June is often filled with activity, and when there are gatherings, there is always good food. If you’re heading to a potluck or block party, try these recipes to add to the table offerings. These are favourites at our house.
Creamy Dill Dip
This homemade dip is such a hit that I am always asked for the recipe. Fresh baby dill leaves are popping up in the garden, so it is a flavourful recipe to make. I save the extra cut greens by chopping them up and putting them in a freezer bag or container for later use.
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- 1 pkg. Philadelphia brick cream cheese, softened 250 g
- 5 finely chopped dill pickles (regular size)
- 1/4 c. pickle juice 60 mL
- 1/4 c. mayonnaise 60 mL
- 4 tbsp. fresh chopped or frozen dill weed 60 mL
Mix ingredients until blended. Refrigerate 30 minutes, then serve with fresh vegetables, your favourite crackers or potato chips. Season with a bit of salt to desired taste.
Cucumber Dill Salad
- 8 c. green lettuce of your choice, like romaine 2 L
- 1/3 c. fresh dill chopped 80 mL
- 3/4 c. feta cheese crumbled 175 mL
- 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/2 onion thinly sliced
- 3 sliced radishes (optional but seasonal and flavourful)
Vinaigrette:
Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar or container. Shake to mix.
Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing, toss and serve immediately.
One-pan Roasted Chicken Dinner with Fresh Dill
Roasting really brings out the most delicious tastes, and a colourful one-dish meal is such a nutritious and convenient way to serve. Make your food items close to the same size and close to the same texture and firmness. For example, potatoes take longer to roast than many other vegetables so they must be cut a bit smaller.
- 6 chicken breasts, thawed and cut into halves
- 4 tbsp. olive oil, divided 60 mL
- 1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning 5 mL
- 4 small potatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 2 peeled parsnips cut into 2 inch pieces
- 4 peeled carrots cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- fresh chopped dill greens
- 1 tsp. garlic seasoning or powder 5 mL
- salt, pepper and seasoning salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Prepare baking pan, either a cookie sheet with sides or a large 10 x 15 inch (25 x 38 cm) pan.
Place the chicken on a plate and drizzle with 2 tbsp. of oil until coated. Season with lemon pepper.
In large bowl, combine the potatoes, carrots, parsnips and onion. Coat with the remaining oil, season with garlic seasoning, salt and pepper to taste and place on the baking pan. Place chicken among the vegetables to spread the flavour.
Sprinkle with fresh dill, as much as you like (more greens give more flavour) and roast in the oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until just tender. Stir with tongs occasionally to spread the cooking juices. If dry on the pan, add more oil. Makes four large servings.
Note: Substitute any vegetables you have on hand. I often add cauliflower pieces or cubed squash or chunks of cabbage. Get creative, but do not overfill the pan.
When June arrives, we always enjoy the sweet bite of fresh strawberries. Heavenly on their own, I prefer them sliced with creamy vanilla ice cream or as a side to a chocolate dish. Or, how about a few pairings with rich chocolate?
Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins
- 1 3/4 c. flour 425 mL
- 3/4 c. cocoa powder 175 mL
- 1 3/4 c. granulated sugar 425 mL
- 2 tsp. baking soda 10 mL
- 1 tsp. baking powder 5 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1/2 c. vegetable oil 125 mL
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 c. full fat sour cream, at room temperature 175 mL
- 1/2 c. buttermilk (make your own by adding a tbsp. of vinegar or lemon juice to milk that is not low fat, slightly warmed) 125 mL
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 10 mL
- 1/3 c. boiling hot water 80 mL
Cream Cheese Filling
- 12 oz. full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature (1 and 1/2 bricks) 375 g
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 c. granulated sugar 60 mL
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 2 mL
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) and prepare muffin tins.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer, combine the oil, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water, and whisk or beat until the batter is completely combined. Set aside as you prepare the cream cheese filling.
For the cream cheese filling, beat the cream cheese on high speed until no lumps remain. Beat in the remaining ingredients on medium-high speed until combined.
Pour some chocolate batter, about 2/3 full in a muffin pan, then spread some cream cheese filling evenly on top (a large spoonful each). The cream cheese batter is thick, so you’ll have to spoon it on top and do your best to spread it around while avoiding the sides of the pan. Spoon some of the chocolate batter evenly on top, so the tin is about 3/4 full. Repeat until the muffin pans are full.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool for two hours inside the pan. Then refrigerate for two hours before serving. Makes 24 muffins.
Leftovers keep well stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Note: You can use the batter to make a Bundt cake. Layer the batter with the cream cheese filling as above and bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. This is a large, heavy cake so don’t be alarmed if it takes a little longer in your oven.
Source: adapted from www.sallysbakingaddiction.com.
Lemon Frosted Banana Bar
- 1/2 c. butter, softened 125 mL
- 1 1/2 c. sugar 375 mL
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium) 375 mL
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5 mL
- 2 c. flour 500 mL
- 1 tsp. baking soda 5 mL
- dash salt
Frosting:
- 1/2 pkg. cream cheese, softened 125 g
- 1/4 c. butter, softened 60 mL
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 15 mL
- 2 c. icing sugar 500 mL
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 5 mL
Preheat oven to 350 F(180 C). Prepare a 15X10 baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, three to five minutes. Then beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla.
In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into creamed mixture just until blended.
Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool.
While the bar is cooling, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the lemon juice and stir. Then add icing sugar and vanilla, beat until smooth. Frost bars. Cool and cut.
Originally from Taste of Home Magazine.
Apple Pie Slice
This is a simple version of a traditional fruit pie. It is easy to eat with your hands, which makes it simple to serve. I know apples are not in season in spring, but there are always some around that need to be used up. Substitute some seasonal fruit such as rhubarb for a bit of the apple.
Pastry:
- 2 1/2 c. flour 625 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1 c. cold butter 250 mL
- 1 egg yolk (save the egg white)
- 3/4 c. milk 175 mL
In a bowl, mix the flour and salt. Cut in the butter until the mix is large crumbs. Add the egg yolk and milk. Work the dough until it forms a ball. Divide the dough in half. Place in a sealed container or bag and let rest in the refrigerator.
Fruit Filling:
- 6 c. apples, peeled, cored and cubed 1.5 L
- 1 c. sugar 250 mL
- 1 tsp. cinnamon 5 mL
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 mL
- dash salt
- 1 tbsp. flour 15 mL
Peel and core apples and cut into cubes. Sprinkle the sugar, spices, salt and cornstarch on top of the apples and mix.
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
Carefully roll out half of the dough on a floured surface into a large rectangle (approx. 9 X 13 inches/ 22 X 33 cm). Place on a cookie sheet. Spoon the apple filling onto the pastry, leaving the edges for pinching. Brush milk or water (a small amount) around the rim to help the pastry seal.
Roll out the second half of the pastry and place on top of the apple mix. Pinch and flute the edges. Cut vents on the top pastry layer and brush with another bit or milk or water and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden. Cut into squares and enjoy.
Note: Substitute a cup of the cubed apples for cut fresh rhubarb when it is in season. I do not increase the sugar because I like the tartness, but you can certainly add a bit more for your personal taste.
Chewy Eggless Pumpkin Chip Cookies
I love baking with pumpkin, loaded with fibre, so making sweet treats carries a little less guilt! Rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and potassium, pure pumpkin can deliver nutrition and hydration in summer.
I have often been asked for eggless recipes for people with allergies. I came across this recipe, not for health reasons but for lack of checking on what ingredients I had on hand before starting a recipe.
To fill coolers during seeding time, I started mixing a cookie recipe and then realized the egg carton was empty. Google found this fabulous recipe and saved the day.
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (if you are using salted, cut back on the added salt in the recipe) 125 mL
- 1/4 c. packed light or dark brown sugar 60 mL
- 1/2 c. sugar 125 mL
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 5 mL
- 1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling) 90 mL
- 1 1/2 c. flour 375 mL
- 1/4 tsp. salt 1 mL
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1 mL
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1 mL
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 10 mL
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 2 mL
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves .5 mL
- dash ground ginger
- 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips 125 mL
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Then whisk in the vanilla and pumpkin until smooth. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and spices together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes or up to three days. This is a must with this recipe.
Remove dough from the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Prepare two large baking sheets.
Scoop the dough, about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie, and roll each into balls. Arrange cookie dough balls three inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using the back of a spoon or the bottom of a cup, slightly flatten the tops of the dough balls.
Bake for 11-12 minutes or until the edges appear set. The cookies will look very soft in the centre. Remove from the oven.
Cool cookies on the baking sheets for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The longer the cookies cool, the better they taste. The flavour gets stronger and the texture becomes chewier.
Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to one week.
Source: www.sallysbakingaddiction.com.
Jodie Mirosovsky is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
