Joy in the Kitchen!

For dinner we had Turkey Vegetable Soup.  From our Co-op basket I used:  squash, potatoes, celery and a little tomato.  Turned out yummy!  It's one of those dump and stir recipes.  Never turns out the same way twice. We are also using up the last of our strawberries.  They taste so good fresh I hate to make them all into jam or freeze them!  So as a side for dinner we had strawberries with fresh yogurt dip.  I used about 1 C. of plain yogurt, 3 T. brown sugar & a dash of vanilla.  Mix it up a few minutes early so the sugar has a chance to dissolve.   We used homemade yogurt that I made from dry milk - no fat at all.... tasted terrific and healthy to boot!  Can't beat that!

This post is in keeping with my challenge to myself of using my Bountiful Baskets produce.  You can see the list of items (loot) received, HERE . Sunday, from our basket we used: Strawberries - both as fresh fruit with dinner AND as Strawberry Shortcake for dinner Mango - cut two for the fruit platter with dinner Celery and tomato - topped our Hawaiian Haystacks Those cute little mandarin oranges just keep getting eaten as snacks.  Boy are they good! Monday we had: Steamed Artichokes ....   following directions alot like THIS ... only I skip the lemon. Sliced Mexican Squash stir-fried with a little onion and olive oil Oven Fries using the potatoes We are eating good!  So much of that produce is wonderful prepared simply. You can find the recipe for Strawberry Shortcake HERE .

I grew up with a different version of Strawberry Shortcake that any I've seen.  I much prefer it - I'm sure partly because that's what I grew up with.  I've noticed that other people just slice and sweeten the berries, some use a glaze, such as Danish Dessert , to slice the berries into. If my berries aren't very juicy, I might add a package of prepared Danish Dessert to the mixture.   Mom made a wonderful One Egg Cake to use as the shortcake - it is coarser than regular cake.  My recipe for that is written on a 2x2 inch, faded pink, grease stained, Post it Note. LOL!  Tiny writing, probably the closest thing to write on when I called Mom on the phone for the recipe.  The recipe itself must be old.  It calls for the cake to be baked in a "moderate oven".  Mom told me that would be about 350 degrees.  :o)   Anyway - the cake is terrific for Strawberry Shortcake .  I've never tried using it for anything else.  We always had home grown strawberries.  T

A few months ago a friend alerted me to Bountiful Baskets food co-op.  Boy do I owe her a good turn!  Every 2 weeks I get to pick up a laundry baskets worth of fresh fruits and vegetables.  That basket is heaping full every single time!  I pay $15 (plus a little handling fee) for this pleasure...  and it IS a pleasure!  (The picture above is 2 baskets worth) The next 2 weeks I'm going to track on here how I'm using my produce from this basket.  I'll list what I received today.  A lot of our produce we just eat simply - sliced apples, steamed broccoli, mashed potatoes, etc.  If I use it in a recipe to share - I'll post that here as well.  (Such as tomorrow we're having Strawberry Shortcake - I'll post my recipe for our method of that & the recipe for the cake we use.) This week I bought 2 baskets.  One basket is supposed to work for 4 people - we keep running short by the time the second week rolls around.  Some items need to be used right away,

Several days ago I started craving these wonderfully tart and tangy Lemon Bars!  I was a good girl for DAYS and didn't make them.  (I could eat way to many!)  However, I have an activity tonight that I can take a treat to share!  Hooray!  I can make a batch of Luscious Lemon Bars and have lots of people to share them with! Usually chocolate is my sweet of choice.  But these lemon bars just seem like a terrific celebration of spring!   Luscious Lemon Bars Crust: 2 cubes butter, softened but still cool 2 C. flour 1/2 C. powdered sugar Mix butter, flour and powdered sugar together until crumbly.  Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Cool slightly. Filling: 2 C. sugar 4 eggs 5 T. flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 C. fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest  (optional) Beat together until well mixed.  Pour over top of the baked crust and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still hot.  Cool, cut

Wacky is a fun term to use for this deliciously different chocolate cake!  Wacky Cake is heavier than regular chocolate cake... gives you something to bite into.  The texture is similar to the One Egg Cake Mom used to make - or maybe a little lighter than shortcake.  I don't know when my Mom started making Wacky Cake, but in doing a little research, rumor has it, that Wacky Cake could have been popular during the depression because it doesn't use eggs or milk.  It was quite a treat when I was growing up - and SUPER easy to make!  I've also seen this same recipe called Crazy Cake or Egg-less Cake.  Personally I like Wacky cake the best.  :) The directions call for mixing this cake right in the pan you're baking it in, eliminating having to wash a mixing bowl.  If you'd rather mix it in a mixer the results are the same.... AND you can lick the bowl without any fear of salmonella from raw eggs.  (not that I let that stop me on other batters HA!) Last week was spring