Campfire Goodness

Craig came home from his visit with Mike, Rachel, Skyler, Brooklynn, and Ryan. with a special surprise, blackberries!  It would have been better if it were grandchildren, but berries would have to do.  Blackberries are available for picking in parks and along roadsides.  Craig's carry-on luggage held the berry bounty. 

This past Friday we went to the ward's campout.  We made blackberry cobbler in our dutch oven.  It was YUMMY and many campers stopped by for a taste.  Here is our recipe:

Berry Cobbler

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Prepare at home and take in three separate Ziploc bags: 

Cobbler: Combine until butter is distributed and the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 5 Tablespoon instant dry milk powder

OR

• 2 cups baking mix (Bisquick)
• 4 tablespoons sugar

Berry mixture:

• 6 -8 cups of fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, blackberries, or triple berry mix are good choices)
• 3/4 cup sugar (less or more to taste, depends on how sweet the berries are and how sweet you would like your cobbler to be)
• Zest of 1lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 Tablespoons)
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 Tablespoons instant tapioca (best if you can whirl it in a spice grinder or blender to eliminate any chance of “fish eyes”)

Cinnamon Sugar mixture:

• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

At the campsite:

• light 26 charcoal briquettes
• Empty berry mixture into a Dutch oven
• Pour 1 cup of water into the cobbler mixture, reseal the bag squish until the batter is just moistened. (If you want you can use 3/4 cup water and 1 egg)
• Drop batter in small mounds on top of berry mixture
• Sprinkle mounds with cinnamon sugar
• Cover with lid and place briquettes underneath (10) and on top (16) of the Dutch oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is browned.

BOO! to You TOO!

I am just getting around to adding the family tradition of Halloween dinner.  These past few weeks have been crazy with Abby in the Emergency Room and then a week later in the hospital.

I am not sure exactly what the problem was, but we do know that she had an infection of some kind.  Her white blood count was sky high and she was vomiting to the point that she was dehydrated.  She is doing great now and awaiting her tonsillectomy on December 4.  Her tonsils are huge; just like Miranda's at that age.  When Miranda had her tonsils removed her health improved dramatically.  Hopefully the same thing will happen for Abby.

Now back to Halloween:

Halloween brought Abby the Super Woman; Skyler the Ninja; and Brooklynn the Dalmatian.  Now, who could be cuter than my grandkids?

In Indiana we celebrated the night before Trick or Treating with dinner and games.  We played "Hotter-Colder" to find hidden bones and constructed a skeleton.  We had balloon races and wrapped mummies in toilet paper.

For dinner we had Mummies (hot dogs wrapped in bread stick dough and baked);  Worms on a Bun (hot dogs cut into thin strips and served on a roll with toppings);  a Graveyard (hummus ground with broccoli, and celery trees, pretzel fence had boiled egg ghosts, and cracker tomb stones).  Our drink was a family favorite - Witches Brew (lime sherbet, grape juice, and lemon-lime soda).  We also had potato Salad that didn't have a special Halloween name; I was just in the mood.

In Washington state some of the Halloween activities were field trips and carving pumpkins (including Brooklynn tasting the goop from inside the pumpkin.

Halloween is GREAT!

Hummm, is it just desserts?

Miranda was in the mood for apple and cinnamon crepes and Abby wanted banana and Nutella - yummy.

We decided that half of the original recipe would be a good amount; you can have a snack, but not have more than you should (not could) eat. So this is the recipe in the suggested amount.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup water

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoons butter, melted

·     In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, water, salt and butter; gradually sift in the flour and beat until smooth.

·     Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

·     Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

This will make 6-8 small (6 inch) crepes.

Next time I think I will experiment with replacing some of the flour with cocoa powder!

Have Pumpkin? Add Chocolate!

Twenty-seven years ago this recipe found its way into my file from The Friend. It has been an annual fall favorite (and other times as well).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup salad oil

1 egg, beaten

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 small package (about 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Mix sugar and oil together, then blend in egg, pumpkin, milk, and vanilla.

2. Sift flour with rest of dry ingredients and blend into pumpkin mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet, and bake at 375° F (190° C) for about ten minutes.

Not for the Calorie Counter

Miranda just called from Lafayette, Indiana.  She and Abby are visiting with a the Hawards this weekend.  I guess a chocolate urge has surfaced; she asked for the recipe for another regional favorite, Derby Pie.  Of course, I really can't call it that because that is a copyrighted name.  So, she actually asked for the chocolate pecan pie recipe served at Derby time.  It is sweet, rich, and a real diet killer.  You gotta love it :)

Almost Derby Pie

Make sure you use a regular size pie crust; a deep-dish won’t work.   

Derby Pie is a copyrighted name (just like Oreos) from the Melrose Inn, near Louisville.

Preheat oven to 350°

Melt:

            ½ cup butter

Add:

1 cup sugar

½ cup flour

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Stir in:

¾ cup chopped pecans

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pour into an unbaked pie shell.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Regional Cuisine - Cincinnati Chili

When we moved to the midwest one of the "strange" foods was chili with spaghetti as one of the ingredients.  I have never been able to bring myself to like the spaghetti version.  I have compromised by serving it in the "Cincinnati way".  The cooked spaghetti noodles are served as an optional addition rather than cooked in the chili. 

Our ward provided the meal for the missionary zone conference yesterday.  I provided one of the pots of chili (without spaghetti).  I talked with one of the couple missionaries last night.  They are from Idaho.  My question was, "what do you think of spaghetti in your chili?"  Her response, "Spaghetti in chili? We didn't have any chili like that!"  That is a first for me in this area.  The evidence says, everyone who prepared chili for the activity was from the west.

Here is my recipe for chili the midwest way:  

Cincinnati Chili

Cincinnati, Ohio is one of the most chili-crazed cities in the country.  The Cincinnati interpretation has is sweet and spicy, but not hot.  Cincinnatians enjoy their chili spooned over pasta (spaghetti) and topped with any combination of chopped onions (I prefer green onions), grated Cheddar cheese, warmed kidney beans and crushed oyster crackers or Fritios style corn chips.  If you choose “the works” you’re eating what they call ”Five-Way Chili”.

Makes about 14 cups

Brown and drain:

2 lbs. Ground beef

Add and cook until onion is translucent:

3 cups chopped onion (1 ½ large onions)

3 cups chopped green pepper (2 large green peppers)

1 ½ Tbs. Minced garlic

Stir in:

            2 - 32 oz. Cans whole or diced tomatoes

            1 - 6 oz. Can tomato paste

1 Tbs. Sugar

            ½ cup chili powder (start with ¼ cup and add to taste; some chili powders are more potent)

            1 Tbs. Sweet  paprika

            2 bay leaves

            1 Tbs. Oregano

            1 tsp. Ground cumin

            1 Tbs. Salt (or to taste, I use less)

            Pinch of Cayenne

Simmer 30 minutes and add:

            2 - 16 oz. Cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Cook an additional 15 minutes and serve with condiments listed above.  For best flavor make the day before and reheat.

Callings vs. Choices

     I have had a milestone birthday this summer.  It has given me cause to do a great deal of thinking retrospectively.  It seems our lives are formed by experiences that are not what we would have chosen for ourselves, but are the result of callings the Lord has placed in our path.  Living in eight different states with wards or branches with little depth of leadership, has given me the opportunity to grow tremendously in areas I never would have chosen to be part of my life.  I have had to learn much and push beyond my levels of comfort.  I am truly grateful for the Lord's direction for my life.  My chosen path would have been a very different one.

     I worry about getting to the point where my contributions are less "give" and more "support".  I am not sure that I can make that transition gracefully.  That is a pride thing and I will have to repent of that one.  Oh well, . . . enough musing.