It is a time of transition. Winter is officially behind us, although a good snowstorm would be greatly appreciated.
You can smell spring in the air. Splash pants, mud-caked clothes and rubber boots are common in Canadian closets. And who can’t resist puddle jumping with their good shoes on? Not my children.
I think we are all ready for some colour, whether it is the first lush sprigs of green grass, a beautiful yellow blooming tulip or a pink-tinged prairie sunset. It is amazing what colour will do for our emotional health. Here are some wake-up recipes for a spring brunch.
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Speedy smoothies
Peel two bananas, throw them in the blender with some frozen fruit, ice, fruit juice, yogurt and hit the puree button. Pour it into glasses. You can boost your drink with a scoop of basic protein powder made from whey, egg, soy, or rice that contains at least 17 grams of protein per serving.
Cranberry cocktail
11/2 cups cranberry juice 375 mL
2/3 cup white grape juice 150 mL
10 fresh strawberries
6 ice cubes
1/2-1 teaspoon sugar (optional) 2-5 mL
In the blender, combine the juices, six strawberries, ice and sugar, if desired. Cover and process until smooth. Pour into glasses. Garnish with remaining strawberries.
Cinnamon bites
2/3 cup butter or margarine 150 mL
1 cup sugar 250 mL
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour 750 mL
3 teaspoons baking powder 15 mL
1 teaspoon salt 5 mL
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 mL
1 cup milk 250 mL
Topping:
1 cup sugar 250 mL
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 15 mL
6 tablespoons butter 90 mL
or margarine, melted
reheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat well. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and mix. Fill muffin tins half full and bake for 15-20 minutes.
In another bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Dip the muffins in the melted butter and then in the sugar mixture.
Nacho pie
1 pound lean ground beef 500 g
1/2 cup chopped onion 125 mL
1 can (8 oz.) tomato 237 mL
sauce
2 tablespoons taco 30 mL
seasoning
1 tube (8 oz.) crescent 237 mL
rolls
11/2 cups nacho tortilla 375 mL
chips, divided
1 cup sour cream 250 mL
1 cup shredded Mexican 250 mL
blend or cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink, then drain. Stir in tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for five minutes.
Separate crescent rolls into eight triangles. Place in a greased nine inch (22 cm) pie plate with points toward the centre. Press onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Seal the perforations.
Sprinkle one cup (250 mL) nacho chips over the crust. Top with meat mixture. Spread with sour cream. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining chips. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let stand five to 10 minutes before serving.
Easter chocolate
With Easter approaching, there is chocolate everywhere you look. How mouth-watering. Here are some homemade chocolate bar recipes that everyone will love.
Skor bar
3/4 cup butter or margarine 175 mL
3/4 cup packed brown sugar 175 mL
11/2 cups flour 375 mL
1 can condensed milk 300 mL
2 tablespoons butter or 30 mL
margarine
1 pkg. milk chocolate chips 300 g
1 pkg. Skor chips 225 g
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
Cream the first three ingredients together and press lightly into a greased nine by 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light brown. Remove from the oven.
Heat the condensed milk and two tablespoons (30 mL) butter or margarine in a saucepan until thickened. Spread over baked base. Bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread chocolate chips over the top. As they melt, spread evenly over the top. Sprinkle with Skor bits and press them lightly into the chocolate.
Source: A Collection of Favourite Recipes from the Prairie Centre Credit Union Ltd., Rosetown, Harris and Administration Branches.
Oh Henry
2/3 cup butter or margarine 150 mL
1 cup brown sugar 250 mL
4 cups quick-cooking rolled 1 L
oats
1/2 cup corn syrup 125 mL
1 teaspoon vanilla 5 mL
pinch salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate 250 mL
chips
1 cup peanut butter 250 mL
11/2 cups coarsely chopped 375 mL
unsalted peanuts
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease a nine by 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) pan.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add rolled oats, syrup, salt and vanilla. Press firmly into the pan. Bake for 15 minutes and cool slightly. Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a double boiler or microwave. Pour over base. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and press gently into the base. Refrigerate until set. Cut into bars.
This recipe is exerted from Straight A’s College Cookbook by Karen Wokes. It is a practical new cookbook that would make an excellent gift for the young students in your life or anyone who needs meals sized for one or two people. It is available at most bookstores or through Centax 800-667-5595.
Coffee Crisp bar
3/4 cup corn syrup 175 mL
3/4 cup brown sugar 175 mL
3/4 cup peanut butter 175 mL
1/4 cup butter or margarine 50 mL
1 teaspoon vanilla 5 mL
3 cups crushed Corn Flakes 750 mL
3 cups Rice Crispies 750 mL
Topping:
2 tablespoons cocoa 30 mL
2 tablespoons butter 30 mL
1 cup icing sugar 250 mL
3 tablespoons hot coffee 45 mL
Grease a nine by 13 (22 x 33 cm) pan.
In a saucepan, mix the corn syrup and brown sugar. While stirring constantly, melt and cook over medium heat until syrup bubbles. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, butter and vanilla. Mix well. Then add the two cereals and mix. Press into the pan.
Mix cocoa, butter, icing sugar and hot coffee until smooth. Spread over cereal and enjoy.
Keeping leftovers safe
While you are eating out, exercise food safety. While that last half slice of restaurant cheesecake may be too much to eat at the time, is it really safe to take home and eat later?
The Food Safety Info Line is a toll-free telephone service operated by the Food Safety Information Society. A Canadian toll-free number, 800-892-8333, puts callers in touch with home economists who are experts in food safety.
“Our phone line staffers will tell you that leftover food may not be safe if it’s been more than two hours from the time it left the restaurant’s kitchen until you put it in your fridge,” said Jane Carlyle, co-ordinator of the Food Safety Information Society in Calgary. “So if you linger over your meal or leave that little styrofoam container in your car overnight, better throw out those leftovers rather than risk getting a food-borne illness caused by bacteria multiplying in the food.”
Carlyle has a few other tips for safe recycling of restaurant leftovers: “Don’t push them to the back of the refrigerator and forget about them. They should be eaten within two to three days. If packing the leftovers in a lunch bag, include a cold pack or frozen juice to keep them cold until ready to eat. When reheating, heat to piping hot 165 F (74 C).”
Horticulture books
Dear TEAM: I am looking for the following horticulture books: Hort Hints I, II and III by Extension Division, University of Saskatchewan; University of Alberta Gardening Course; Small Fruit Crop Management by Galletta, G.J., and Himelrick; Gardening on the Prairies by R. Vick; Perennials for the Prairies by University of Alberta, University of Saskatchewan and Lone Pine Publishing. – R.S., Lake Lenore, Sask.
Dear R.S.: I quickly got on the phone with the extension division at the University of Saskatchewan, a renowned source in horticulture. Fortunately, some of the books you are looking for are still available.
Hort Hints has in print a fourth edition that contains a lot of information from the first three hint books. Gardening on the Prairies by R. Vick is still available. Perennials for the Prairies by University of Alberta, U of S and Lone Pine Publishing is also still available.
Get these books from most book stores or from University Extension Press, University of Saskatchewan, 306-966-5565.
If any of our readers have copies of University of Alberta Gardening Course, Hort Hints I, II, or III, and Small Fruit Crop Management, which are all out of print, and do not require them any longer, please contact us.
Jodie Mirosovsky is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
