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December 2012

 

Guess everyone was busy, as I didn’t receive any suggestions of your family’s favourite Christmas or New Year’s celebration recipes. If you have a few moments, send along a recipe you like to prepare for family festivity or New Year’s home party with friends.

There will still be time for readers to try your recipe, because the next issue (January) will be published on December 19th. I’ll need your submission December 10th.

 

One nice thing about having a store in Truro is the number of Shoreline readers or subscribers who drop by just to say hello and have a chat. Each year, I can count on Evelyn Sutherland, Upper Economy. She is always so bubbly and fun. She comes to shop, but comes in to renew subscriptions she sends as Christmas Gifts.

 

Maurice, who worked the store on Saturday, told me at Debbie Weatherby, who delivers mail and writes the Onslow-Belmont Notes. Debbie and a friend spend a fair amount of time in the store.

 

Now back toward the kitchen. I was reviewing some recipes, which could be adapted to the Christmas season and I found one from by good friend, Freda Cooke from up near Sydney.

 

Land of Nod Cinnamon Buns

20 frozen rolls
1 cup brown sugar 
1/4 cup vanilla instant pudding
1-2 tbsp cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 to1/2 cup melted butter

Before you put out the cat and turn out the lights, grease a 10 inch Bundit pan and add the frozen rolls.


Sprinkle with brown sugar, pudding powder, cinnamon and raisins. Pour melted butter over all cover with a clean damp cloth. Leave out at room temperature turn off the lights and say good night.

 

In the morning preheat oven to 350 and bake for 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes and then turn out on serving plate. Now aren’t you clever.

 

Submitted by Freda Cooke, Cape Breton.

 

My suggestion: When sprinkling the buns with other ingredients add a dash of clove powder, or your favourite spice. Once cooked turn the buns onto a work surface or serving plate. Drizzle with some almond flavoured dressing, sprinkle with small pieces of red and green cherries, and slivered almonds, which you might have from other baking projects.

Normally Christmas brings the great aroma of a mince pie, but not everyone enjoys mincemeat, especially since it’s difficult to get good home-made mincemeat. If you’re family tradition is cream and fruit pies, that is great, but if you want to create a choice here’s a couple of suggestions.

 

Since we’re not real big sweet eaters, Maurice likes to get a bottle of Black and Croswell’s mincemeat, fill five or six of the pre-frozen Tenderflake "mini-tart" shells (18 to a box) and bake when he’s got a roast in the oven. Put remaining mincemeat in the refrigerator.

Instead of mincemeat pie you might like to try an Old Fashioned Raisin Pie.

 

Old Fashioned Raisin Pie

2 Cups Raisins

2 Cups Water

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Cornstarch

1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Vinegar

1 Tbsp Butter

 

Combine raisins and water. Boil for 10 mins. Blend sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Add to the raisins and cook stirring until clear. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and butter. Cool slightly. Put raisin mixture in pie crust and bake at 425 degrees for 30 mins.

Submitted by Marilyn Adams

 


 

November 2012

 

Wow, what a relief to get all ingredients correctly listed in a recipe. Not as much mail this month since I got everything right and correctly reprinted Marilyn Adams’ "very moist blueberry cake" recipe. I sure found an easy way to make it "moist" – just leave out the flour.

 

However, not getting complaints was not a problem as I have been busy sweating it out in the kitchen dealing with what has come out of the garden.

 

If you recall last spring I almost lamented about forecasting that come fall Maurice, would be expecting jams, and pickles. I’m pleased to report I came through. Strawberry Jam for sure, however, missed two of his favourites, raspberry and blackberry. Just when the raspberries were at their best, we were busy both of those weekends attending exhibitions and fairs, with the t-shirts. Then a neighbor called saying he had an abundance of blackberries. Maurice was busy finishing an issue of the Shoreline, and then it was off to another fair.

 

Right now I’m glad the fairs and exhibitions are over. From the middle of June until September 25th weekend, we had an event every weekend except one. It was just nice to relax a bit that weekend. We’ve had three weekends without a t-shirt event, but right now, up to our ears getting our store ready for the Christmas season. The store will be open by the time you are reading this. The official opening was held October 25th with Truro Mayor, Bill Mills doing the honours. We’re relocated the store to the former A. J. Walker building at 911 Prince Street, Truro.

 

Now back to the kitchen, in early June we had an abundance of cherries. I made two batches of cherry jam. Yummy. The last one I was in a hurry and should have made two batches, but enlarged the supply of fruit. Not a real jam, but sure will be good as a sauce for ice-cream or perhaps, I’ll make a cheesecake.

 

So far this year, I’ve make several batches of pickled beets, mustard pickles, and now I have to find enough green tomatoes to make the recipe, I’m featuring this issue.

Colleen Killen, Debert sent me a fantastic recipe for Garden Relish. She added she enjoys the recipes in my column and each issue of the Shoreline Journal. She suggested perhaps I should hold off until next spring, but we still have plenty of the ingredients. I’m missing enough green tomatoes, but I should be able to gather some up from the neighbours.

 

Garden Relish

 

1 large cauliflower

4 red peppers

6 green peppers

6 cucumbers

5 carrots

Lots of yellow and green beans

7 or 8 pounds of green tomatoes

9 onions

 

Chop fine and sprinkle with ½ cup of salt. Leave overnight and drain. Rinse well in the morning. Combine 6 cups of white sugar, 2 tbsp mustard seed, 1 tbsp celery seed, 1 tsp turmeric, 4 cups white vinegar, 2 cups water. Heat to boiling then bottle while hot.

 

NOTE: Secret to crunchy pickle is how much water dawn out of vegetables and not to overcook. 

 

I’m hoping to have two or three new recipe suggestions for favourite Christmas or holiday family enjoyment.

 


 

October 2012

 

I guess there is one way to get attention and with that omission one would certainly have a "very" moist mixture if you forgot to include the flour. How embarrassing to have printed Marilyn Adams’ recipe for Very Moist Blueberry Cake and not include how much flour was required.

 

Not long after last month’s paper was printed the phone started ringing, and then the emails started to arrive. The first three to send an email were: Dorothy Booth, Leah Palmer and Tina Kaulback. The recipe calls for three cups of flour.

 

To ensure everyone has the correct recipe, I’ve reprinted Marilyn Adams’ recipe for those who are clipping or copying them:

 

Very Moist Blueberry Cake

  • 1 cup margarine

  • 2 cups white sugar

  • 3 eggs

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 3 cups of flour.

  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

  • 1 tsp almond extract

  • 4 cups fresh blueberries

Mix margarine, sugar, and eggs until blended. Add milk and flour 1 cup at a time. Add baking powder and almond extract. Finish by folding blueberries in. Put in bunt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

 

In between travelling this summer to a large variety of festivals, and exhibitions from Sydney to Liverpool, Digby, New Glasgow, Pictour, Middle Musquodoboit, Sussex and Village of Gagetown with our t-shirt business, we’ve been trying to find retail space in a shopping centre for November and December.

 

While at the festivities in New Glasgow, Pictou, Middle Musquodoboit and even in Digby at the Wharf Rat Rally on the Labour Day weekend, we had people asking if we were going to have our store at the Truro Mall. New Glasgow and Middle Musquodoboit generated the most amount of calls with about 8-10 inquiries each.

 

The Wharf Rat Rally in Digby was a surprise because we had three couples from New Glasgow and two from Sydney ask about the store. Each claiming they don’t have similar stores in their area and they made a point of making a trip to the mall each December for the purpose of getting t-shirts for Christmas Gifts.

 

Our preferred location has been the Truro Mall, but in 2011, they adopted a policy of no short term leases during the Christmas period so we have been on the hunt to find a suitable location. We are pleased to announce we have secured a great location in the former A. J. Walker Hardware building on Prince Street, Truro. The store will be open by the end of October.

 

Because I printed Marilyn Adams’ recipe wrong last month, I’ve have chosen her Spiced Beef and Rice submission. Local onions and green peppers are in abundance and it’s getting cooler and time for a casserole type meal.

 

Spiced Beef and Rice

1/2 lb lean ground beef

1 small green peppers(diced)

1 small onion(diced)

1 can stewed tomatoes

1/2 tsp each of chili powder, dry mustard, oregano and hot pepper sauce

1 1/2 cup cooked rice

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 

Brown beef, green pepper, and onion in a large skillet. In a lightly greased casserole dish combine all ingredients except the cheese, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutess. Add the cheese on top and bake uncovered for 10 minutes. - Marilyn Adams

 


 

September 2012

 

For many families the routine of summer is quickly coming to an end with Labour Day not many moons away and the yellow buses will be running up and down the roads carrying students back to school. Which is a reminder, drive with extra caution especially in school zones.

 

Don’t forget highway crews have been busy installing new signage reflecting the change in speed in school zones from 50 down to 30 Km/Hr. Rest assured the RCMP will be patrolling school areas with intensity at least the first few days.

 

We all must be getting older or slower. Time goes by so quickly. Wonder where the summer has gone. Don’t want to alarm you, but on Saturday, it was only five months to Christmas and we won’t miss that time either.

 

In our backyard we have a cherry tree and this year it was loaded. The fruit ripened fast, and almost two weeks earlier than normal. The birds were lagging a bit behind, because we were able to get the cherries picked before the flocks of birds had a feast.

 

One of our tenants, who is really growing a green thumb picked a lot of them and sold in the store next door. They were the sweetest cherries I have ever seen. Got a few bottles of cherry jam, but on the last one, there was enough fruit left for about 2 ½ batches.

Decided to try something a bit different. I cooked it all up as for one batch of jam. Of course it didn’t set. I didn’t want to waste the fruit, but wanted to make as a sauce for ice-cream and to be used as sauce for cheese cake, etc.

 

With the extreme heat, fine sunny weather, high humidity and attending many festivals and exhibitions with the t-shirts, I’ve spent as little time as possible in the kitchen.

I’d like to receive submissions from anyone who has gotten into "sourdough" starter. Last month, I chose an Amish Friendship Bread Sourdough Starter. With fall coming sourdough is a great way to enjoy fresh muffins every morning. Of course sourdough is not limited to muffins.


With Nova Scotia being the world’s largest producer of wild blueberries, with a heavy concentration of growers in Cumberland and Colchester Counties, there are hundreds of family favourites. The month of August has become Blueberry Festival time and these events are just ending with great overall success.

 

This month I’ve chosen a great recipe for Very Moist Blueberry Cake submitted by Marilyn Adams.

 

Very Moist Blueberry Cake

  • 1 cup margarine

  • 2 cups white sugar

  • 3 eggs

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

  • 1 tsp almond extract

  • 4 cups fresh blueberries

Mix margarine, sugar, and eggs until blended. Add milk and flour 1 cup at a time. Add baking powder and almond extract. Finish by folding blueberries in. Put in bunt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

 


 

August 2012

 

It’s been hot, dry, no rain, and field crops are suffering badly. If we don’t get some rain soon, it going to cause serious problems for farms with the loss of income. If the dryness continues, we as consumers will feel it at the grocery store checkout with increased prices, even though the amount of money trickling down to farmers in many products will not justify the huge increase in prices. 

 

On another note, received some disturbing news from Vel Kennedy, wife of founding publisher, Ken. Apparently Vel and some others were disappointed with some of the community strawberry suppers when they found out the strawberries were not fresh but last year’s frozen. I definitely trust the source, and have not polled local organizations to see if they are guilty. If any group in our area prepared such product, I’d be very, very disappointed.

 

Earlier this spring Maurice started on a task of trying to find sourdough recipes, primarily for muffins. Michele Michelin was most helpful in providing lots of data and a few recipes. I had intended on printing some more, but go side tracked with great recipes from Hazel Hill and Marilyn Adams and others. I’m not saying Maurice and I started a sourdough movement, but it’s interesting, from September 9-11th Mo’s in Five Islands has been chosen for a series of workshops on sourdough and yeasted breads. A story, "Learn how to bake bread" outlining the upcoming workshops is included on Page 26 of this issue.

In April, I did some online searching for sourdough recipes, here’s one which outlines the process and what is involved in in preparing a starter. This gives you the procedures. If you want some recipes, send an email to: maurice@theshorelinejournal.com

 

Amish Friendship Bread Sourdough Starter

1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 oz. warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
1 cup milk

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Place all ingredients into a large bowl and stir until mixture is creamy. This can be a covered bowl or a gallon size zipper bag. You can cover your bowl with plastic wrap or with a tea towel like I did. If you are using a zipper bag you will mush the ingredients around instead of stirring. Also, if the bag gets air in it, please let the air out or it will eventually pop. Let the mixture stand in a warm place to ferment for 2 days. It will bubble and have a sour odor. After the second day, you start your Friendship Bread. You should have 1 cup of starter. Do not refrigerate this starter. Keeping it in the fridge will slow down the growth of yeast and you will not get the desired results from this starter. However, if you need to take a break from the starter (i.e. your going on vacation) you can freeze the starter. Thaw and start over where you left off. You do not want to use a metal bowl or spoon.

Take your 1 cup of starter: Day 1, 2, 3, and 4 – stir each day.

Day 5, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Stir well.

Day 6, 7, 8, and 9 – stir each day. On day 10 add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Stir and put 1 cup of mixture in another container. This will be your starter that you keep going. Tomorrow you will begin this process over. Put a lid on the container or use a gallon size zipper bag.

 


 

July 2012

 

As expected, weeds grow faster than the transplants. We got spoiled in March and April with such warm weather, so much so that’s it’s hard to correlate the season with the calendar. For instance some of our farmer friends were putting up silage and bales of hay over three weeks earlier that normal. A few weeks ago, Leslie Burrows, Old Barns told Maurice with one more day of good weather, they would finish their first cutting a few days before they normally start.

 

On June 14th, I got on the road early to deliver bulk copies of our Regional Tourism Feature in the June edition to museums and visitor information centres along the shore up to Port Greville and Springhill. The day was rather special for me, as I was attending the opening of the 23rd season of the Anne Murray Centre, while there I got to spend a few minutes with the international star from Springhill.

 

With lots of local greens available, and the desire for more healthy eating, I’ve chosen two recipes, which should compliment each other for some great summer meals. The first recipe is Homemade Salad Dressing submitted by our good friend, Hazel Hill, Great Village.

 

Homemade Salad Dressing

 

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp dry mustard

1tsp salt

 

Mix above in top of double boiler, add 2 beaten eggs and ½ cup white vinegar, mix thoroughly. Remove from heat, add 1 tbsp butter. Bottle, cool and refrigerate.

Submitted by Hazel Hill, Great Village.

 

Here’s a great recipe submitted by Marilyn Adams, which would be great prepared in the oven as Marilyn suggests. I’ve added some thoughts on how to adapt for the BBQ.

 

Chicken In Foil

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halved

  • 1/4 cup sliced onions sliced

  • 1/2 tomato sliced

  • 1 med size potato sliced

  • 1 small carrot sliced

  • 1 stalk of celery sliced

  • 1/4 tsp pepper

  • 1/8 tarragon

  • 1 tsp lemon juice

In two pieces of heavy duty foil, place a piece of chicken and divide the veggies and seasoning equally over the chicken. Wrap well and place in a 350 degree oven for a 1 hour. Serves 2 - Submitted by Marilyn Adams

 

Note: For some great summer time cooking, this recipe could be adapted to the BBQ. I haven’t done it for about three years, but we often did foil wrapped vegetables on the BBQ, I’m thinking if the chicken breasts were parboiled for a few minutes they should be thoroughly cooked by the time the vegetables are ready. I’d also use about three tablespoons of water from boiling the chicken. This will add more moisture and the steam in the sealed foil pouches will enhance cooking the vegetables.

 

Barbecued Bananas

 

While you have the tin foil out, you might as well prepare dessert. For each banana tear of a piece of tinfoil about 12 -14 inches square. Fold in half, place peeled whole banana in centre of foil. Add 1-2 heaping TBLSP of brown sugar, a bit of cinnamon, 1 TBLSPN butter and 2-3 TBLSPN cold water. Seal foil to make a boat, with seams at the top and ends folded upwards; tight enough to retain all fluids. Set aside. One minute before you finish cooking on the BBQ, place tinfoil boats on the top rack or off to the side. When BBQ is empty place tin foil boats in the hottest section, close lid, turn of BBQ, when you are ready for dessert, retrieve from BBQ, open top seams, add a scoop of ice cream or crushed strawberries. ENJOY.

 


 

June 2012

 

Yes, the transplants are growing well and many are already planted. What isn’t is as of now, will be within the next week. Guess what two things Maurice arrived home with yesterday? A new electic whipper snipper and immediately handed it to me. Then he came forward with 25 new strawberry plants. Oh, and the spot for the strawberries is next to the rhubarb. Should I think that eventually, he will want a strawberry pie and lots of jam and for me to get into the rhubarb too?

 

Now that the weather is much warmer and as I look at the calendar, we’ll soon be attending festivals and events almost on a weekly basis from early June until late September. Right now I see only two weekends, where nothing is booked. One new event we are really looking forward to is 2012 Pugwash HarbourFest, which will also include at least two Tall Ships visiting for the weekend of July 27, 28 & 29th.

 

WOW, what a response to my request to find a bran muffin recipe, which can be kept in the refrigerator for a few weeks. In over four years of writing this column, I’ve never had such a high volume response.

 

First to respond was Micheline Sterling, Debert who sent several; then Mildred Jaeger, Woodbridge, ON; a link was sent to several recipes by Esther Nelson, which also included some great Amish sourdough recipes. Doreen Putnam, Masstown send along a great recipe, when she renewed her subscription. Doreen’s recipe can be kept in the refrigerator for up to six weeks and makes six dozen large muffins.

 

It was hard to choose, but I for this issue, I’ve chosen Mildred’s recipe from Ontario, which included this note: ‘Hello, just read in the Shoreline Journal that you're looking for a muffin recipe from the 60's and 70's. I remembered having this kind of recipe so I went through my "old" recipes and found this one.’
 

Two-Month Muffin Mix

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups All-Bran cereal
3 cups Bran Flakes
8 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 quart buttermilk
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped dates

Lightly grease muffin tin and fill 3/4 full.  Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Keep remainder of batter in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container for up to two months.


Makes about 5-6 dozen muffins.

Hope this is helpful.  Have a good summer! Mildred Jaeger, Woodbridge, ON


Then I just had to use one of the several from Micheline Sterling, which is as follows: Bran muffins recipe using sour milk, found it in an old cookbook called Telephone Pioneer Oven Cook Book, Acadia Chapter #49

 

2 cups of flakes or health bran

2 cups boiling water poured over bran until water is soaked up

2 cups of raisins, pour hot water over, let stand and drain, squeeze dry

2 cups of dates chopped, (do not scald)

1 cup of shortening

2 to 3 cups of white sugar

4 eggs

2 cups of sour milk (sour milk with lemon juice or vinegar)

5 cups of flour

1 tsp salt

5 tsps baking soda

Add raisins last.  Bake 25 minutes at 350 F oven

This dough may be kept covered in fridge for up to 6 weeks.  Do not stir batter, just remove by spoonful to put into muffin tins.  Any amount can be used.

 

Now I have to find a way to find some space to include several recipes all at once!

 


 

May 2012

 

Since my last appearance here, the weather has been warm and cold, even some snow on Easter Weekend. What a miserable Saturday evening to usher in the Easter bunny. Maurice was in Moncton late that week and got storm stayed on Saturday night with a nasty drive home on Sunday afternoon.


Then we had some great weather, and there are lots of seedlings started in the solarium. Maurice’s idea of someone having a green thumb has materialized. It’s not his, but it’s getting done with lots of assistance from a great friend.

It’s incredible how fast they have sprouted. You can almost watch them grown when the sun’s rays are beaming down upon them. With this fine weather, it won’t be long until fiddleheads are sprouting and we are seeing them in the grocery stores.

Now we are heading into a week of gloomy wet weather with very little sun. We don’t need snow like they are forecasting for Northern New Brunswick, Quebec and parts of Ontario, but we do need the rain.
With very little snow this winter the ground is very dry and that makes all our volunteer fire fighters nervous.

As I get back into the kitchen, I’m hoping readers can help me find a particular recipe rather popular back in the 60’s and early 70’s. Maurice remembers it and used to use it by can’t find it in any of the cookbooks from his family.

This particular recipe was for bran muffins probably including sour milk. As he remembers it, the batter was prepared and then stored in the refrigerator. This enabled one to scoop up a bit of batter and make a few fresh hot muffins to go with an early morning coffee. He remembers putting the muffin tin into the oven, perking fresh coffee then heading off to shave.


Hope someone has a better memory than Maurice and can send along. As soon as I get it, I’ll get it into this column.

Last month, I featured Hazel Hill’s French Onion Soup, which is ideal for lunch, and Marilyn Adam’s, Old Fashioned Raisin Pie for dinner. Today’s choice is again from Marilyn who sent along Chicken Cacciatore one of her family favourites.

Chicken Cacciatore

  • 1 ½ lbs chicken cut up

  • 1 med green pepper(lg dice)

  • 1 med onion (lg dice)

  • 1 14oz whole Italian tomatoes

  • 1 small can tomato paste

  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • 1/2 tsp salt

Brown chicken in a skillet. Combine everything in a oven safe casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 mins to 1 hour.
 


 

April 2012

 

Who would have thought that within the past 30 days weather would have gone from and open mild winter to sunbathing the third week of March with the mercury heading higher than many days in July. One day we were warmer than Honolulu, Hawaii. Although, I knew it wouldn’t last long, because according to Cindy Day, by the time you are reading this the ground could be white again with a four inch blanket of fresh snow.

No sign yet of Maurice’s green thumb, but I’m sure he’s ready to head off to get some seeds. I noticed him talking to a couple of neighbours about using some winter blow-down trees to make some raised beds and local compost to fill-in. He was even looking for a large sheet of clear plastic to use to pre-heat the soil.

I’ve had a few people comment on my mention of $4.29 for a 28 oz can of peaches. Then today, I noticed pricing of two items which has shot through the roof….. large can of coffee ($12.49) and 525 g of pepper melody ($15.99). It’s scandalous how food prices have increased. Almost as bad as electricity and gasoline prices.


Heard today on the radio, that just after gasoline prices spiked to this level in summer 2008, the economy plummeted in the fall to provide two years of recession. Sure hope March 2012 gasoline pricing is not the forerunner of another round of economic turmoil.

Last month, we were favoured with a recipe from a new contributor, Jackie MacKay Glen, Debert. This month’s contributors are Hazel Hill, our 90+ correspondent from McCaull Villa, Great Village with French Onion Soup followed by Old Fashioned Raisin Pie from her friend, Marilyn Adams. Marilyn has submitted several great ones, which I can stock pile and use later.

 

French Onion Soup
4 cups thinly sliced onions
4 tbsp margarine or butter
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
5 beef bouillon cubes
5 cups hot water
Toast or croutons
Mozzarella cheese, grated

Combine onions and butter, fry until browned; dissolve bouillon cubes in the water and bring to a boil. Add onions, salt and pepper, simmer one hour. Place toast in bottom of serving bowls, add soup sprinkle generously with grated cheese. Brown under broiler, amount ten minutes. Toast will rise to top of soup.

Note: Could use croutons instead of toast. Croutons could be placed on top of soup in the bowls. Submitted by Hazel Hill, Great Village.


 

Old Fashioned Raisin Pie

2 cups raisins
2 cups water
½ cup brown sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp cinnamon
1tbsp vinegar
1tbsp margarine

Combine raisins and water, boil for 10 minutes. Blend sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon. Add to raisins & cook, stirring until clear. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar and margarine. Cool slightly. Turn into pastry. Add top pastry layer and bake at 425 for 30 minutes.
 

(Double raisin mixture to make large pie). Submitted by Marilyn Adams.

 


 

March 2012

 

Last month I mentioned how the days are getting longer, an open winter, students would soon be enjoying March break and Maurice wanted to develop a green thumb. Our open winter changed suddenly on the weekend before Valentine’s day. We were in Moncton for a trade show and weather caused most people to stay home. Attendance at the show was down more than 50% and we had to stay in motel another night.

And yes, Maurice is becoming more insistent he wants to grow a green thumb. The latest is at least 50 strawberry plants, some raspberry and blackberry canes, along with some vegetables including beets, cukes, squash and some pumpkins. Oh my, what a nightmare that will be. I can see it now.

When we were in the grocery store the other day, he drove home his point again. A 28 oz can of Del Monte peaches was on the shelf for $4.29. Next he’ll want peach, pear and apple trees.

There are times, when we wonder what is coming next. I was scurrying around searching for a great recipe for this month. Needless to say I was coming up empty handed and to some degree wondering where I could find a great recipe.

Had to put away the worrying and get ready to head off to the winter carnival in Debert, as Maurice and I had been invited by Bruce Hillier to be judges for the Saturday night events. Judging would be for the banner, additional props, mascot and the skits presented by each team.

So nice to see the creativity of local people either for costumes, artistic ability and script writers. Without a doubt it was great fun, or should I say it was a hoot. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen so many people working together to literally “make fools of themselves” in presentation of the skits.

My background was growing up in an urban setting in Sydney. I assure you it would be next to impossible to find such creativity and togetherness as displayed at the Debert Legion on Saturday night. Mingling with people always has a positive impact.

During the evening, in talking to the other judges, the conversation got around to discussing the Shoreline Journal. Casually, I mentioned, I’m always looking for recipes. Then just as I was starting to try to solve the lack of recipe problem, in comes an email from Jackie MacKay Glen, Debert, one of the fellow judges from the night before.

Here is her note: “Good Morning,  I hope you had a good evening at the Winter Carnival. Here is the recipe for the fudge squares I was talking about. I will look for some other old recipes to share with you. Have a great week.”

 

Fudge Square Recipe

2 cups Brown Sugar
2 blocks margarine (1 cup)
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla

Mix together put in 9x13 well greased pan and bake 350 for 25 minutes. Start checking after 20 min.

Icing

2 cups Brown Sugar
1 block of margarine
1/2 cup of milk

Boil these ingredients for 2 minutes
Add: 1 3/4 cups icing sugar and vanilla

Beat until smooth, Pour over squares and cut when set. (Blue Bonnet Margarine was used in this recipe, Yummy Squares for the Sweet Tooth).

 


 

February 2012

 

It won’t be long until students are enjoying March break. By then the back of a long winter has been broken, especially since we get approximately two and one half minutes additional daylight each day until June 21st. Having such an open winter in worrisome in the fact that spring might be cold and nasty and it could take until end of June before good weather.

It will soon be to start thinking about the garden and flower beds. Maurice is trying to convince me to start transplants and when the time was right, he’d be able to erect some “cold frames” as he has several old storm windows, which would be ideal.

With the cost of vegetables increasing, he wants to grow more for ourselves, plus food on the table will not be laced with chemicals. He wants to add strawberry plants, raspberry and black berry canes. I can see it coming, he’ll sneak some extra cukes and onions into the garden. Then suggest I get into pickles and jams to use up the surplus.

Maybe a good idea. We have the bottles. The surplus could be consigned to the craft shop relocating next door, to include more crafters from the Parrsboro and Maitland shores.

I’ll have to think about that. I’ll give you an update at a later date.

My son, Bradley was the recipe contributor last month moved home from BC, when the up north mining exploration camp, where he was the lead cook closed for the winter. A week ago, he was advised recall was February 7th. On January 26, about 10 pm he got a call saying there was a medical emergency. His flight would leave the next afternoon. Now he’s gone for six weeks, then home for 10 days.

Earlier this winter I was organizing my recipe books. I came across recipes which had been handed down from my mother over 20 years ago. After looking them over, I decided to use one of my favourites.

 

Mom’s Maraschino Bars

 

Crust:
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
¾ cup soft margarine.

Filling:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup chopped nuts
10 oz. bottle cherries

Frosting:
2 tbsp soft margarine
2.5 cups icing sugar
3 to 4 tsp cherry juice
3 to 4 tsp flaked coconut


In a large bowl combine first three ingredients for the crust. Press in pan. Bake in 350 oven for 12-15 minutes. Next mix the eight ingredients for the filling and pour over the crust. Bake for another 20-25 minutes in 350 oven. (Cook until toothpick comes out clean). Set aside the flaked coconut. Mix frosting ingredients, margarine, icing sugar and cherry juice. When the filling is cool apply the frosting. Sprinkle top with coconut.

Let cool naturally for a couple of hours, or if in a rush, put in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Cut into desired size. No point thinking about how you are going to store them. They won’t last long.

Maurice was talking with Hazel Hill the other day, and in the course of the discussion, he asked her to encourage her friends who are in the 90/90+ birthday group to send in some more recipes. She said she would contact her friends and will send some recipes.
 


 

January 2012

 

Christmas is a time for families to enjoy times together and for many to return home for their annual Christmas visit. For some it’s the only time parents see their siblings and grandchildren. And what a great Christmas present that makes.

My Christmas present arrived in early October, as my only son, Bradley returned from a nearly four years in British Columbia and up north. His career as a chef took a different route earlier in 2011, when he started working in mining exploration camps, near the Arctic Circle, three hours north of Yellowknife.

This issue I’m pleased Bradley has been convinced to supply this month’s recipe. In keeping with the season he has provided a way to use up all the leftovers in Turkey Pot Pie. One of his challenges was to reduce the quantities from institutional size to family size. (When turkey is on the menu in the big kitchens it’s not unusual to cook 25-30 turkeys).

Bradley recommends when preparing the original Christmas or Festive meal, be sure to make lots of extra gravy, perhaps double what you normally would make. Then you have lots for future “left-over” meals. In this recipe, he also wanted to find a way to incorporate left-over mashed potatoes.

Bradley’s Turkey Pot Pie

Clear out the refrigerator to determine what you have:
Cube up leftover turkey
Left over vegetables (anything will do) and gravy
Seasonings – Sage, Poultry seasoning, salt and pepper
Flour – 2-3 tablespoons
Milk – 2-3 cups
½ large onion
1 celery stick
Peas and corn – 1 cup of each (frozen)
Left over mashed potatoes mixed with ½ cup Parmesan cheese. (If potatoes are dry, add 1-2 tbsps milk). Set aside – to be used last.
All seasoning is to your taste and cooking habits.

Some people prefer pot pie in a pastry. If so, roll out pie crust ensuring there is plenty drooping over the sides of the baking dish.

Start by cubing up all the turkey and vegetables you want to put in the pie. Good examples are carrots, parsnips, turnip, potatoes and green beans.

Choose a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients. (Make sure the pot has a thick bottom. If you have a pressure cooker, that is ideal).  Slowly heat gravy.

In another pan start cooking the onion and celery. Once the onion is translucent add the flour (stirring and turning) to make a roux. While constantly stirring, slowly add the milk.

Once the milk gets thick add to the gravy. Stir well.

Add all remaining ingredients, except mashed potatoes, to the gravy mixture, place on low heat, stir frequently until the contents are thoroughly heated.

Season as you go to your individual requirements.

If you are using a pastry slowly fill the pastry. Fold the additional pastry back over the top to create a ridge around the edge preventing juices from running down the sides.

If no pastry add all ingredients to the baking dish.

Now spread the potato and cheese mixture to cover the top. Preheat oven to 325-350. Place baking dish on center rack in oven.

Cook 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown. Remove from oven. Let sit at least five minutes before serving.

If you still have pot pie left over, let cool. Cut into serving pieces, place in containers or wrap in plastic wrap then place in freezer.
 


 

 

Maurice Rees, Publisher
The Shoreline Journal
Box 41, Bass River, NS B0M 1B0
PH: 902-647-2968; Cell: 902-890-9850
E-mail: maurice@theshorelinejournal.com