JUNE'S HOLIDAY CRANBERRY SALAD

Last Saturday we went to the funeral of a dear friend's mother, June. We never personally met her, but after listening to her four grandchildren talk about their experiences with her, I wish we had. She sounded like a really fantastic wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Her oldest granddaughter, our friend Mike's daughter, reproduced one of June's favorite recipes and had copies for everyone attending the service. Yesterday I made the salad.

It is so delicious, I wanted to share it with you while you still had time to make it before tomorrow and Turkey Day. It's one of those congealed salads though that you won't want to just have it on Turkey Day. 

I did use sugar free cherry and raspberry jell-o to cut down on the sugar.

Click here for a printable version of just the recipe.

JUNE'S HOLIDAY CRANBERRY SALAD

1       small (4-serving size) cherry jell-o
1       small (4-serving size) raspberry jell-o
2       cups hot water
1       (14-oz) can jellied cranberry sauce 
1       (16-oz) package frozen sliced strawberries, thawed
1       (20-oz can) crushed pineapple in its own juice

In a large mixing bowl, empty jell-o packages and add the hot water.

Whisk for 2 minutes to dissolve the jell-o.

Mash the cranberry sauce with a fork.

Add the cranberry sauce, strawberries, and crushed pineapple with juice to the jell-o mixture.

Stir.

Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 - inch glass pan. Refrigerate til congealed. (Will take several hours)

CHERRY PUFF

I am still making the dessert for Friend Fran whenever she hosts a gathering of us friends. It gives me another opportunity to make something new to share here with you and besides I really do enjoy the baking. Last Thursday she hosted our canasta group. I didn't have to look through but a couple of recipes before I decided to make this Amish Cherry Puff. It was contributed by Mrs. Dan J. Helmuth in the Country Cooking by the Amish of Buchanan County, Iowa cookbook.

I have seen (and cooked quite a few of them) many recipes that start with a can of pie filling spread in a pan and then a batter poured over the top and then baked. While that might look like what this recipe is, trust me it isn't. The "batter" produces such a light tasting cake - with a hint of an angel food cake taste. The ladies commented how light it tasted. I did use a cherry pie filling but Mrs. Helmuth says you can also use blueberry, apricot, or your favorite pie filling.

Click here for a printable version of just the recipe.

CHERRY PUFF

1       21 - oz can cherry pie filling
2       eggs, separated
dash of salt
1/4    tablespoon cream of tartar (3/4 teaspoon)
1/3    cup sugar
 6      tablespoons flour
1/2    tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Separate egg yolks and egg whites.

Beat egg whites til foamy.

Add salt and cream of tartar;

beat til stiff.

Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored.

Add sugar and

beat again. 

Fold yolk mixture into whites;

add vanilla.

Fold in flour.

Pour pie filling into a 1-1/2 quart casserole. (I checked my approximately 7 x 11 - inch casserole dish by pouring 6 cups of water in it. It filled the dish.)

Pour batter on top of the cherries.

Bake approximately 40 minutes. 

(MADISON COUNTY'S) ORANGE NUT BREAD

I just love "orange" bread just about any way you make it. I saw this recipe for Orange Nut Bread in a cookbook called Recipes of Madison County from the Movie Bridges of Madison County I was flipping through one day at the thrift shop (HPC Thrift Shop) when things were really slow. As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to make it so I copied the recipe down.

I made the bread last Saturday at 7:30 in the morning. Friend Janice and I were meeting mid-morning to go to the Annual Kansas City Symphony's Homes of Note Tours (Three houses decorated for Christmas - always beautiful homes) and really wanted to have it to take to church Sunday morning to share with the other "ringers". We played "Let There Be Peace on Earth" and "Because He Lives" at the 8:00 and 10:45 services. I haven't made them anything and brought to share when we played since we started back up this year and wanted to surprise them. We met at church Saturday night at 6 to set up the tables and all so we didn't have to get to church until 7:15. Way too early! The youth had the church's Annual Turkey Dinner Saturday from 3 to 7 so after we finished setting up everything, I joined friends and had an early Thanksgiving dinner. I was hoping to get a taste of the Peach Crumble Pie I made, but it was all gone. Not really surprised, but I was still hoping.

Anyway, this Madison County Orange Nut Bread was not a disappointment. It made a nice big loaf (9 x 5) so I had some left for us to enjoy at home. I followed the recipe except I added 1/8 teaspoon orange oil. 

Click here for a printable version of just this recipe.

ORANGE NUT BREAD from Madison County

3     cups flour
1     cup sugar
1     tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2  teaspoon salt
1     large egg
3/4  cup milk
3/4  cup orange juice
1/4  cup oil
2     teaspoon lemon juice
1/8  teaspoon orange oil (optional)
1     teaspoon orange rind (I use dried orange peel)
1/2  cup chopped pecans
2     tablespoons orange juice
1     teaspoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 5 x 3 - inch loaf pan.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl with a whisk; make a well in the center. Set aside.

Combine egg, milk, orange juice, oil, lemon juice, and orange oil in a smaller bowl and beat with a whisk.

Add egg mixture to flour mixture and

stir just til moistened.

Fold in orange rind and pecans.

Pour into pan and bake for 1 hour or until done when checked with a toothpick. (I had to cook mine 65 minutes.)





Meanwhile combine the 2 tablespoons of orange juice and melted butter in a small bowl. Set aside. 

Cool in pan for 10 minutes on wire rack.

Run a knife around the inside edges and then turn out onto wire rack.

Pick loaf several times.

Brush across the loaf the orange juice/butter mixture.

Wrap in foil and cool completely.

I left it wrapped until the next morning before slicing to take to my friends.






My friends were surprised and really enjoyed it.

EASY BEAN AND BACON SOUP

Hard to find two things that go better together than a bowl of soup and a cold winter day. Technically it isn't winter yet, but the last few days have felt like autumn is over and winter has arrived. Crazy watching it snow when our maple trees still have leaves on them. Anyway, feeling that way meant I just had to try this Easy Bean and Bacon Soup. I have changed the recipe to say 1 - 2 cans of beans. My husband doesn't like a "soupy" soup. By that I mean, lots of liquid. We decided it definitely could have used another can. I'll let you decided how many cans you want to use.

Taste really great!

Click here for a printable version of just the recipe.

EASY BEAN AND BACON SOUP

1 - 2     15-oz cans of Ranch beans or mild chili beans
1           8-oz can tomato sauce
1          15-oz can chicken broth
1/2        small onion, chopped
1           teaspoon Morton's Nature Seasoning
6           slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Combine all ingredients except bacon in saucepan or soup pot.

Bring to a boil.








Reduce heat to simmer and simmer 15 minutes. (I covered the pot with its lid.)

Cook bacon while soup is simmering.







Add bacon when ready to serve. Serve hot. (I just added to the bowl of soup and then put the rest in the refrigerator until we heated the soup up for leftovers. I also heated up the bacon bits in the microwave and tossed some on top in each bowl.)

You can mash up a few of the beans to make a thicker soup, if you like. I did 3 or 4 spoonfuls.

ALL AMERICAN PEACH CRUMBLE PIE

Saturday our church had it's annual Thanksgiving Dinner and over 400 people were fed. This is the major fundraiser by the youth for youth activities for the next year. I volunteered to make two pies - one Sugar-Free or No-Sugar-Added and one fruit pie. For the No-Sugar-Added pie I made the Apple Cranberry Pie I shared several years ago here. I thought I would make something new for the fruit pie and found this recipe for All American Fruit Crumble Pie in the Quaker Bake It Better with Quaker Oats cookbooklet I bought recently at an estate sale. Published in 1994 it has over 50 favorite recipes from Quaker Oats. The best 50 cents I have spent in quite a while. 

The recipe said you could use apple or peach pie filling. I decided to use the peach pie fillings since there would be plenty of apple pies brought. The note for the recipe said, "There's no guesswork with this easy pie crust, and the end result tastes just an oatmeal cookie!" I must admit by the time we went to the dinner, all of the pie was gone, but I did ask the dessert lady about it. She asked if it had cranberries in it. When I told her it did, she said she didn't eat any of it, but her friend did and said it was very good. Guess I'll just have to make it again for us. It looked delicious if that means anything.

Click here for a printable version of just the recipe.

ALL AMERICAN PEACH CRUMBLE PIE

Crust:
1     cup oats - quick or old fashioned, uncooked (I used old fashioned)
3/4  cup flour
1/2  cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, melted (I used butter)
1/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar

Filling:
2     21-oz cans peach pie filling (can use apple for an apple crumble pie)
1/2  cup dried cranberries (1/2 cup raisins if using apple pie filling)
1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:
1/3  cup oats - quick or old fashioned, uncooked (I used old fashioned again)
1/4  cup flour
1/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar
3     tablespoons margarine or butter, chilled

Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Lightly grease or spray a 9 - inch pie plate.

For the crust:

combine dry ingredients; mix well.

Add melted butter;

mix well.

Press mixture evenly onto bottom and sides of prepared pie plate.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. (I did cook mine 15 mine.) Cool slightly.

For the filling:

combine all ingredients; pour into prepared crust.

It help distribute the cinnamon, I sprinkled half of it (1/4 teaspoon) over the peaches and folded it end and

then added the other half along with the dried cranberries.

Pour filling into prepared crust.

For topping:

combine dry ingredients; mix well. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.

I grated the butter and

then used my fingers to work it in with the dry ingredients.

Sprinkle evenly over the filling.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes until topping golden brown. I did place the pie on a cookie sheet in case it spilled over has it baked - which it did.

Serve topped with whipped cream, ice cream, or frozen yogurt, if desired.