We wish all our readers all the best in 2009. We do not know what each new year will bring and that is good. There will certainly be happy and sad surprises along the way.
After what seemed like a long cold spell, the weather today is nice. The neighbourhood children are out playing in the fresh snow and loving every minute of it. Snow to us older folk means we look forward to vacations in warmer climates. In any case, the days have started to get longer, and spring will be here before we know it.
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Nutritious pork packed with vitamins, essential minerals
Recipes for pork
Jelly meatballs
I enjoyed this recipe over the holidays.
1 pound ground beef 454 g
1egg, beaten
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs 125 mL
3 tablespoons fresh, chopped 45 mL
parsley
1onion, minced
1 teaspoon salt 5 mL
2 teaspoons Worcestershire 10 mL
sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 mL
Sauce:
11/2 cups chili sauce 375 mL
11/4 cups grape jelly 310 mL
1 teaspoon lemon juice 5 mL
3 tablespoons brown sugar 45 mL
2 tablespoons soy sauce 30 mL
In a bowl, mix together ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, parsley, onion, salt, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Form into one inch (2.5 cm) balls to make approximately 30.
In a large saucepan combine chili sauce, grape jelly, lemon juice, brown sugar and soy sauce. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add meatballs to sauce.
Return sauce to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Serves four.
Source: Favourites from The Class of ’61 cookbook. Our 1961 home economics class from the University of Saskatchewan had a reunion in 2006. At that time we had a cookbook made of our favourite recipes. Betty Anne Sells submitted this recipe.
Sharing family traditions
The family traditions told by our readers in our Christmas contest are too good to keep to ourselves. We enjoyed reading them and will share some of the stories with you. Thanks to everyone who took the time to write in.
Imaginary guests
Thanks to Shirley Cross of Westlock, Alta., for sharing her family tradition.
When our children were young, one of our fun traditions was having an imaginary lady join us at a family meal. It was a great way to polish table manners. It included the men, and was for all to enjoy. Mrs. Quiggley was the best lady ever.
For the other yearly, monthly and weekly celebrations, we had two sets of grandparents join us, as well as one set of great-grandparents. At this time the children were learning much about failing hearing and eyesight.
The most difficult and most profound lesson was to learn that not all babies are born perfect. That came about when friends would join our celebrations, bringing along their child that was physically challenged. Our children were able to learn much about family life in a warm and comfortable setting.
Requests for lazy daisy cake
Mae Woronuk of Rycroft, Alta., shared this memory and recipe.
For our children, an after-school special treat was on bread baking day. Just before they were to come home, I would always try and have bread ready to put into loaves.
Just before this was done, and when the dough was risen, I’d take a sharp knife and cut off a thin slice, and then deep fry it and flip it over. These slices really puffed up. They would all have milk with it and we called it Indian bread.
You can put on whatever one likes: butter, syrup, jam or jelly. Very good.
Then after they went off to university, when they would be driving home for six or seven hours, they wished for fairy dessert cake or lazy daisy cake. Good memories.
Now they are all away from home. It’s lonely without them, but when they come home you ask “what would you like for an old favourite?” Cream puffs were another favourite.
Lazy daisy cake
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar 175 mL
1 cup flour 250 mL
1 teaspoon baking powder 5 mL
1 teaspoon vanilla 5 mL
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 mL
1/2 cup hot milk 125 mL
1 tablespoon butter 15 mL
Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until light.
Add flour, baking powder, vanilla and salt.
Then add the hot milk and the butter melted in the hot milk. Mix well.
Bake in an eight by eight inch (20 x 20 cm) square pan at 400 F (200 C) for 25 minutes.
Topping:
3 tablespoons brown sugar 45 mL
3 tablespoons melted butter 45 mL
2 tablespoons cream 30 mL
1/2 cup coconut 125 mL
Mix all ingredients together. Pour the topping over the baked cake and bake until it bubbles.
Poor man’s haggis
Sherry Diener of Saskatoon sent this in.
My dad’s parents lived in Portage la Prairie, Man., but our family lived in Saskatoon. Several times a year, on long weekends or summer vacations, we would make the trek to Portage and visit Grandma and Grandpa.
Grandma would often fix for us a traditional McDougall family dish my dad had nicknamed roly-poly, otherwise known as poor man’s haggis. It was his favourite growing up and we grew to love it, too. Basically it’s a stew, without the gravy, that’s rolled in dough, trussed up and boiled. This dish takes several hours to cook and would fill the house with a wonderful aroma.
When Grandma passed away, I carried on the tradition so that Dad would never have to be without his roly-poly. I still have her recipe written in her hand, and every time I make it, I’m back in Grandma’s kitchen.
Dough:
3 cups flour 750 mL
1 cup lard (no substitutes) 250 mL
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 mL
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 mL
1/2-3/4 cup cold water 125–175 mL
Filling:
1 pound lean ground beef 454 grams
3 pork chops, cut into small 454 grams
pieces (or 1 pound ground pork)
11/2 cups carrots, cut into 375 mL
small pieces
11/2 cups onion, cut into 375 mL
small pieces
11/2 cups potatoes, diced 375 mL
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper or to your taste 2 mL
1 tablespoon ketchup 15 mL
Fill a large canner about two thirds with water. Start to heat the water.
Mix flour, lard, salt and baking powder until crumbly. Add cold water a little at a time until mixture holds. Do not overmix. Roll to 1/8 inch (0.3cm) thickness (roll longer than wide).
Mix filling ingredients together and spread over dough. Roll up jelly-roll style.
Use a pillowcase size of clean, white cotton or cheesecloth. Dampen or generously sprinkle the cheesecloth with flour to prevents sticking. Place the rolled up dough on the cloth and wrap. Secure with string.
Place in boiling water and continue to boil, covered, for three hours. Turn roll at least two or three times to ensure even cooking.
The slices of roly-poly look nice on a plate. With Robbie Burns Day approaching, you might want to serve this haggis.
Popovers
I tried this recipe for lunch. We enjoyed the popovers with chopped turkey and mayonnaise for a starter and finished by making them dessert with fresh raspberries and honey. It’s best to bake these in deep muffin tins.
Thanks to Rita Nell, Francis, Sask., for this family tradition story.
I am sending the following recipe for popovers. My husband’s mother made them on Sunday mornings when he was growing up and after we were married he kept the tradition.
When our five children were growing up, we made popovers for breakfasts on Sundays, hundreds of times. This was not a tradition in my family, but I learned to make them. Our oldest son often makes popovers for Sunday breakfast and his wife has also made them to keep the custom.
When our other children come to visit, popovers are still special on Sunday mornings. This recipe can be doubled or tripled. They are so yummy that one dozen was never enough for our family.
1 cup flour 250 mL
1/2 teaspoon salt 2 mL
7/8 cup milk 220 mL
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon melted butter 2 mL
Turn oven on to 450 F (230 C).
Mix flour, salt; add milk gradually and make a smooth batter.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs until light and add to first batter. Add melted butter and beat for two minutes.
Heat muffin pans in oven. Turn batter into buttered hissing-hot muffin tins and bake for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 F (180 C) and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until they begin to brown on top.
Serve immediately with butter, margarine or honey. Makes one dozen.
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.
