I feel fortunate to have been part of a “kids in the garden” project in our small town of Elrose, Sask. An empty lot between our house and the neighbours was badly trampled and in poor shape due to the building of the two houses beside it.
A visit to a town council meeting gave us approval to use the lot for a community garden. The town kindly cultivated it to get us started. Four neighbourhood families with children were interested in being part of the garden, along with my grandkids from the farm. Our plan was to give some of the produce to the food bank.
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On a hot afternoon in May, 12 eager children gathered to do the planting, along with two moms and a grandma (me). The ground was so hard we were sure nothing would grow. However, the spring rains came and to our surprise little plants started to emerge. The next thing we knew, the rows could be seen. It wasn’t long before the sunflowers were taller than the youngest gardener, who was three. They ended up being twice as tall as the oldest gardener, who was 12.
Over the summer, we had a weeding bee, with even the littlest ones ambitiously hoeing. The hoes came out again when it was time to hill the potatoes. When the corn got ready, we picked, cooked and had a corn on the cob luncheon.
To thank the council for letting us use the lot, we picked a pumpkin, cut it up and made pumpkin pies that were delivered, by all of us, to a council meeting. First we had a piece of the pie and whipped cream ourselves.
The last project has been digging the potatoes and carrots, which were muddy due to all the rain in the last couple of weeks. It is not an easy job for adults, let alone little people. The muddy potatoes and carrots are now out of the ground and ready to go to the food bank.
Saskatoon mumbles
Dear TEAM: Some years ago I got a recipe from the Producer for saskatoon mumbles. I lost it and would like it again. It made very good pie filling, good instead of apples in apple crisp. It had raisins in it. – S.P., Keg River, Alta.
Dear S.P.: Could any of our readers help us find this recipe for saskatoon mumbles? I haven’t been able to locate it. In my search, Kathie e-mailed to tell us that the word mumble is historically used interchangeably with the terms “grunt” and “crumble” often referring to what most people think of as “fruit crumble.” However, to be sure we have the right recipe, it would be great to find the saskatoon mumbles recipe that has raisins in it.
Scalloped cabbage
This recipe was passed down to me from my mother. It is in my recipe scrapbook, in Mom’s handwriting. I recently made it again, while at the same time remembering my mom as she cooked in her kitchen and worked in her large farm garden.
1 medium head of cabbage
1 can (10 oz.) celery
or mushroom soup 284 mL
6 slices bacon
1 medium chopped onion
1 cup grated cheese 250 mL
1/2 cup bread crumbs 125 mL
Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
Chop and cook cabbage. Drain well and combine with the can of soup.
Sauté and mince slices of bacon. Remove from pan. Reserve two tablespoons (30 mL) of the drippings.
Sauté onion in the remaining drippings.
In a separate pan, heat reserved bacon drippings and lightly toss 1/2 cup (125 mL) bread crumbs.
Place one-half of the cabbage-soup mixture in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with bacon, onion and cheese. Top with remaining cabbage mixture. Spoon on bread crumbs. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until hot.
Serves six to eight.
Chocolate sauce
When Jodie called for this homemade chocolate sauce recipe, it reminded me of how often I would turn to it for a quick and easy dessert for the workers at the farm. Stir it up and then just leave it sitting on the stove to keep warm for spooning over chocolate cake and ice cream, or just over ice cream. Not exactly low cal, but tasty.
1/4 cup butter 60 mL
4 cups white sugar 1 L
1/2 cup flour 125 mL
1/4 cup cocoa 60 mL
4 cups water 1 L
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 mL
2 tablespoons vanilla 30 mL
Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan. Heat while stirring until it comes to a boil. Simmer a few more minutes before serving.
Pumpkin muffins
In our area it was a good year for pumpkins. This muffin recipe might be a way to use some of the freshly cooked pumpkin from the garden or use canned pumpkin if you prefer.
4 eggs
1 cup cooking oil 250 mL
2 cups sugar 500 mL
2 cups cooked
pumpkin 500 mL
3 cups flour 720 mL
1 teaspoon cinnamon 5 mL
2 teaspoons baking
soda 10 mL
2 teaspoons baking
powder 10 mL
1 teaspoon salt 5 mL
1 cup raisins 250 mL
Beat eggs slightly, then add oil, sugar and pumpkin. Mix well. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Blend until smooth, then add raisins. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full of batter. Bake at 375 F (190 C) until cooked, about 20 minutes.
Yield: three dozen muffins
Alma Copeland is a home economist from Elrose, 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.
