blended.  (I leave on heat but lower the temp while adding the nut butter and stir until all smooth)

4.  Pour nut butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until all dry ingredients are coated (mixture will be stiff).  The nut butter mix can be hot at first so check temp and then feel free to let the kids mix and squeeze with their hands in order to incorporate the two mixtures together.

5.  Press mixture firmly into an 8-inch square pan (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) using a large square of wax paper. Use a larger 9 x 12 pan or 1/4 sheet pan if doubling).
The kids love to partake in this step as well.

6. Cool in pan. Cut into whatever size bars are needed in your house.

Wrap bars in wax paper if being eaten soon (they will keep like this for a week or so) or wrap bars tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.  If storing in the refrigerator, take out and bring to room temp before eating.

White Cake:

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 (9-inch) diameter by 1 1/2-inch deep layer pans buttered and bottom lined with parchment or waxed paper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
2. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Combine egg whites, milk and vanilla extract.
4. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to butter mixture then add half the milk mixture. Continue to alternate beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scrape bowl and beater often.
5. Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth top with spatula. Bake cakes about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn over onto rack, remove paper and let cool completely.

Easy Fondant:

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
• 1 drop of blue food coloring

1. In a large bowl, stir together the shortening and corn syrup.
2. Mix in the salt and almond extract, then slowly mix in the confectioners’ sugar until it is a stiff dough.  If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. Otherwise, knead by hand.  If the dough is sticky, knead in more confectioners’ sugar until it is smooth.
3. Split off 1/3 of completed fondant to preserve white color.  Add 1 drop of blue food color and knead into remaining 2/3 of fondant. Blend and mix blue & white fondants to obtain 3 different colors.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
4. To use, roll out on a clean surface that has been dusted with confectioners’ sugar until it is 1/8 inch thick .
5. Cut into triangular strips for icicle shapes.

Assembly:

1. Fill cake with white buttercream or cream cheese frosting
2. Cover outside of assembled cake with light coating of frosting
3. Drape icicles on and over top and sides of cake
4. Pipe buttercream with small tip in between icicles.

Barry and his wife, Rosey, make this favorite family (and friend) recipe very Christmas and it is absolutely delicious.  It makes a big batch.  Barry cooks it in a deep, buttered and floured rectangular pan (about the size of a roasting pan).  You can also use French Pani Molds  (available at Hammertown).

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks) *Rosey uses 1-1/2 and Barry uses 2
• 2 cups strong coffee
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cups raisins
• 1/2 tsp orange peel, finely grated
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 3 cups King Arthur’s Flour
• 2 heaping tsp. baking soda

Directions:

1.  Combine all ingredients EXCEPT flour and baking soda in a saucepan and let mixture come to a boil.  Cool thoroughly.  (Barry does this first step at night and then lets it cool overnight)

2.  After mixture is cool, preheat oven to 275 degrees.

3.  Sift the baking soda into the flour and stir into boiled mixture, and thoroughly mix.  Pour into prepared pan, and spread evenly.

4.  Bake for 1 hour or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.