I Remember Mama —and Grandmama

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Mother’s Day is kind of a strange observance for me. Since I’m not a mother myself and DotMom has been gone now for seven years, I only need make sure we have a card for marvelous mom-in-law Ella.

But DotMom is never far from my thoughts, and it seems like reminders of her have cropped up a lot recently.

Because my own was being fixed, I wore her wedding ring for a few days this last week. Every time I looked down at my finger, I could remember how it looked on hers.

Sister Margaret sent me a recycled thank you card that still contained a post-it note written by Mom. Her handwriting wasn’t always legible, but it was distinctly hers.

And then there was the Facebook post by niece Gretchen, now a mom herself and living in Baxter, accompanied by the picture above:

My mom brought up a box of my Grandma Dorthy’s goodies that were collected for me after she passed away. …  Not sure what the sunglasses are all aboum, but the apron features recipes from my Great-Grandma. Grandma Dot would be appalled if she knew how bad of a cook I am.

The sunglasses Gretchen wears in the photo were among some metro models that Mom always kept in a chest in the hallway. And the apron? Well, I’m proud to say that was my creation, made by scanning recipes written by my grandmothers and ironing them onto the fabric. Sister Margaret also received a set of placemats made this way.

My Grandma Margaret —Mom’s mom —died when I was but 2 years old, so I have no memories of her. But Grandma Alice was a fixture in my life into adulthood. She would have been 115 years old this year. Grandma was a woman before her time —an astute businesswoman who worked alongside her husband —and later her sons —in the family business.

But Grandma was also a good cook, and particularly a good baker. Ask any of her grandchildren about their favorite memories of her, and they would likely mention cookies. No matter how busy she was, there was always a big tin of cookies and probably some other baked goods just waiting for whoever happened to stop by.

So the apron that is now in Gretchen’s possession is kind of a culinary history of our family. It features recipes written out by her  great-grandmother on a garment worn by her grandmother. Since I’m not sure at the moment where I put the original recipes (I’m sure I put them somewhere for safe keeping, but where?), I hope she takes good care of that apron.

I do have a few other recipes in Grandma Alice’s handwriting —placed between the pages of her copy of DotMom’s “Mixing and Musing Cookbook.” It’s the copy that I keep stashed in my desk drawer for quick reference, and each time I open it, one of the recipes flutters out or I catch a note written in the margins of the cookbook.

Here’s the recipe that fluttered out when I opened it today. I’m not really sure if you’re supposed to include the candy bars, fruits and nuts all at once or if those were just options for topping this dessert. This is the way she has it written out.

Angel Food Dessert

1 large angel food cake, cut up in pieces

1 package instant vanilla pudding

1 carton Cool Whip

Cut cake into pieces. Put into a 9- by 13-inch pan, save some for another layer.

Mix vanilla pudding as directed, then mix Cool Whip with pudding and put over angel food pieces. Add another layer.

Cover with 2 Butterfinger candy bars, crushed; nuts, pineapple or coconut.

My favorite in Grandma Alice’s cookie repertoire was her gingersnaps, a that I have shared before. A bit more unique was this take on a raisin cookie. Both recipes rate a spot of honor in the “Mixing & Musing” book.

Pineapple-Raisin Drops

1 cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup shortening

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

 2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 small can crushed pineapple, drained

½ cup seedless raisins

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonsful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minu

The full emotional spectrum

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Like everyone else who lives here in southwest Minnesota, I’ve experienced a wide range of emotions in the last 10 days.
Every time I look out the big picture window at the front of our house, which faces the city’s oldest park, I am overcome with grief for the beautiful trees that were devastated by last week’s ice storm. The tears well up in my eyes as I watch the piles of branches grow and wonder how many of the old-growth trees will still be standing when the cleanup is completed.
And yet, there have been moments of joy in the aftermath of the storm, too. I have rejoiced along with friends and acquaintances who live in the rural areas as they have announced (usually via Facebook) that power has finally been restored to their home.
My heart has swelled with great pride knowing that I live in a community where we can all pull together to overcome what is probably one of the greatest natural disasters — hopefully — we will ever face.
I feel overwhelming gratitude for the heroic efforts of our city and county leaders and workers in how they handled the storm’s onslaught and aftermath.
I must admit, too, to a continuing twinge of panic each time the lights give a little flicker. Because our home is in close to proximity to Worthington’s city center, we rarely lost power — and so have also felt very, very lucky. And yet there’s still the trepidation of it going out for an extended period of time again.
And yes, despite knowing that, in the grand scheme of this storm, we have been inconvenienced very little, I would not be truthful if I didn’t admit to a few moments of annoyance. Like the night the power went off, just as the weather forecast was beginning on the 10 o’clock news. Or each time I have to inch the nose of my car very carefully out of the driveway because I can’t see over the huge pile of branches piled curbside.
Over and over again, I have heard people remark that no lives were lost nor any serious injuries reported as a result of the storm, and I echo those sentiments of relief — yet another emotion.
Of course, in the most recent of days, the scope of our tragedy has been put into perspective by the loss of life and injuries caused by an act of terrorism in Boston. The loss of tree limbs pales in comparison to the loss of human limbs.
Still, there’s no doubt that the ice storm of April 2013 will be one that will go down in the annals of Worthington history as one of its most significant weather-related events. I’m hoping that there will be many footnotes to any such historical accounts, documenting how a community came together to turn tragedy into triumph.
And finally, there is that last emotion — hope. I have hope that spring will eventually arrive, the dead branches will all be taken away by our dedicated city crews and countless arborists who have descended upon our city, and there will be green leaves on the trees that remain.

 

An asparagus anniversary

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A year ago, Hubby Bryan and I were preparing for our trip to Germany to see exchange sister Heidi in Munich and other good friends in Worthington’s sister city of Crailsheim. I was debating the weather and what to pack, while Bryan was anticipating the variety of beers and sausages he would be able to sample there.
We wish we were planning another such sojourn, but it’s not in the cards for this year, so we have been reliving a few of the memories in recent days.
One of the culinary highlights for me — aside from the beer and sausages, of course — was that our trip coincided with white asparagus season, and if I close my eyes and concentrate real hard, I can just about taste that delicacy topped with a Hollandaise sauce. Yum.
In our part of the world, white asparagus is much more scarce, although you find it once in a while in the grocery store for an extravagant price. I may have to splurge if I do find some this year.
The white variety is grown through the process of etiolation — a big word that basically means the deprivation of light. Dirt is piled around the emerging stalks, depriving them of light and consequently stunts the production of chlorophyll, which turns them green. So, white asparagus is basically the same as green, just an albino form.
However, there’s more to it than just color. White asparagus has a milder flavor and is much more tender than its green counterpart. Who would think that just depriving a plant of sunlight would have such a dramatic effect on taste and texture?
The asparagus we ate at several meals in Germany was also much bigger than what we typically find here — more the size of a hotdog than a pencil.
While I may be craving the white asparagus, I’m making do with the green stuff. Green asparagus has been on the menu a few times as we wait for the weather to get more spring-like.
On today’s Food and Lifestyles pages, you will find a couple of asparagus recipes, and here two more from my own files.

Individual Asparagus Frittatas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin tip with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk 10 large eggs, adding ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Sauté 1 cup chopped onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until softened. Add 1 clove garlic, minced, and 1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces, and sauté 1 minute longer. Let cool briefly.
Combine asparagus-onion mixture with eggs. Sprinkle a teaspoon of Swiss or Cheddar cheese into each muffin cup, then divide egg mixture among them.
Bake until set in center, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove frittatas as soon as possible to keep them from sticking.

Lemon-Sesame Asparagus

Wash and trim ends from 1 pound fresh asparagus.
Layout 4 paper towels and spritz with water. Place asparagus on top of the dampened towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Roll up the asparagus in the towels, and lay the bundle, seam side down, in the microwave. Microwave on high until just crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Use tongs to remove from microwave and carefully unwrap.
Meanwhile, toast 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in a dry frypan over medium-high heat until lightly golden. Set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 2 teaspoons honey.
Toss cooked asparagus with the honey lemon butter and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Do you have a delicious asparagus recipe or other seasonal favorite? Please share it by emailing brickers@dglobe.com; or send to Features Editor Beth Rickers, Daily Globe, Box 639, Worthington 56187.

Ham and ?

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Here’s what I know about Easter dinner at our house:

We’re having ham. It’s already in the refrigerator.

I have no idea who will be there to eat it, beside myself and Hubby Bryan.

I have no idea what will be served alongside that hunk of meat.

I guess I’ll have to give some serious thought to the Easter menu and guest list sometime soon.

I have fielded a couple of inquiries from Sister Margaret regarding her Easter menu. I made suggestions about things that she could serve, but still gave no thought to my own advance planning.

One of the suggestions was for a brunch casserole that she could tote to the Easter breakfast at the church in Colorado where her pastor husband is filling a vacancy. I had just come across this tasty-sounding rendition.

Bacon-Asparagus Brunch Casserole

In a medium bowl, combine 8 strips bacon, cooked crisp, drained and chopped; 9 ounce package frozen cut asparagus, thawed and well-drained (or about 1½ cups fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces; and ¾ cup roasted red sweet peppers, drained and chopped.

Cut 12 slices dry white bread into ½-inch cubes. Place half the bread cubes in a 9- by 13-inch greased baking dish, top with half the bacon mixture and 1½ cups shredded Swiss cheese. Repeat layers.

Beat 8 eggs. Whisk in 3 cups milk, 1½ teaspoons dry mustard, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Carefully pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture in dish. Gently press down on the layers to moisten all the bread. Cover dish with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes, or until puffed and set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

As I was having this Easter discussion via email with my sister, I couldn’t resist sending her a cake recipe that made me think of her, not because it would be something she would like, but because Margaret has an aversion to Creamsicles that stems back to childhood. (Yes, I know it wasn’t nice, but she would have done the same to me. That’s what loving sisters do.)

Since I have no such disdain for the orange treat, I’m tempted to try this for an Easter dessert.

Orange Creamsicle Cake

Prepare 1 package yellow cake mix and bake according to directions in a 9- by 13-inch pan. Let cake cool completely. Poke holes in cooled cake using a skewer or clean knitting needle.

Mix one 3-ounce package orange gelatin with 1 cup boiling water and 1 cup cold water. Pour over cake. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Mix one 3.4-ounce package vanilla instant pudding with 1 cup milk, a second package of orange gelatin, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat by hand with a whisk until thickened. Fold in one 8-ounce tub frozen whipped topping, thawed. Frost cake with pudding mixture.

One of my Daily Globe co-workers, Jodi Bentele, who works in the advertising department, recently shared her rendition of almond bars, one she developed by combining the best elements of several recipes.

“I wanted a bar that had that great almond flavor without using almond paste,” she said.

Jodi’s Almond Bars

Combine 2 cups flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons water and 1 cup softened butter and mix as you would for a pie crust. (Jodi uses her food processor, pulsing a few times.) Pat mixture into an ungreased 9- by 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Be careful not to overbake.

Meanwhile, combine 8 ounces cream cheese, 2 eggs, ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon real almond extract. (Once again, Jodi uses the food processor.) Pour mixture over top of hot crust and return to oven to bake 15-20 minutes, or until custard layer is firm. Cool completely.

For frosting, combine 1½ cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup melted butter, 1½ teaspoons milk (add a “titch” more if necessary to make it more spreadable, Jodi suggests) and 1 teaspoon real almond extract. Spread over cooled bars. Garnish with sliced or slivered almonds.

When Irish stomachs are growling

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Faith and Begorrah (a phrase that I’ve been told no self-respecting Irish person would ever utter) —St. Patrick’s Day is just a few days away! Since it falls on a Sunday, that phrase, which translates loosely to “by my faith and God,” seems especially appropriate. Besides, I’m no self-respecting Irish person. I’m mostly of German heritage, but I still feel inclined to celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick by wearing green and imbibing a pint while toasting the Emerald Isle’s patron saint.

I might also whip up a St. Patty’s Day-themed treat in my kitchen while practicing my abysmal Irish accent. Isn’t that what we non-Irish do to celebrate the day? I’ve chosen a few random offerings: a potato casserole that highlights an Irish favorite food and three dessert possibilities that fit the bill by being green.

St. Patty’s Potato Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook ½ cup diced onion in 2 tablespoons butter for five minutes until tender. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard; cook for 1 minute. Add 1¾ cups milk; stir and cook over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in 4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese and cook until smooth. Gradually add ½ cup grated Gruyere cheese and stir until melted. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped green onions.

In a large bowl, combine sauce with 1½ pounds potatoes, sliced, and 8 ounces coarsely chopped ham. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.

Cover and bake for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Uncover and stir carefully. Sprinkle with an additional ½ cup cheese and bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes more, until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Shamrock Cake

Combine 1 box yellow cake mix, 3 eggs, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 box instant pistachio pudding, 1 cup ginger ale and 1 cup pecans, chopped fine. Pour mixture into a greased 13- by 9-inch pan. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely.

For icing, carefully fold together (do not beat) one 9-ounce carton frozen whipped topping (thawed), 1 cup powdered sugar, 8 ounces sour cream, ½ cup milk and 1 box instant pistachio pudding mix. Spread over top of cooled cake. Store in refrigerator.

Eatin’ O’ the Green Cheesecake Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For crust: Combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, ¾ cup finely chopped almonds, 1 cup flour, ½ cup butter, melted, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Press this mixture evenly into a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly brown.

While crust is baking, beat 8 ounces cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, 4 large eggs, ¾ cup lime juice and 1½ teaspoons lime zest; beat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ½ cup flour, scant ¼ teaspoon salt and a few drops of green food coloring and beat until just mixed.

Pour the filling mixture evenly over hot crust. Bake until just set, about 20-25 minutes.

Cool on wire rack before cutting into bars. Dust top with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Green de Menthe Cupcakes

Grease and flour 28 muffin cups (or line with paper baking cups). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small saucepan, heat 1¼ cups milk and 4 ounces sweet baking chocolate, chopped, until chocolate is melted; set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt; set aside.

Beat ¾ cup room-temperature butter with an electric mixture for 30 seconds. Gradually add 1½ cups sugar, beating on medium speed until combined. Scrape down bowl and continue to beat for 2 minutes more, until light and fluffy. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 3 tablespoons green crème de menthe and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and chocolate mixture, beating on low speed after each addition, just until combined. Beat on medium-high speed for 20 seconds more.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on wire racks for five minutes; remove cupcakes from tins and cool completely on racks.

Frosting: In a 1-cup glass measuring cup, combine 2 tablespoons cold water and 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin. Let stand for 2 minutes. Place measuring cup in a saucepan of boiling water. Cook and stir about 1 minute or until gelatin is completely dissolved.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups whipping cream, ¼ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons green cream de menthe. Drizzle the warm gelatin mixture over the cream while beating constantly with an electric mixer on medium speed. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread frosting onto tops of cupcake.

Random observations

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After a few days away from my desk to belatedly celebrate that aforementioned milestone birthday, I find my thoughts as scattered as the piles of paper currently cluttering its top. So, today’s blog is going to be devoted to some random thoughts …

Hubby Bryan and I spent a long weekend in the Twin Cities area, including one night in downtown Minneapolis. We had hoped to escape to somewhere warm this month, but when that didn’t work out, opted for staying in a place connected to the Minneapolis Skyway system. We left our winter coats behind in the hotel room and got from place to place in climate-controlled comfort, only venturing outside for a quick sprint to a nearby restaurant.

If you’ve never been in the Skyway, check it out sometime. It’s a great place for people watching, and I’m always amazed by the thought that people who live in the downtown area might rarely have to venture outside in the winter, as the restaurants, shops and other places of business are all connected.

On our way to our downtown lodging, we made a stop at one of the many Twin Cities venues that has been featured on Bryan’s favorite television program, Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” on the Food Network. Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge is a Tiki-bar themed restaurant perched on the bank of the Mississippi River. This was our second time there, but both times have been in the winter. Someday we hope to be there in the summer and take advantage of the big deck that overlooks the river. It’s a unique experience, and the food is darn good.

This is a bit belated, but I have to add my kudos to those of many others for the recent staging of the Worthington High School musical, “Hairspray.” When I first heard about this year’s musical selection, I wondered how they were going to pull off such an ambitious undertaking. I’m still marveling at the professionalism of the production, as well as the wealth of talent on the stage. Wow, wow, wow.

Sitting in the audience, I also recalled —as I’m sure a few other WHS alumni did —the musical productions of my own high school career, oh so many years ago. In my years, we did “The Music Man,” “Fiddler on the Roof” and “My Fair Lady.” I have wonderful memories of each production, whether just singing in the chorus or serving as student director my senior year. Yes, such productions are a lot of work, but the memories and experiences will last a lifetime. It is wonderful that our school district and community continue to support such an endeavor —a tradition that I know goes back more than 40 years.

Have you seen the commercials or displays in the stores featuring the new flavors of Lays potato chips? The potato chip company launched a contest, “Do Us a Flavor,” a while back for which people were asked to submit suggestions for new chip flavors. Three winners were determined, and their flavors are now on the market: Cheesy Garlic Bread, Chicken & Waffles and Sriracha. People can now vote to “save their fave.”

On a whim, Bryan and I purchased a bag of the Chicken & Waffles flavor, and we haven’t been able to stop eating them. The flavor is a bit unusual —savory with just a hint of maple syrup. Now, it seems the grocery supply is running slim, and we’re having trouble finding them. Needless to say, we have done our voting.

While I wait to see if our favorite flavor makes the cut, I just might have to try making the dish upon which it is based. Chicken and waffles is a dish that emerged through the American soul food tradition and is more prevalent down South than here in the northern climes.A piece of fried chicken is served on top of a waffle, and then the whole thing is doused in maple syrup.

On the Daily Globe lifestyle page, I recently published a version made with frozen waffles, but I think if you’re going to go to the trouble, from-scratch waffles would be better. So here’s the waffle recipe from the Breakfast and Brunch Dishes section of DotMom’s “Mixing and Musing Cookbook.”

Stay Crisp Waffles

Combine 1½ cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon soda, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar.

Separate 3 eggs. Beat the yolks with ¾ cup dairy sour cream and ¾ cup buttermilk. Add dry ingredients. Add ¼ cup melted shortening and ¼ cup melted butter. Stir until batter is smooth and lump-free. Fold in beaten egg whites.

Bake in waffle iron according to appliance directions.

Gifts that keep on giving

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WORTHINGTON — So far, at least, turning 50 hasn’t been so bad. I haven’t noticed any rapid advances in the graying or wrinkle processes, and my bones aren’t creaking any louder than they were at 49.
For the most part, people respected my wishes for a low-key birthday observance. One co-worker (who thinks I don’t know she did it) liberally sprinkled my desktop with confetti stars, which I’m sure will continue to turn up until the day I retire. But there were no black balloons, no streamers, no gifts of Geritol or bedpans. I did, however, receive a couple hundred birthday greetings via Facebook from friends scattered across the country and the world — a delightful aspect of the social networking site.
Via an Internet video, German friend Andy regifted a wonderful trombone video composed and performed by two of his fellow band members, also of our acquaintance. There were a couple of other very special gifts that were much appreciated.
In my mailbox at home came greetings from several longtime family friends. One such card, sent by Bertha Anderson, even included a recipe, much to my delight.
“A good potato recipe — easy, too,” noted Bertha on the enclosure. “Made with no canned soups, so it’s gluten-free, too.”
Since potatoes are one of my favorite foods, I’m sure this will be on our dinner table sometime soon.

Rosemary Au Gratin Potatoes

¼ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper and potatoes.
Transfer to a greased 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until potatoes are tender. Makes 8-10 servings.

Bertha’s enclosure wasn’t my only culinary-related gift. I also received a cookbook, “Ten Dollar Dinners: 140 Recipes and Tips to Elevate Simple, Fresh Meals Any Night of the Week,” by Melissa d’Arabian, from brother Marty and sister-in-law Pam. Now, for past birthday gifts, I’m pretty sure it’s been Pam who has done most of the shopping, but this time around, it was Marty I have to credit with finding my birthday gift. He waited in line at a California food show he attended for work to get an autographed copy from d’Arabian, the Season 5 winner of “The Next Food Network Star.”
During my initial perusal of d’Arabian’s book, I was drawn to the soup section because of the predicted return of colder temps this week. She touts this soup as an economical way of using up perishable vegetables.

Creamy Any Veggie Soup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Squeeze of lemon juice
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cup vegetables, such as bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, leafy greens and tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 small potato, peeled and roughly chopped
1½ cups chicken broth
3 cups water
3 tablespoons heavy cream or 2 tablespoons sour cream
Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it starts to soften, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the thyme, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper and cook until thyme is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vegetables, potato, broth, water and remaining salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until the vegetables easily mash against the side of the pot, 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer half the soup to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth, then pour into a clean pot. Repeat with remaining soup (leave some vegetables unblended for texture, if you like), pouring it into the same pot. Heat soup over low heat for 2 minutes, add heavy cream or sour cream, if using, then serve.
D’Arabian suggests these soup mix-ins: add a dash of curry powder or smoked paprika when sautéing the onion; mix dried spices or fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro, mint or parsley, into the sour cream for serving; add 1 to 2 cups cooked beans or lentils to the soup after blending; roughly tear up stale, good-quality country style bread, toss it with some soup and bake in the oven dusted with Parmesan cheese for a Tuscan-style soup and bread meal; stir in cooked shredded chicken and browned sausage and serve over rice.

Here’s to 49 forever

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Birthdays have always been a big deal in my family —thanks to DotMom. She always went all out to make sure we felt special on our day, and even when her kids became adults, always insisted that each of us needed a cake on our natal day.

When we were younger, there were lavish themed birthday parties. One year, I had a puppet party, and all the guests went home with hand-crafted puppets.

On the day I turned 13, I returned home from visiting older sister Margaret in the Twin Cities to find all my closest friends gathered around the dining room table —SURPRISE!

But probably the most memorable birthday came a few years before that, when all the guests were encouraged to come as their favorite nursery rhyme character. With my birthday falling the day before Valentine’s Day, I was given no choice in my character. I was the Queen of Hearts, of course, and the invitations featured a picture of me on the front, pulling a pan of “tarts” (heart-shaped cookies) out of the oven. My costume was a frilly white dress that Margaret had worn as a flower girl, decorated with pinned-on hearts, and there was a crown festooned with tissue paper on top of my head.

It was quite the ensemble. I’m sure I was mortified by the picture during my teens, but have gotten over it with the passage of time.

And that passage of time is what brings me to my upcoming birthday. After years of embracing my birthday, this year is one I’d just as soon forget.

It’s a big one.

THE big one.

How in the heck did I get to the half-century mark?

Oh, there are days when I certainly feel my age, and the mirror is certainly starting to show it —the tiny lines in the corners of my eyes, the need to color my hair with more frequency, the hairs that sprout up in places they shouldn’t.

It just doesn’t seem like five decades have come and gone so swiftly.

Yes, I am in denial, so I’m hoping this milestone will pass by with little fanfare. I don’t want any surprise party, black streamers decorating my desk or gag gifts pertaining to advancing age. Hubby Bryan and I are planning a long weekend getaway a bit after the actual day, and that’s all the celebration I really need. (I’d really hoped to spend it in some exotic tropical venue, but conflicting schedules and other factors nixed that plan.)

Well, maybe I need a cake —just because DotMom would insist that I have one (but no black frosting!). On Monday’s food page, you can check out the cupcakes that I baked —FROM SCRATCH!— in advance that will be part of my birthday treat offering to my co-workers —a Daily Globe tradition.

In the meantime, here is another recipe that was under consideration for my birthday treat, but got edged out by the cupcakes. They might be just the thing if you are looking to treat your sweetheart to something sweet on Valentine’s Day.

From the folks at Nestle, this recipe was a finalist in the company’s 2000 Share The Very Best Recipe Contest.

Layers of Love Chocolate Brownies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup baking cocoa and ¼ teaspoon salt.

In large mixer bowl, beat ½ cup butter, cut into pieces, with ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup packed brown sugar. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Reserve ¾ cup batter. Spread remaining batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle ¾ cup white morsels and 1 cup chopped pecans over batter. Drizzle ½ cup caramel ice cream topping over top.

Beat 1 egg and reserved batter in same large bowl until light in color. Stir in ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Spread evenly over caramel topping.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Super-Duper Snacking

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I have to admit that, until a few minutes ago when I looked it up online, I had no idea who was playing in this year’s Super Bowl. Ravens and 49ers, huh?

In recent years, football has taken a back seat to beer brewing on Sunday afternoons. And we’ve discovered that life is much more peaceful without getting all worked up about a game. We’re still Vikings fans at heart. We just don’t pay attention most of the time.

Even though I wasn’t aware of the contestants, I did do some homework last week in preparation for the big game. I spotted an appetizer idea online that sounded yummy, so I whipped up a batch and served them alongside some soup on one of our recent cold nights.

For Hubby Bryan and me, of course, I used just one can of the refrigerated biscuits, but if we end up going to or having some sort of Super Bowl soiree, the full batch will be on the menu. They were easy to put together and satisfyingly gooey.

One note: The biscuits called for in this recipe are the basic small ones, not the jumbo size. I used a store brand that was on sale for 70 cents a can with good results.

Pizza Balls

Using three cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 per can), separate biscuits and flatten each out into a circle. Place 2 pieces pepperoni (I used turkey pepperoni) on top of each biscuit, then top with a 1-inch square of your favorite cheese (I used a combo of sharp cheddar with Velveeta for melting). Gather the biscuit dough around the filling and press firmly together to seal. Line up the balls in a 9- by 13-inch pan sprayed thoroughly with cooking spray.

Beat 1 egg and brush over top of the rolls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Serve with pizza or spaghetti sauce on the side for dipping.

After we sampled a similar appetizer at a restaurant in the Twin Cities, Hubby Bryan came home and made his own rendition of bacon-wrapped sausages, served with a maple-syrup tinged barbecue sauce. They were scrumptious, but I think this version with a beer-cheese sauce might be just as good. The secret, according to Bryan, is cooking the wrapped sausages at a low temperature for a longer time in order to get crispy bacon.

Bacon Weenies with Beer Cheese Sauce

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Using a 14- to 16-ounce package of beef cocktail wieners and 12 to 16 slices of bacon, cut crosswise into thirds, tightly wrap each wiener with a piece of bacon and secure with a wooden toothpick. Place on a large baking sheet. Bake for 1 to 1½ hours, until bacon is brown and crispy. Place cooked wieners in a slow cooker on low setting.

Meanwhile, in saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add 1 cup finely chopped onion and 2 cloves garlic, minced; cook until onion is tender. Stir in 1 cup beer, one can condensed cheddar cheese soup or ¾ cup cheddar pasta sauce, 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce and ½ teaspoon chili powder. Pour over top of wieners.

Here’s a variation on a football food classic — spinach-artichoke dip. I haven’t tried this, but the addition of bacon and blue cheese can only make it better, right?

Bacon & Blue Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Cook 4 slices bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels and crumble.

Cook 1 cup onion, chopped, in 1 tablespoon bacon drippings until tender.

In a slow cooker, combine onion with two 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped; one 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained; 1 cup chopped red sweet pepper; 1 cup light mayonnaise (do not use regular); 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes; 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled; 3 cloves garlic, minced; and ½ teaspoon dry mustard. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low setting for 3 to 4 hours, or until cheese melts and mixture is heated through. Stir in bacon. Serve with crackers or French bread slices.

Be it resolved: What not to eat

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With the advent of a new year comes a daunting (perhaps dubious would be a better word?) tradition — the New Year resolution. We all are expected to proclaim the need to do something better in the months to come, be it keeping our house cleaner, exercising more, being more frugal with our money, spending more time with family or, of course, improving our diet.

If you are one of those people with that latter resolution, I’m titling this blog “What Not to Eat,” a play on the title of one of my favorite guilty-pleasure reality TV programs, “What Not to Wear.” But unlike the hosts of that program, I’m not going to give you any rules by which to improve your diet.

I will just simply say this: If you have resolved to eat better or diet to lose some weight, the recipe that follows is not for you. But perhaps you might want to set it aside for the future, when any such resolutions have fallen to the wayside.

This decadently tasty tidbit was brought to a pre-Christmas happening by friend Millie Hamman. She credits it to Ree Drummond, the host of “The Pioneer Woman” on the Food Network. For our gathering, Millie made two versions, one with Parmesan, the other with brown sugar. Reviews were mixed about which version was best, the sweet or the savory. I liked them both.

Bacon Crackers

1 sleeve club-style crackers

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound  thinly sliced bacon

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Lay the crackers face up on a large rack over a baking sheet (or on a broiler pan). Scoop about 1 teaspoon of the grated cheese onto each cracker. (Brown sugar or blue cheese can be substituted for the Parmesan.) Cut the package of bacon in half (or cut pieces individually), and carefully, so the cheese doesn’t fall off, wrap each cheese-covered cracker with one-half piece of bacon, completely covering the cracker. It should fit snugly around the cracker but not be pulled too taut. Place the bacon-wrapped crackers back onto the rack.

Bake for about 2 hours. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

I’ve never been much for NY resolutions, but if forced to think about it, as I am now by the writing of this blog, one of my resolutions would be to do better about meal planning. It seems to happen at least once every week: Hubby Bryan and I will go for our morning walk and spend most of it trying to think of something to have for supper that evening. I must admit that Bryan is the much better planner in our household, and it’s usually on the nights when kitchen duty falls to me that the ideas come up short.

On those nights when I just don’t know what else to make, my go-to dish is something that’s known in our family as Simple Spaghetti. I remember finding it many eons ago in a children’s cookbook in the library at West Elementary School. What I like best is that it’s a one-pot meal, as the pasta cooks right in the sauce.

I long ago lost the printed version of this recipe, so this comes right out of head; I usually just break enough pasta into the sauce until it looks right. The basil is what gives the sauce its flavor, so be sure and add enough.

Simple Spaghetti

1 pound ground beef

½ onion, chopped fine

Two 8-ounce cans tomato sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried basil

angel hair pasta (about one-third of a box), broken into thirds

Brown the ground beef with the onion. Add tomato sauce, plus two scant cans of water. Add seasonings and bring to a good simmer.

Stir broken pasta into sauce, and cook until pasta is tender, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

 So what’s your go-to recipe for a busy-night supper? Sharing is appreciated for this forum. Email recipes to brickers@dglobe.com; or mail to Lagniappe, Daily Globe, Box 639, Worthington 56187.