This has been a challenging farming season in many ways from seeding late and excessive rain to worrying about an early frost. However, crops here look promising, and harvest is approaching.
One important task at harvest is to provide meals that are nutritious, timely and expedient.
Having a few freezer meals prepared ahead can also be a blessing. The following recipe takes less time to prepare than traditional cabbage rolls.
Cabbage roll casserole
1 tbsp. oil 15 mL 11/2lb. groundbeef 0.75kg
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2 medium onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt 5 mL
1/4 tsp. pepper 1 mL (or more)
1 14 oz. can tomato sauce 398 mL
1 c. water 250 mL
1/2 c. uncooked white rice 125 mL
4 cups cabbage, shredded 1 L
In skillet, heat oil. Add ground beef and cook, stirring until meat is cooked. Add onions, garlic salt, pepper, tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer, add rice, cover and cook for 10 minutes until rice is partially cooked.
Spread half the cabbage in greased 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) pan. Cover with half of meat.
Repeat layers. Do not stir. Cover with foil and bake in 325 F (160 C) oven for 90 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Serve with sour cream. Serves six.
Note: If you use brown rice, partially cook brown rice longer (20 minutes).
Summer outings
One summer activity my granddaughter, Taryn , and I enjoy is picking raspberries. Aside from eating them fresh from the bowl, on porridge, or over ice cream, we also make fresh raspberry beverages and pie.
Jaime’s raspberry syrup mix
2 c. raspberries 500 mL
1/2 c. sugar 125 mL
Cook raspberries and sugar over low heat (mashing raspberries as you stir constantly) for about 10 minutes to produce a syrup. Store syrup in fridge until ready to use.
Jaime’s raspberry iced tea
1 c. strong cold tea 250 mL
1 c. raspberry blend fruit juice 250 mL
1 c. club soda 250 mL
1/2 c. raspberry syrup 125 mL
Mix equal amounts of tea, juice and carbonated water. Add raspberry syrup, using more to suit your taste. Garnish with a mint leaf and two or three fresh raspberries.
Note: If you wish to leave out the tea, you have a juice spritzer.
Baba’s raspberry smoothie
3 c. frozen unsweetened raspberries 750 mL
1 1/2 c. unsweetened pineapple juice 375 mL
2 tbsp. honey (opt.) 30 mL
In a blender, combine frozen raspberries, pineapple juice and honey, if desired. Cover and blend until smooth. Makes four servings.
We have also used banana mango juice instead of unsweetened pineapple juice.
Adapted from Kid’s Snacks, Better Homes and Gardens.
Marla’s blender drink
1 tray ice cubes
1/2 c. white rum or vodka 125 mL
1 c. fresh raspberries (can substitute strawberries or blueberries or make a blend)
sugar to taste (optional)
Blend and serve in tall glasses.
Raspberry pie
1 c. white sugar 250 mL
1 tbsp. cornstarch 15 mL
1 c. water 250 mL
1 small package of raspberry juice
3 tbsp. lemon juice 45 mL
4c. freshraspberries 1L
1 cooked pie shell
Mix the sugar and cornstarch together and stir in water until smooth. Bring this mixture to a boil. Cook for two to three minutes. Add one small package of raspberry Jello and lemon juice. Stir until well dissolved. Add the fresh raspberries and pour into a cooked pie shell. Let it chill.
Serve with whipped cream for a cool refreshing summer dessert.
Abundance of rhubarb?
We picked multitudes of rhubarb, used what we could, and chopped and froze the rest for future use in these two recipes:
Rhubarb cake
1/4 c. butter 60 mL
1 c. sugar 250 mL
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla 5 mL
2 c. flour 500 mL (I use half whole wheat, half white)
1 tsp. baking soda 5 mL
1/4 tsp. salt 1 mL
1 c. buttermilk* 250 mL
* or add 1 tsp. (5 mL) lemon juice or vinegar to 1 c. (250 mL) milk and let sit 10 minutes
4c. chopped rhubarb 1L tossed with 2 tbsp. (30 mL) flour
Topping:
1/4 c. butter, softened 60 mL
2 tsp. cinnamon 10 mL
1 c. packed brown sugar 250 mL
Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, mix flour, soda and salt. Add the flour mixture alternately with buttermilk to butter mixture. Stir rhubarb into batter.
Pour batter into greased 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) pan. Blend together topping ingredients and sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 45 minutes.
Serve this moist cake warm, with ice cream.
Bluebarb crumble/crisp
3 c. chopped rhubarb 750 mL
1 c. frozen or fresh blueberries 250 mL
1 c. white sugar 250 mL
1 c. rolled oats (or quick oats) 250 mL
1 c. flour 250 mL
3/4 c. brown sugar 175 mL
1 tsp. cinnamon 5 mL
1/2 tsp. nutmeg 2 mL
1/2 c. butter, softened 125 mL
In a bowl, mix the rhubarb, blueberries and white sugar. Place in an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) pan. Mix the remaining ingredients until crumbly. Spread the topping on the fruit mixture.
Bake at 375 F (190 C) for about 40 min, or until bubbling and golden brown. Cool slightly and serve with whipping cream or vanilla ice cream.
You can make this recipe with strawberries, raspberries or a combination of any of them.
You can also increase it and make it in a 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) pan if you like.
Barbara Sanderson is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
