Our daughter, Marla, and her husband, Ben, were married in a beautiful outdoor August wedding, and the weather co-operated. Chocolate was a theme, with chocolate brown dresses, decorations and cake.
Their wedding cake, made by Ben’s mother, Gail, was a five-tiered Triple Chocolate Cake (see picture). That was quite a feat, weighing in at over 65 pounds, (30 kilograms) including the pillars inserted in the cake as supports for the weight above. The icing was made by rolling melted marshmallow with icing sugar and spreading on the cake.
Gail used her creative touch to adorn the cake with both white chocolate and brown chocolate swirls to make it look even better than the magazine picture. Although this was a huge cake, the original recipe was a normal size that is usually baked in a bundt pan.
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The recipe follows:
Triple chocolate cake
1 chocolate cake mix
1 small package (four servings)
chocolate instant pudding mix
13/4 cups milk 425 mL
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips 500 mL
Mix until well blended. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan, and bake in a 350 F (180 C) oven for 50 minutes or until it is done. This makes a heavy moist cake, do not overbake.
Who would have thought we would be harvesting by Aug. 5? So, since the wedding, we have had lunches in the field, and rather than eating properly, I find myself sampling
dainties and squares leftover from the
wedding midnight lunch.
However, my sister-in-law Sandra, came to my rescue, invited me to go for a walk, and shared some Weight Watcher recipes she recently acquired. These are healthy for anyone, including diabetics. I have been trying these new recipes with some of the fresh garden produce that is available this time of year. My mother and father enjoy their garden in the city and often are dividing up the produce to give to their four children. Recently, they gave us a large cabbage so I tried these two recipes.
Cabbage spaghetti
pasta sauce
10 cups shredded cabbage 2.5 L
shredded cheese to top
Shred as much cabbage as is needed (about
21/2 cups/625 mL per person). Steam for four minutes in the microwave. Cover with pasta sauce. Top with cheese. Serves four.
Cabbage roll casserole
11/2 pounds extra lean ground 750 g
beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 can (14 oz.) tomato sauce 398 mL
14 ounces water 398 mL
1/2 cup rice 125 mL
5-6 cups cabbage 1.25-1.5 L
1-2 teaspoons caraway 5-10 mL
seeds, optional
salt and pepper, to taste
Brown ground beef and drain fat, add onions, garlic and caraway seeds, if you like. Cook until soft. Add tomato sauce, water and rice and simmer for 20 minutes covered. Be sure rice is cooked. Chop cabbage and add half to a greased casserole. Top with half the meat mixture and repeat. Cover and bake at 350 F (180 C) for 40 minutes.
Healthy snack
I have probably mentioned in past articles that we have Red River (Sunny Boy) cereal for breakfast. I usually buy a granola mix that we like to snack on, and add it to the porridge while it is cooking. This homemade granola presents a cheaper and reasonable alternative.
Homemade granola
3 cups uncooked quick oats 750 mL
2 cups puffed rice or wheat 500 mL
6 tablespoons honey 90 mL
1 teaspoon canola oil 5 mL
1/4 cup apple juice 60 mL
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 mL
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 2 mL
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 mL
1/4 cup slivered almonds 60 mL
1/4 cup dried cranberries 60 mL
1/4 cup raisins 60 mL
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Mix uncooked oats and puffed cereal and spread on a non-stick baking sheet with sides. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once.
Meanwhile, mix honey, oil, apple juice, spices and vanilla. When oats and puffed cereal are done, remove from oven and mix with almonds. Pour spice mixture over cereal and mix thoroughly to distribute and coat completely.
Return to pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, stirring every few minutes. Be careful that the granola does not burn, especially the cereal along the sides of the pan.
Stir in raisins and cranberries and let cool. Store in an airtight container. It makes 12 half-cup (125 mL) servings.
Source: www.weightwatchers.ca/util/prt/recipe.
Crowd pleaser
For the dress rehearsal dinner, I made buns and served marinated beef using this recipe that our family has used for other large gatherings. I cooked the beef in my oven at home, then transported it and kept it hot all evening in an electric roast pan that was portable and convenient. It got rave reviews.
Beef marinade
Allow 1/4 pound (115 g) of meat per person, or 20 lb. (nine kg) for 80 people. I marinated and cooked the roast in the marinade; it made a delightful sauce for 80 servings.
1 jar barbecue sauce 450 mL
2 bottles of beer
2 tablespoons seasoning salt 30 mL
1 teaspoon onion powder 5 mL
Onion soup powder mix can be used as a substitute for the seasoning salt and onion powder, or you can use other spices to suit your taste.
For the vegetarians in the crowd, the slow cooker came in handy for this dish:
Lentil sloppy joes
1 cup lentils, well rinsed 250 mL
3 cups water 750 mL
4 tablespoons oil 60 mL
1 cup chopped onion 250 mL
1 can diced tomatoes 398 mL
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup ketchup 125 mL
1 teaspoon dry mustard 5 mL
2 teaspoons chili powder 10 mL
salt and pepper, to taste
Cook lentils. Sauté onions in the oil, add tomatoes and garlic. Sauté five minutes. Add ketchup and seasonings; simmer five to 10 minutes. Add cooked lentils, adding or draining liquid as needed to obtain desired consistency. Stir and heat. Serve on open-faced buns or rice.
Back to school tips
Here are some back to school suggestions to make September easier:
- Find a set bedtime that lets both kids and parents feel well-rested in the morning.
- Do a practice run with the back to school routine a few times before the first day. Go to bed, get up, dress, eat breakfast, brush teeth and be out the door by 8 a.m.
- Have your child help prepare what you can the night before. For example, pick out clothes, pack a healthy lunch, pack school bag.
- Help your child understand what is expected at school, so she is better prepared for the school routines.
- Focus on the positives, so the child has something to look forward to.
- Talk about fun activities he or she will do and new friends they will make.
- Introduce your child to someone in the same class to help alleviate anxiety.
- Some kids can have real worries about starting a new school. Listen when kids want to talk, and review your child’s worries one at a time and help them problem solve so they don’t become overwhelmed.
- Help your child to understand that no one is good at everything – both parents and kids do better at some things than others.
- Reassure your child that you are there for him or her and check in often to see how things are going. Kids who feel comfortable find it easier to learn.
Source: www.heretohelp.bc.ca/articles.
Barbara Sanderson is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four ccolumnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
