The Passing of the Wild Black Raspberry

I especially like black raspberries or blackcaps as my grandma called them. One of the things I loved about staying at my grandparents’ northern Michigan farm in the summers was picking and eating berries, especially blackcaps. Grandma and I would go to the woods to pick blackcaps. Grandpa had a more agricultural approach. He planted a large variety of raspberries - red, black and purple. I liked to help him pick those, too! I don’t know how much they appreciated my help though. I had a tendency to eat a good bit of what I picked.

On our West Virginia farm, I have educated my husband and son to not mow down the berries – black raspberries, blackberries and elderberries. It is to their benefit also, since they like jams, pies and homemade wine.

This has been a good year for berries. I haven’t been able to pick berries for several years, so I was eager to pick the black raspberries around our home. Then I went to look around the neighborhood for more. My husband and son had been telling me that there were lots of berries on the ridge. I was very disappointed that I could hardly find any wild black raspberries other than at home. There were quite a few blackberries waiting to ripen. And there were these weird hairy red brambles, that I didn’t recognize.

My son had picked some strange shiny, sticky raspberries by his cabin last summer, that we never did identify. Well, the black raspberries were almost done and the blackberries were starting to ripen. The guys said there were lots of berries on the ridge and went to pick them. They came back in a short time with at least a gallon of berries - strange shiny, sticky raspberries. Mind you, when I was picking black raspberries, I never did get at least 2 quarts at a time so I could make jam. They told me that there were huge patches of these berries all over the ridge. I was happy to have some raspberries, but worried about what had happened to the wild black raspberries.

It was time to investigate. After some diligent web searching, I was able to identify the strange berries as wineberries. I was also alarmed to discover that they are an invasive pest from Asia. They are displacing native species. With the explosive growth in our neighborhood in the last few years, they have displaced the wild black raspberry. The only reason I was able to pick them this year is because I love them and have encouraged their growth around my home. I can remember huge patches of wild black raspberries thirty years ago, where I could pick gallons over hours. Patches were closely guarded secrets. Now they are nonexistent.

Please check this link for more information:

DCNR Invasive Exotic Plant Tutorial - Wineberry

Chicken Molé Tostadas with Avocado Sauce

This has become a favorite quick Mexican dinner at our house. My DH discovered these bags of corn tostadas at the Dollar Store. Being from Phoenix, he can’t resist buying them. I also found them at Aldi’s. The chicken, molé sauce and avocado sauce can be prepared a day or so ahead of time.

1 lb. Easy Poached Chicken, shredded

1 recipe Quick Molé Sauce

1 recipe To Die For Avocado Sauce

1 (15 oz. can) refried beans

1 (12 oz.) bag corn tostadas (use ½ bag ~12)

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheese – jack, Colby or mild cheddar

2 cups shredded lettuce

1 tomato, diced

Mix the shredded chicken with the molé sauce and heat in microwave.

Heat the refried beans in microwave.

Spread some beans on a tostada. Put two tostadas on each large plate.

Sprinkle with molé chicken, cheese, lettuce and tomato.

Top with a good dollop of avocado sauce.

Serve immediately.

Serves 5-6.

Quick Molé Sauce

I developed this very tasty sauce for a quick molé fix.

2 cups water

2 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon base

2 Tbsp. dark roasted chilies, ground

2 Tbsp. peanut butter

1 Tbsp. cocoa

½ tsp. oregano, c/s

½ tsp. cinnamon, ground

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Scant 1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

Pour into 6 cup microwaveable bowl.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir with whisk, scraping sides and bottom of bowl and breaking up any lumps that may have formed.

Microwave for 1 ½ minutes. Repeat stirring with whisk.

Microwave for 1 minute. Repeat stirring.

Use in your favorite recipe. I like to toss it with shredded poached chicken and use in tostadas, enchiladas and burritos.

Yields about 2 cups

Chili Chicken with Avocado Sauce

Serves 4

2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

4 (1 – 1 1/2 lb.) boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salt

1 recipe To Die For Avocado Sauce

Heat iron skillet until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while preparing chicken breasts.

Combine chili powder and cumin. Sprinkle chicken with salt and coat with spices.

Brown chicken breasts in seasoned skillet, 2 minutes on each side. Cover, lower heat and cook until just done, about 5 more minutes.

Put chicken on plates and cover with avocado sauce.

To Die For Avocado Sauce

This spring I got a great buy on some discounted Greek yogurt at Kroger. Anytime avocadoes are less than $.69 each, I usually buy several. I was getting tired of the usual guacamole and was experimenting with different sauces. I found an 11 year old recipe in my file for Chili Chicken with Avocado Sauce. I think it came from Recipezaar, which has now turned into Food.com. The original recipe is still available on the web from several sources, but none state the origin.

I adapted my avocado sauce from this recipe. I am just incapable of following a recipe exactly, and that’s really how we should all cook - use a recipe as a base and adapt it to the ingredients and methods available. This sauce is cool, smooth and creamy, a bit tart and spicy, with a hint of bitterness - a wonderful blend of flavor, texture and temperature.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this in my previous avocado recipes, but I learned a new trick from Alton Brown last year on how to remove the pit from an avocado. After slicing it lengthwise, give it a twist and the halves pop apart. Whack the pit with the blade of a fairly large knife, embedding it somewhat in the pit. Twist the knife and the pit will come right out! Then whack the pit against a cutting board to loosen it from the knife. Make three lengthwise cuts on each half. The skin will fold back and four slices will peel off easily. Slice or dice as needed. Sprinkle with lemon or lime juice to keep from browning, if you will not be using them immediately.

When I made it with Greek yogurt, I added a bit of water to bring it to a looser, saucy consistency. I didn’t need to add water when using Dannon non-fat plain yogurt.

If you have fresh cilantro, use a tablespoon of it in place of the cominos. A dash of chipotle or jalapeño hot sauce will spice it up.

1 lg. avocado, peeled and diced

1/2 c. non-fat plain yogurt

2 tsp. lime juice

1 tsp. cominos (Ground cumin seed)

Dash of salt

Dash of garlic granules or powder or juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Mix until smooth. Pour over your favorite dish.

Yields about 1 cup

This is a fresh sauce, not for heating. Unlike guacamole, this avocado sauce keeps well in the refrigerator without browning due to the acid content of the yogurt and lime juice.

Now, how to use it? The original use with Chili Chicken Breasts is excellent. I also use this sauce on poached and shredded chicken. It is fabulous on chicken tostadas. Use your imagination! I crave this sauce. I think it could be addictive.

Pot of Gold

Serves 4-6

This recipe is my long time favorite from Girl Scout camp. My family loves it too. I’m not sure which company created this recipe. It was either Campbell’s, Bisquick or Kraft. My research found versions of this recipe still floating around, but not the original. The original was made with water instead of milk and used Bisquick and water for the dough (we were camping). Use yellow sharp cheddar instead of white and you will have big fluffy dumplings leaking golden cheese in tomato soup.

1 large (26 oz.) or 3 small (10.5 oz.) cans condensed tomato soup

2 cups 1% milk (or water)

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

Dash salt

1/2 cup of milk

2 Tbsp. canola oil

4 oz. extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese, cut into 8 cubes

Put soup in large kettle with lid. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring just to boil and immediately turn heat down to simmer. Don’t let it boil or milk curdles!

In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Combine milk and oil in a cup. With a fork, vigorously stir milk mixture into flour mixture.

Grease hands and scoop up about 1/8 of dough. Set the cheese cube in the middle and wrap the sides up and around it, sealing the cheese inside the dough. Drop gently on top of simmering soup. Repeat until all cheese and dough is used.

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Quick Dumplings

2 cups Home Made Biscuit Mix
2/3 cup of milk

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Combine milk and oil in a cup.  

With a fork, vigorously stir milk mixture into flour mixture. Drop by spoonfuls on top of simmering soup or stew. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Additions: ½ cup grated or shredded cheese and/or 1 tsp. various dried herbs added to the flour mixture.

Home Made Quick Biscuit Mix

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

Dash salt

3 Tbsp. canola oil

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in oil with fork.

Use immediately in place of 2 cups of Bisquick in your favorite recipe.

Easter Egg Pie

Have you wondered what to do with all those Easter eggs? When our children were small, it seemed we always had lots of hard boiled eggs to use up after Easter. There is only so much deviled eggs, egg salad sandwiches and potato salad we could eat. I created this recipe to use up some of those eggs, necessity being the mother of invention. :-) .

For safety, only use eggs that are clean, have been dyed with food coloring, have no cracks and have been out of the refrigerator for less than two hours.

Serves: 8

1/2 lb. Bulk sausage, sage flavored

1 Medium diced onion

6 - 8 Hard cooked eggs, peeled and sliced

1 cup (4 oz) Shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 1/4 cups Milk (1%, OR non-fat Half & Half OR low-fat buttermilk, etc.)

2 Eggs

1 cup Home Made Biscuit Mix OR (1 cup flour and 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder)

1 tsp. Ground yellow mustard seed

1/2 tsp. Ground celery seed (or whole seed)

1/2 tsp. Ground paprika

1/2 tsp. Ground sage

1/4 tsp. Granulated garlic

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat an 11" deep dish pie plate or 8”x 8” baking dish with canola oil spray.

Brown and crumble sausage and onion in seasoned skillet over medium heat. Pour off excess grease. Drain sausage on paper towel. Spread sausage on bottom of prepared pie plate.

Layer eggs on top of sausage and sprinkle cheese over eggs.

Whisk remaining ingredients together in blender or medium mixing bowl until just blended and pour evenly over pie plate.

Bake 30 minutes or until edges are just golden brown and pie is set. A knife inserted in center should come out clean. Remove from oven and let stand five minutes before cutting into wedges.

Serve for breakfast, brunch or dinner accompanied by fruit: orange and grapefruit wedges, sliced bananas and strawberries, or a wedge of melon.

Boiled Peanut Soup

Serves 4

I started out with a recipe for “Hotel Roanoke Peanut Soup”, but of course I can’t follow any recipe exactly. I prefer different cooking techniques and usually less salt and fat. What I ended up with was sooo delicious! It reminded me of that addictive flavor of boiled peanuts.

The original recipe follows. Be sure to use a broth that is not too salty. This is a good time to use leftover broth from poaching chicken. You can use either smooth or chunky peanut butter. The butter can be left out.

2 Tbsp. butter (optional)

1 small onion, diced 

1 stalk celery, diced 

1 quart chicken broth 

1 tsp lemon juice 

2 tbsp flour 

1/2 lb (1 cup) peanut butter

Salt to taste 

1/4 cup ground peanuts

Heat a 2 quart metal saucepan until hot and dry. Remove from heat and coat with canola oil spray. Return to very low heat while preparing vegetables.

Sauté onion and celery in butter in the pre-seasoned saucepan over medium heat until onion is translucent.

Put sautéed vegetables in blender. Add 2 cups of broth, lemon juice, flour, and peanut butter. Blend well.

Pour back into saucepan and stir in remaining 2 cups of broth. Bring to boil and simmer until thickened, stirring frequently. Taste and add salt as desired.

Sprinkle ground peanuts on top before serving.

Hotel Roanoke Peanut Soup

Posted 2/11/10 by Sandy at dailyrecipes@yahoogroups.com

1 small onion, diced
1/3 tsp celery salt
1/4 lb butter
1 t salt
2 celery ribs, diced
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup ground peanuts
2 quart hot chicken broth
1 lb peanut butter (creamy)

Melt butter in sauce pan and add onion and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes (do not brown). Add flour and mix well. Stir in chicken broth and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Add peanut butter, celery salt, salt, and lemon juice. Sprinkle ground peanuts on top before serving. Makes 20 1/2-cup servings.

Chicken and Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf

Serves 6

1 tsp. butter

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup wild rice

3 cups water

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 tsp. butter

1/2 cup pecan halves

2 cups shredded poached chicken

Season pan. Heat a 6 cup metal saucepan with a tight fitting lid until hot and dry. Remove from heat and coat with canola oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing onion.

Sauté wild rice and onion in 1 tsp. butter in seasoned pan. Add water and cranberries. Cover tightly. Bring to boil. Turn heat to very low, keeping tightly covered for 45 minutes.

Sauté pecan halves in 2 tsp. butter.

When rice has cooked for 45 minutes, turn off heat and let rice stand for five minutes without removing cover.

Stir pecans and chicken into rice.

Serve with a salad.

Easy Poached Chicken

Poaching means to cook something in simmering (where little bubbles form, before it's actually boiling) or almost simmering liquid, about 160-185°. If you bring it to a full boil, it will break down the food instead of gently cooking it. Boiling tends to make meat tough. With poaching, the meat will stay moist and tender, and this cooking method requires no fat. Here is a technique that you will want to remember for those days when time is really tight, everyone is hungry, and can’t wait to eat. This is the best method for chicken salad. The meat has a texture you cannot obtain with any other cooking method. It is almost silky smooth.

You can also choose from a huge array of liquids in which to poach; the most common are simple water, wines of varying sorts, and stocks (concentrated broth). In addition to the liquid you choose, you can greatly affect the flavor of what you cook like this by adding 'extras'; onion, garlic, spices of all sorts, vegetables, and so on.

Put your chicken pieces, bone in or boneless, skinned or skinless, in a pan big enough to cover them with water. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain the water and use it for soup. Cover with cold water for 10 minutes until cool enough to handle. The skin and bones pull off easily. They can be saved for soup, too. Shred or dice the meat as your recipe directs.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Serves 8

This recipe started out as a copycat of Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup. But I have made it so many times over the last four years that I have improved it quite a bit!

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

1 medium Onion, diced

1 Tbsp. chopped Garlic

1 tsp. ground Cumin

1 tsp. Chili Powder (no salt)

dash of hot pepper sauce

1 cup Masa Harina

2 qt. Water (divided)

2 Tbsp. Chicken bouillon

1 can (15 oz.) diced Tomatoes

1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles

1 pound American cheese

Heat a 4 quart kettle until hot and dry. Remove from heat and coat with canola oil spray. Return to very low heat while preparing vegetables.

Sauté chicken, onion, garlic and spices in kettle over medium high heat, stirring constantly until chicken is not pink and onion is translucent.

Stir in Masa Harina. Stir in 1 quart water until all lumps dissolve.

Stir in remaining quart of water, chicken bouillon, tomatoes and green chiles. Return to boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Drop individual slices of cheese, about four at a time into kettle and stir until melted. Continue until all cheese has been added.

Serve with hot buttered tortillas.

Real Cheeseburger Soup

Serves 6

Thomas asked me to make Cheeseburger Soup for dinner. I read at least six different recipes and put together this one. It has everything on a cheeseburger and includes the fries!

1 pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, shredded

1 stalk celery, diced

4 cups diced peeled potatoes

1 can (10.5 oz.) condensed tomato soup

1 can (10.5 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 ½ cups milk (1%)

¼ cup diced dill pickles

¼ cup ketchup

2 Tbsp. prepared mustard

½ pound American cheese

Heat a 4 quart metal kettle until hot and dry. Remove from heat and coat with canola oil spray. Return to very low heat while preparing vegetables.

Sauté beef, onion, carrot, celery and potatoes over medium heat, breaking up beef into small chunks, until beef is browned and onion is translucent.

Stir in soups, milk, pickles, ketchup and mustard. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Drop individual slices of cheese, about four at a time into kettle and stir until melted. Continue until all cheese has been added.

Serve with a hearty sourdough bread and now you have the bun!

Yummy Caramelized Sweet Onion Sandwiches

Serves 4

My neighbor was telling me about these lunch meats that have been on sale at the Deli counter at the local grocery store. They are made by Kretschmar and called “Ham Off the Bone” and "Turkey Off the Bone”. They are pretty close to a real chunk of meat. I thought I’d try them. I happened to pick up a bag of day old onion rolls from Kroger and Sargento had a BOGO on sliced cheeses. Total cost for four deluxe sandwiches came to $7.00.

3 large onions, thinly sliced lengthwise

3 Tbsp. butter

½ lb. thinly sliced Kretschmar Ham Off the Bone

½ lb. thinly sliced Kretschmar Turkey Off the Bone

½ cup Ken’s Sweet Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing

4 Onion rolls

4 slices (3 oz.) Swiss cheese

Caramelize onions: Sauté onions slowly in a well seasoned skillet over low heat with 1 tsp. butter until well cooked. Do not burn! Keep heat low.

Fix loose meat filling: Slice lunchmeat crosswise into 1/2” wide strips. Sauté in well seasoned skillet over medium heat until nicely warmed up. Add sweet onion dressing. Stir and simmer over low heat until some of the liquid evaporates.

Grill rolls: Slice rolls in half. Butter each cut side with a tsp. of butter. Grill cut side down on a well seasoned skillet or griddle. Set on plates.

Assemble sandwiches: Put a slice of cheese on bottom roll. Layer ¼ of meat over cheese. Top meat with ¼ of caramelized onions. Put on top of roll.

Serve with a great soup!

Blue Cheese, Pear and Avocado Salad

I picked up a load of avocados at Wally World the other day. They were a quarter each! Then I got a basket of ugly pears for $.50/pound at another store. I had a little bit of pecans and Blue cheese leftover from the holidays. This was very yummy! Also a very nice presentation to alternate pear and avocado slices in a fan shape.

Serves 4

2 Tbsp. white sugar

1/2 cup pecans

4 cups torn salad greens

2 pears - peeled, cored and sliced

1 avocado - peeled, pitted and sliced

3 ounces Bleu cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1/8 tsp. granulated garlic

dash salt

fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a skillet over medium heat, stir sugar together with pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and chop into pieces.

For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.

On four individual salad plates, place a layer of salad greens. Lay out alternating slices of pears and  avocado in a fan shape. Sprinkle with pecans and blue cheese. Pour dressing over all and serve.

Another Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Awarded by my DH

Whenever I bake potatoes, I always throw a few extra in the oven. They are handy for quick home fries and soup.

Serves 6 – 8.

2 strips thick meaty bacon

1 large onion, diced – reserve ¼ cup

1 stalk celery, diced

1 small carrot, shredded

2 cups water

5 medium baked potatoes, peeled and diced

2 quarts milk

3 chicken bouillon cubes

1 cup (4 oz.) extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

8 slices American cheese

Heat 4 quart metal kettle hot and dry. Remove from heat. Lightly coat with canola oil spray. Return to very low heat while preparing meats and vegetables.

Bring heat to medium high and sauté bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.

Sauté onion and celery 5 minutes. Add carrots and cook 3 minutes. Add water. Bring to boil then turn down to simmer 5 minutes, while peeling and dicing potatoes.

Add potatoes, milk and bouillon. Heat just to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.

After five minutes or so, when potatoes are heated and softened, mash about half the potatoes or use a hand blender. Be sure to keep a good number of chunky bits.

While soup is simmering, crumble bacon into tiny bits and add to soup.

Stir in cheddar cheese. Drop in slices of American cheese and stir lightly until melted.

DO NOT BOIL! Keep heat to very low or it will curdle.

Turn off heat and serve with reserved diced onion sprinkled on top and a hearty bread on the side.

Beer & Venison Meat Loaf

My freezer overfloweth this time of year. We just put in two pigs from FFA and a deer. The guys would like to get more deer, so I am pressured to cook from the freezer. We will probably cold pack some of the next deer.

Meat loaf is a long honored tradition in our family, as in most. Our only rules are: ground meat, onions, egg, grain and ketchup. I usually throw some potatoes and winter squash in the oven alongside the meatloaf.

Serves 10 – 12

1 lb. lean ground pork
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. ground venison
2 Tbsp. onion flakes
1 cup oats
2 eggs
1 cup finely diced green bell peppers
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
½ can (12 oz.) Busch Light Beer
Salt & pepper
½ cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350°F. Have a 9” x 5” loaf pan ready.

Mix all ingredients, except ketchup, together in large bowl with your hands.

Pack into loaf pan and shape the top with a slight well around outside edge.

Bake for 60 minutes.

Spread ketchup over top and continue baking until meat thermometer stuck in middle reaches 170°F. It took almost 2 hours last time!

Take meat loaf out of oven and let it set for 15 minutes before slicing in the pan.

Edinborough Date Bars

It seems like Grandma Petrie made these once when I was very young. I make these most every Christmas since I began baking in my teens. I find my mixer bowl is not large enough, so I make half the oat mixture at a time. Do the bottoms first, then the tops. Or use a very large bowl and a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar. I thought I was making too much, but they are all gone by Christmas!

Yield: 4 dozen

5 cups  (20 oz.) Chopped dates
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ cups Water
1 cup Chopped walnuts
3 ½ cups Sifted flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 ½ cups Butter
2 cups Brown sugar
3 cups Rolled oats

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease two 13”x 9” pans.

Cook dates with sugar and water. Cool and stir in nuts.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in flour mixture. Fold in oats.

Press ½ of oat mixture in bottom of pans. Spread date mixture over oats. Sprinkle rest of oat mixture over dates and pat lightly in place.

Bake 25 minutes or until just browned. Cool. Cut into bars while still warm.

“STOP AND GO” COOKIES

There was a discussion and search for this recipe on the recipe groups several years ago. I subsequently found the original recipe. These are very festive, tasty, nutritious and easy to make. I have included the original recipe from Quaker Oats. They are a thumbprint cookie with oats. I have made chocolate cookies by adding cocoa to the recipe. You can fit about 18 cookies on a 11” x 15” cookie sheet.

1 cup shortening, soft
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg beaten
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
Red and green candied cherries

Beat shortening until creamy; gradually beat in sugars. Blend in egg and vanilla.

Sift together flour, soda, salt and cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture. Blend in oats.

Shape dough into small balls and place on greased cookie sheets.

Make a hollow in each ball; place half a red or green candied cherry in each hollow.

Bake in preheated moderate oven (375°F.) 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes 4 dozen.

From: ALL-TIME ANYTIME RECIPES, The Quaker Oats Company, Chicago, IL; 1972; pg. 12