Grannie Annie's Blueberry Buckle

When my husband was a kid his family had a summer place not far from a wild blueberry patch. He and his siblings would go with buckets and picnic lunch and come back with sticky faces and overflowing bounty. They had so many berries that his mom had to get creative to use them all up, in salads, pancakes (of course) and this summer favorite. 

I’ve never been able to visit that wild blueberry patch but our farmer’s market gave us the next best thing with 5 and 10 lb. boxes of Michigan blueberries available the past couple of weeks. Bliss! Eleven months of the year, blueberries are my least favorite grocery store fruit – small, sour and priced like gold. Thank you, my blueberry-loving neighbors who offered to split a box! It felt decadent to have more fresh, ripe berries than we could possibly eat.

Why is this a “buckle?” I think the batter is supposed to buckle in the middle after rising as it bakes, although this recipe actually kept its shape pretty well. It’s similar to coffee cake, but we had it as dessert.

This makes a 9x9 cake, or double the recipe for a 9x13 or 10x13 pan. The batter is very thick (kind of like cement – don’t worry, you didn’t leave out anything).  If you have one, use a stand mixer with flat beater attachment, switching to a wooden spoon to fold in the berries.

Grannie Annie’s Blueberry Buckle

Cake

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup shortening

1 egg

½ cup milk

2 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 cups blueberries

Mix sugar, shortening and egg. Add milk. Sift dry ingredients and then mix into wet. Blend in berries. Pour mix into a greased 9x9 square pan. Sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Streusel Topping

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

¼ cup Oleo [J copied from original recipe – you can use butter or shortening]

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix all ingredients until crumbly [use a pastry blender/pastry knife if using cold butter] and sprinkle onto buckle.

Asparagus Three Ways

This was one of our Easter side dishes. Isn’t it fabulous? 

 

The kids didn’t care much for the charred outsides, although that just left more for the adults. The grilled prosciutto turns into a crisp, thin crust of intense salty flavor wrapped around the sweet juicy spears. YUM. 

Look for a grocery store that keeps fresh asparagus upright (tips up) with stems on ice or in water. Some asparagus is thick and some thin, but the larger ones are not tough or old; just a different kind. Try to use asparagus within a day or two of purchasing it. 

You should trim the tough bottoms of the asparagus spears before cooking. To tell where the “tough” part starts, choose one spear and bend it near the bottom. Where the tip is tough, it will bend, but where the crisp, fresh part of the spear starts it will snap. The snap point is more or less where you want to trim the whole bundle. 

Grilled Asparagus (With and Without Proscuitto)

My husband's technique. Heat grill to high heat. Wrap prosciutto around end of spears if desired. Coat all of the asparagus spears with olive oil. Sprinkle with some kosher salt. Cook over direct heat for about 5 minutes, turning twice with tongs until done.

Asparagus My Kids Will Eat (steamed, with butter and lemon juice)

My mom’s recipe. Use a large (12 inch) skillet, large enough that the stalks can lay flat on the bottom. Put asparagus flat in the pan. Add about ½ inch water (it’s going to mostly steam, so you do not need to cover the stalks.) Cover pan and turn heat to high. Don’t leave the kitchen – I don’t have a trick for how to tell when it is done other than to test after about 4 minutes. You should be able to test doneness by poking one of the spears somewhere near the middle.

Blanching: Who are we kidding? I do not have a blanching lifestyle. But if you want to keep the bright green color after cooking, Google that term for more info. 

Put a couple of paper towels on a large plate and use tongs to remove the asparagus from the hot water onto the plate. Allow to drain for a few seconds and remove damp towels. Season: butter (about ½ tblsp), lemon juice of half of a lemon and kosher salt to taste. Any leftovers are good chopped and cold in a salad for tomorrow’s lunch (also my mom’s tip.)

Vegetarian Lasagna (with tofu "ricotta")

I’m not a plan-ful cook by nature. Some weeks I buy everything for most of the week’s meals, but I probably wouldn’t have many new recipes to post if I didn’t allow myself to be creatively sidetracked by an ingredient demanding to be included in dinner. This time it was a bargain package of yellow squash picked up at the co-op grocery, and fresh spinach (also bargain-priced). We had a half-bag of those little colorful bell peppers that needed to be used too. I was thinking maybe Indian for the veggies, and had picked up some potatoes just in case, but my co-cook mentioned vegetable lasagna and then while back out shopping on an empty stomach I discovered grated cheese and mushrooms on sale. So lasagna went on the menu.

Inspiration credit goes to Pioneer Woman, who used yellow squash in her veggie lasagna, and a couple of vegan websites that describe how to substitute tofu for ricotta. Unlike the vegan cooks, I did add cheese and egg to the tofu. No one – not even my pickiest eater – could tell that it was not ricotta. Next time I’m going to try soft tofu, drain it better, and see if I can get the same tasty results without the extra cheese mixed into it.

just out of the oven

Weekend Vegetarian Lasagna

for the vegetable saute

4-5 medium yellow (summer) squash, chopped

Yellow/red bell pepper (about equivalent of one medium pepper), chopped

About half an 8-oz package of mushrooms, chopped small so that children won’t notice them

1 small onion,chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp oregano, dried

¼ tsp fresh oregano

½ tsp rosemary fresh

½ tsp dried marjoram

2 hands-ful of fresh spinach, chopped into small pieces

Saute everything until soft, roughly in the order listed here. Add the garlic about 3 minutes after the other vegetables, don’t add spinach until last 60 seconds of cooking.

tofu mix

Package of firm tofu

3 cloves garli, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp dried marjoram

1 egg

¼ cup grated dry parmesan

¼ cup fresh parmesan/Italian cheese mix

Salt

Pepper

Drain tofu. Use a mixer / stand mixer to blend everything. Seasonings are approximate – I tasted as I went.

everything else

Package of barilla no-boil lasagna noodles

1 jar spaghetti sauce (32 oz.)

8 oz. package grated low-fat mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375. In a lasagna pan (8x13), put a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom.

-          Add a layer of noodles.

-          Press ½ of tofu mix on noodles.

layering . . .

-          Spoon on half of the vegetables.

-          Spoon on about 1/3 of remaining spaghetti sauce.

-          Sprinkle on about 1/4  of the mozzarella.

-          Repeat all layers.

-          Add top layer of noodles.

-          Add remaining sauce.

-          Add remaining mozzarella and some parmesan.

Cover with foil and cook about 50 minutes. Remove foil and allow cheese on top to get a little brown, about 5-10 more minutes.

Very enthusiastic reception from the young diners, with only a little quibbling over the mushrooms. Makes 2 generous meals for 4 people.

a little fresh oregano garnish

Udon Noodle Stirfry with Tofu

This weeknight dinner was inspired by a visit to Chinatown for dim sum, and the discovery of $.45 udon packages at the Asian market there. I had never cooked with udon before, but it easily found a spot on our list of yummy easy Asian meals. The kids really liked this. 

I used sake because we had it, but most of the Japanese noodle recipes I saw called for mirin, which is a rice wine condiment similar to sake. The sake added a flavor that is noticeably different from the usual marinade I use for stir fry.

Tamari or reduced-sodium soy sauce would be healthier substitutes for the soy sauce. 

 

Udon Noodle Stirfry with Tofu

19 oz. package firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes

2-3 cups broccoli, chopped

½ large or 1 small red bell pepper, sliced into short, thin strips

Several dried mushrooms (reconstitute in boiling water for several minutes, then chop)

1 onion, chopped

¾ cup fresh green beans, chopped

2 – 7 oz. udon noodle packages (I found it in the refrigerator section of the Asian market – vacuum-packed cooked)

Oil for frying (peanut would be ideal but not necessary)

Marinade for tofu

1/4 cup sake

2 tablespoons soy sauce

About ½ tsp. grated ginger root

1 tsp cornstarch

Sauce

1/4 cup sake 

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated ginger root

2 tsp sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

If not using fresh udon, prepare dried udon according to package directions and put aside. Combine tofu marinade ingredients and pour over tofu. Allow to sit at least 5 min.

Heat wok or large skillet/frying pan over med/high or high heat. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons oil for cooking. When oil is hot, add tofu. Cook and turn, allowing the tofu to develop a golden crust. When done, remove tofu from pan and put aside (in warm area if possible).

Add more oil to the pan and add the vegetables. Longer-cooking vegetables (green beans) can go in first for more even cooking. Watch heat and continue to cook until vegetables are almost done. Lower heat to medium. Add the noodles and the sauce, stir and cook for about 30 seconds, then cover the pan and allow to keep cooking another 2-3 minutes. If mixture is looking dry, add a small amount of water or more sake/soy sauce (~2 to 1 ratio). Stir everything. Add the tofu back to the pan and stir gently to mix.

Serves 4 generously

Five Fave Products of 2011 + bonus recipe

Apparently I am not that adventurous in this category. While I tried lots of new spices, not many new-to-me convenience products made it into my cart last year. These five products are new "pantry staples" in the Stuff kitchen. Let me know in comments - what make-life-easier cooking products have you found lately? 

5. Black salt


Hmm, maybe this is a spice and doesn't belong on this list. But I wanted an excuse to rave about its deliciousness. I bought this on the Indian spice tour with Anupy Singla, and when I got it home I couldn’t remember what I was supposed to do with it. I believe I found its highest calling when I bought my favorite new kitchen gadget of 2011: the Whirley Pop. Black salt makes the best buttered popcorn you’ve ever tasted. Crazy-expensive in the gourmet aisle, so look for this in an Indian market or on Devon Avenue.

4. Flavored, diced canned tomatoes 


I was snooty about this product when I first saw it in the grocery store. I worried that the flavor would be odd or artificial tasting. I was completely wrong – good stuff, great to have on hand to add quick flavor to a dish when you don’t have the time to season and simmer yourself. The ingredients on the label are, yay, all things that sound like food. 

Tomatoes, tomato juice, sugar, salt, dried onion, dried celery
dried bell pepper, calcium choride, citric acid, natural flavors

3. Food in a tube: Garlic 

Like pretty much every one else in the world, I bought jarred minced garlic as soon as it was introduced. I’s not bad stuff, it’s just not fresh garlic. This pureed garlic in a tube has a fresh garlic taste and bite. 

2. Soy Chorizo


I’ve been disappointed often enough (veggie hot dogs: need I say more?) that I don’t experiment much with meat substitutes beyond meatless burgers. But chorizo has such distinctive spices and we like it so much that Tom decided to give this a try. I’ll have an upcoming blog post with more about this piquant, spicy ingredient, but for a quick meal - sauté it with some onion until cooked (maybe 5 min.), then add some beaten eggs. The kids loved it as taco filling.

1. Food in a tube: Basil 

Dried basil is not a bad thing, but it doesn’t taste like fresh basil at all (not even freshly bought from Penzey’s.) This stuff does. I substituted it for basil pesto (along with a hunk of parmesan rind) in minestrone and no one noticed the difference. Love.

Food-in-a-tube Flounder (aka Italian-style Flounder with Garlic and Basil)

2 thin flounder filets (defrost if frozen)

1 roma tomato chopped fine (or diced canned tomatoes, above!)

About 1.5 inches of fresh garlic in a tube

About 1 inch of basil in a tube

About 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh if you have it)

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350. Place filets in a baking dish and cover with the chopped tomato. In a small container, use an immersion blender or whisk to mix together the garlic, basil, lemon juice, and oil. Pour over the fish. Salt and pepper the flounder to taste. Cover and bake 20-30 minutes, depending on thickness of filets, until fish can be easily flaked with a fork.

Dinner-Time Egg and Vegetable Casserole

This one-dish meal started with an easy-enough thought – baked eggs with vegetables. Sounds simple enough, but I couldn’t find a version that worked for all of us. I started out with broccoli quiche: too rich for family dinner, and the kids didn't really care for it. Next I tested crustless versions, eventually arriving at a recipe that dramatically reduced the amount of cheese that had been in the first, over-the-top fat-laden pie, but the kids never really warmed to it.

This fall I experimented with the classic rectangular “casserole” shape, adding more vegetables and the sautéing step. The happy accident of the cauliflower (I was a little short on broccoli that day) tipped this into the keeper category. Sautéed cauliflower is sweet and nutty, adding tons of flavor. It does tend to disintegrate, and used alone it wouldn’t stand up to the eggs and cheese, but as a little grace note of flavor it was lovely.

This makes 6 generous main-meal servings, and could stretch to 8 if served with salad and bread, so don’t be put off by the full dozen eggs. 

Dinner Time Egg and Vegetable Casserole

12 eggs (or 6 eggs and equivalent 6 eggs, Egg Beaters substitute)

½ brick (4 oz) Neufchatel or low fat cream cheese

Generous splash (about 2 tablespoons) 2 percent milk

About 1/2 inch squeeze of garlic from tube (or 1 clove garlic chopped fine)

Salt and pepper

Oil for sauteeing

1 medium waxy potato, peeled and diced

2 ½ cups fresh broccoli florets

¾ cup fresh cauliflower florets

1 carrot, peeled, diced

1 medium onion, diced

½ tsp. marjoram

¼ tsp. thyme

½ tsp. Penzey’s Herbes de Provence (or increase marjoram and thyme)

½ to ¾ cup grated cheese (for the top). I used a low-fat Mexican blend, but I think something with more intensity, like a better-quality sharp cheddar, not pre-grated, would have been better.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the vegetables in the following order: Potato until starting to brown a bit. Lower heat slightly and add onion, carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add broccoli and cauliflower and the herbs. Cook until broccoli and cauliflower are about half cooked.

Note: If you prefer a more appetizing green color, steam the broccoli separately until partially cooked, then blanch in cold water. I sacrificed color for the sautéed flavor.

Meanwhile, spray a 9 x 13 glass casserole pan with oil. In a bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and cream cheese to eggs and mix (I used a whisk, then immersion blender, because I am lazy, but a stand or hand mixer would probably get a fluffier outcome.) Add the garlic, salt, and pepper. 

When vegetables are partially cooked, put them in the casserole dish. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Sprinkle top sparingly with the grated cheese. You want enough cheese to get a hint every couple of bites, but don’t coat the top like pizza.

Cook uncovered for 25 minutes, until casserole is puffy and top is brown.

Squash and Black Bean Taco Filling

I haven't been blogging much lately. Or cooking much. Is it the change of the weather? The cold that has dragged on for weeks? Or did I mention it’s NaNoWriMo? (National Novel Writing Month. I’m, um, behind on my word count. ‘Nuff said.)

The boys adore Mexican-inspired food and they would eat beans with cheese and sour cream several times a week if it was offered. This evening the idea was to maximize the wonderful healthy ingredients – black beans, fresh vegetables – and make it so flavorful the kids wouldn’t ask for the sour cream and cheese (yeah, not happening yet. I’m raising the Dairy Council’s biggest fans.) Nothing especially original here, just the familiar flavors we all like mixed and matched with the fresh produce of the season.

The kids had this on soft corn tortillas, but it was also good served low-carb style, plain in a bowl.

Squash and Black Beans Taco Filling

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon ground pepper

1 small or ½ large butternut (or other hard-shelled) squash, peeled and diced in small pieces

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

About 2 tablespoons jarred salsa

1 small can tomato sauce, divided

(Hot sauce or cayenne, optional)

In a large skillet or saucepan, saute onion, garlic, and bell pepper about 2 minutes over medium low heat, until just starting to soften. Add cumin, oregano and pepper and stir to coat. Add squash pieces and continue to sauté until the outside of the squash is starting to soften. Add the diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, salsa and half of the tomato sauce. Stir and cover. Cook on medium-low heat until squash is soft but firm (time will vary depending on how small the pieces are – 15-20 minutes.)  If mixture is too dry, add more tomato sauce. If mixture is too soupy, remove lid and stir more frequently. The filling should end up thick and lumpy, with squash pieces cooked but firm and holding their shape.

Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with taco shells or tortillas and other taco toppings like lettuce, tomato, sour cream, scallions and grated cheese.Serves 4 (generously as taco filling, adequately served alone.)

Why do I end up with photos like this? Anyway, there is taco filling under all that lettuce.
And look, evidence that children actually will eat the green stuff!

Ratings: The kids gave this two thumbs up, although they started out a little iffy about the squash in the mix. I thought it was a bit carb-heavy with the tortilla, and might leave out the corn next time.