Whether camping, relaxing in the backyard or enjoying time at the lake, spring and summer gatherings with family and friends mean simple, fresh food. Partially prepared or made ahead recipes help to free up time so everyone can enjoy the fun and relaxation.
Crunchy Asian cabbage salad, Betty Ann’s version
This salad is great for a large family gathering or potluck. It can be premade up to eight hours ahead of time and then assembled just before serving.
Read Also
Restaurant blends zero waste, ancient farming
A Mexico City restaurant has become a draw for its zero-waste kitchen, which means that every scrap of food and leftovers is reused for other purposes.
Serves: 16
Crunchy topping:
- 285 g pkg. ramen noodles, broken into pieces
- 1/2 c. slivered almonds 125 mL
- 2 tsp. sesame seeds 10 mL
- 2 tbsp. sunflower seeds (optional) 30 mL
Dressing
- 1/2 c. regular sesame oil 125 mL
- or 1/2 c. canola oil 125 mL
- 1/3 c. honey 75 mL
- 1/3 c. apple cider vinegar 75 mL
- or 1/3 c. rice vinegar 75 mL
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce 45 mL
- 2 tsp. chili paste or sriracha (optional) 10 mL
Salad
- 1 c. frozen shelled edamame (Japanese name for green soybeans) 250 mL
- 1 tsp. water 25 mL
- 8 c. green cabbage, shredded 2 L
- 3 c. red cabbage, shredded 750 mL
- 2 c. suey chow (also known napa cabbage), chopped 500 mL
- 2 c. carrots, shredded 500 mL
- 3/4 c. green onions, diced 175 mL
- salt and pepper, to taste
- thinly sliced snow peas or red bell pepper chunks (optional)
Crunchy topping
Stir ramen noodles and almonds together in a dry, nonstick fry pan set on medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent burning. After a minute, add pumpkin seeds, and stir. When almonds are just starting to colour, add sesame seeds. Stir until fragrant and slightly brown one to two minutes longer. Be careful not to burn toppings. Remove from pan and cool. If left in the hot pan, they will possibly burn.
Dressing
Heat oil, honey, vinegar and soy sauce together in a small saucepan. Bring dressing to a boil for one minute. Remove from heat, add chili paste or sriracha, if using, and stir to mix. Allow to cool.
Salad
Microwave shelled edamame, in a covered container with one teaspoon of water for two minutes, stir and if needed, microwave an additional one minute. Season with salt and cool.
Toss together cabbages, carrots and green onion. Add edamame and dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate up to eight hours.
Just before serving, add half of the crunchy topping and toss salad. Garnish with remaining crunchy topping and serve. The crunchies will get soggy if added too soon.
Refrigerate any leftovers and use within two days.
To make the salad a main course, add grilled chicken, shrimp, pork tenderloin slices or cubes of tofu.
Sweet and sour meatballs
Yields: 40 to 60 meatballs.
I like to double or triple the meatball portion of this recipe to freeze a quantity of cooked meatballs for quick meal preparation in the future.
Meatballs
- 2 lb. lean ground beef 1 kg
- 1/4 c. onion, finely chopped 60 mL*
- 1 c. rolled oats 250 mL
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c. milk 60 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt2 mL
- 1/2 tsp. pepper 2 mL
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 2 mL
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 15 mL
* Roast chopped onion in a 350 F (180 C) oven for five to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The roasting reduces the strong onion flavour to a sweet mellow flavour.
Combine rolled oats, egg, milk and seasonings in a bowl, mixing well. Add ground beef and onion and mix well. Roll into one inch (2 cm) balls. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 375 F (190 C) for 25 to 30 minutes, turn partway through cooking. Remove from oven.
At this point, meatballs can be cooled and frozen.
Sweet and sour sauce
- 1398 mL can of pineapple tidbits, drained
- 1 1/2 c. cold water (approximate) 375 mL
- 3 tbsp. cornstarch 45 mL
- 2/3 c. white vinegar 150 mL
- 1 c. brown sugar 250 mL
- 1/4 c. ketchup 60 mL
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce 45 mL
- 1 tsp. beef bouillon 5 mL
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger 1 mL (optional)
Drain pineapple juice into a two-cup measure, add enough cold water to equal 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Reserve pineapple.
Add liquids to a large saucepan, add cornstarch and mix well to completely dissolve. Add vinegar, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce and bouillon and bring to a boil. Stirring to prevent lumps, boil until mixture thickens. Stir in ginger.
Place cooked meatballs in a casserole dish, pour sauce over meatballs, sprinkle with pineapple tidbits and cover. Place in 325 F (160 C) oven and bake for one hour, or place cooked meatballs, sauce and pineapple in a slow cooker and cook on high for one hour or low for two hours. This is traditionally served with rice or noodles.
This recipe is adapted from Pamela Pidwerbesky, a Western Producer reader, who shared this recipe in March 2021 as an idea for cooking for a crew or for one or two.
The sweet and sour sauce could also be used on ribs, chicken breasts, pork chops, chicken or turkey meatballs.
Chicken rice
Serves eight.
- 4 c. chicken broth 900 mL container plus 100 mL water
- 2 c. converted long grain rice 500 mL
- 1 tsp. salt 5 mL
Combine in a large casserole, cover and place in a 350 F (180 C) oven for one hour. Remove from oven and allow to stand five minutes to absorb liquid. Fluff with fork and serve.
Rice could also be cooked on the stove. Heat to boil liquid and rice in a covered saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and boil gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat and allow to stand five minutes to absorb liquid. Fluff with fork and serve.
Adapted from bensoriginal.ca.
Rice bowl sweet and sour meatballs
This is an easy but interesting option for serving sweet and sour meatballs, especially for a casual cottage gathering.
Provide a variety of fresh raw vegetables such as:
- suey chow leaves, sliced into narrow strips
- carrots, peeled and sliced
- mushrooms, sliced
- red cabbage, grated or chopped
- cucumber, chopped
- cauliflower, cut into small flowerets
- broccoli, cut into flowerets
The following are optional:
- sesame seeds
- sunflower seeds
- fish sauce
- soy sauce
Prepare vegetables, placing each in a bowl or combine in a large bowl.
Serving buffet style, provide large soup bowls, an array of vegetables, hot rice and hot sweet and sour meatballs. Diners can select their vegetables of choice to place in the bottom of their bowl and top with hot rice, meatballs and sauce. Combine and enjoy.
Sesame and/or sunflower seeds, fish sauce or soy sauce could be added as desired.
Rhubarb saskatoon berry meringue dessert
Yield: 12-15 servings.
This is a delicious way to enjoy fresh spring rhubarb. Use just rhubarb, just Saskatoon’s or a combination of both fruits.
Base
- 2 c. all-purpose flour 500 mL
- 2 tbsp. sugar 30 mL
- 1 c. cold butter or margarine 250 mL
Combine flour and sugar in a bowl and cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a greased nine by 13 x two inch (22 x 33 x 4 cm) baking pan, or use two glass pie plates.
Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing filling.
Filling
- 2 c. sugar 500 mL (If using just rhubarb add 1/2 c. (125 mL) more sugar)
- 1/3 c. all-purpose flour 75 mL
- 1 tsp. salt 5 mL
- 6 egg yolks, beaten 6
- 1 c. whipping cream 250 mL
- or 1 c. vanilla yogurt 250 mL
- or 3/4 c. sour cream 175 mL and 1/4 c. water 60 mL
- 6 c. rhubarb, sliced or saskatoon berries or a combination of both, fresh or frozen fruit 1.5 L
Combine in a microwavable bowl sugar, flour and salt. Stir in egg yolks and cream. Add fruit. Cook filling in microwave on high for three minute intervals, stirring well between until mixture thickens and rhubarb is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Pour over baked crust. Top hot filling with meringue.
Alternatively, pour uncooked fruit and egg mixture over crust and bake at 350 F (180 C) for 50 to 60 minutes or until set.
Meringue
- 6 egg whites, warmed by sitting at room temperature 30 minutes
- 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar 2 mL
- 3/4 c. sugar, use very fine fruit sugar 175 mL
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5 mL
- 1/3 c. flaked coconut (optional) 75 mL
In a clean glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form. Rub a little meringue between fingers to see if sugar is all dissolved. Beat more if needed. Beat in vanilla.
Spread over hot filling right to the edge of baking dish. Top with coconut if desired. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 12 to15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. refrigerate for one to two hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
