1/2 c fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 c light cream
1/2 c water
7 oz (200 g) ground beef
7 oz (200 g) ground lean pork
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
Mix the bread crumbs, cream and water; set aside for 5 minutes. Work together the beef, pork, salt, allspice and onion. Gradually add the bread crumbs, then the egg. Blend well and fry a sample to test the seasoning.
Shape into balls. Make large meatballs to be served for dinner or small meatballs for the smorgasbord.
Heat some of the margarine or butter in a skillet. When the foam subsides, add 10 to 15 meatballs. Cook over moderate heat until the meatballs are beautifully brown and cooked through. Transfer to a serving dish and keep hot while cooking the remaining meatballs. Serve with boiled potatoes, lingonberry preserve and a tossed salad.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Grandma’s Pepper Knockersby Deborah deBakker
December 1999
December 1999 marks 25 years since my Swedish grandmother died. So she’s been on my mind this month, especially when I bake a batch of her special cookies—pepper knockers—for Christmas.
My Swedish grandmother was actually born in Canada, in the village of Norman, just west of Rat Portage. Around the turn of the century, Swedes looking for a better life gravitated to northwestern Ontario, where they felt at home amid the fragrant forests, blue lakes and thick snow. Grandma’s family were the Pearsons of Pearson Street. I always thought it was a fine thing that the family had a street named after them, even if it was more of a lane than a street. The village of Norman, or at least its first two letters, evolved into the middle syllable of the town of Kenora, flanked by the K E of Keewatin and the R A of Rat Portage.
Although Grandma was born in Canada, she unwittingly lost her Canadian citizenship at eighteen when she married my grandfather. This quirk of immigration law applied because she had married a non-Canadian—not surprisingly, a Swede. Some years later, Grandpa swore allegiance to the king and took out his Canadian citizenship, but the law didn’t seem to work in reverse. Grandma remained a foreigner, even though she never left Canada until years later, to visit her married daughter in New York. At sixty-five, she applied for a Canadian passport so she could travel to Sweden for the first time, but she was turned down, and told she had to become a Canadian first. “I was so mad, I could have spit!” she said, which was as close as she came to swearing. “I’m as Canadian as anyone!” This was around the time of Trudeaumania, and she held Mr. Trudeau personally responsible for her difficulties with the immigration department. After all, despite her lack of citizenship, she had voted Liberal all her life.
In Kenora, and in her later years in Thunder Bay, Grandma made raising a family and keeping house into an art, pre-dating Martha Stewart by about sixty years. If she walked into my house today, she’d die. Grandma had a tiny kitchen where she worked alone in her full-length apron, turning out meatballs with gravy, cinnamon buns, and salads made of leaf lettuce from the garden, sprinkled with vinegar and sugar. She had little patience for children or grownups who wanted to watch or even help cook. For the most part she made traditional Swedish food, which is to say simple, verging on bland. We children loved it.
She also made more exotic fare: pickled herring, called sill, and headcheese, a sort of meat loaf that did not actually involve a pig’s head, at least not when the kids were around. My mom never made us eat that stuff. At home, we got to eat regular boomer food, red jello and hamburgers and French fries with lots of ketchup.
But I have digressed from the pepper knockers, which Grandma made every Christmas. To describe them as ginger snap cookies hardly does them justice. They are more rich and crispy and fragrant. Like all the best things my grandmother made, they are easy to make and look good on a white plate. They have no pretensions--they are Lutheran cookies, after all.
The correct name for them is pepparcockars, but as children, we found “pepper knockers” easier to say. The recipe is the essence of simplicity: butter, flour, molasses and spices: ginger (which is ‘pepper’ in Swedish), cinnamon and cloves. These were all things Grandma would have in the house. These days I keep Becel in the fridge—I only buy butter at Christmas to make the pepper knockers.
One of the things I love about making pepper knockers is that the recipe makes more than a hundred cookies, plenty for everyone. Another advantage is that the raw dough tastes, frankly, like molasses, so there is not much of a shrinkage problem before it gets baked.
Of course, pepper knockers must be served with coffee. When I was about ten, my mother taught me how to make coffee, exactly the same way Grandma did. You filled the Corning Ware percolator with water, measured the grounds into the metal basket, then turned the element on high. When the pot boiled over, you lifted it off, turned the element down to simmer, wiped up the mess and put the pot back. Done.
My kids turn up their noses at a lot of the things I cook, but they do like pepper knockers. My daughter in university even makes them herself. She loses the recipe every year, and phones home for it in early December. Last week, when most of her friends in Kingston were studying, she spent a day baking pepper knockers. She wrapped them in packages of ten, tied them up with ribbons, and delivered them to friends all around the student ghetto. It makes me happy to think of those young students eating the pepper knockers and drinking coffee, feeling warm and satisfied.
As long as someone is eating these cookies at Christmas, I can picture my Grandma looking down and saying, “Ts, ts, no more! You’re going to spoil your supper.”
December 1999 marks 25 years since my Swedish grandmother died. So she’s been on my mind this month, especially when I bake a batch of her special cookies—pepper knockers—for Christmas.
My Swedish grandmother was actually born in Canada, in the village of Norman, just west of Rat Portage. Around the turn of the century, Swedes looking for a better life gravitated to northwestern Ontario, where they felt at home amid the fragrant forests, blue lakes and thick snow. Grandma’s family were the Pearsons of Pearson Street. I always thought it was a fine thing that the family had a street named after them, even if it was more of a lane than a street. The village of Norman, or at least its first two letters, evolved into the middle syllable of the town of Kenora, flanked by the K E of Keewatin and the R A of Rat Portage.
Although Grandma was born in Canada, she unwittingly lost her Canadian citizenship at eighteen when she married my grandfather. This quirk of immigration law applied because she had married a non-Canadian—not surprisingly, a Swede. Some years later, Grandpa swore allegiance to the king and took out his Canadian citizenship, but the law didn’t seem to work in reverse. Grandma remained a foreigner, even though she never left Canada until years later, to visit her married daughter in New York. At sixty-five, she applied for a Canadian passport so she could travel to Sweden for the first time, but she was turned down, and told she had to become a Canadian first. “I was so mad, I could have spit!” she said, which was as close as she came to swearing. “I’m as Canadian as anyone!” This was around the time of Trudeaumania, and she held Mr. Trudeau personally responsible for her difficulties with the immigration department. After all, despite her lack of citizenship, she had voted Liberal all her life.
In Kenora, and in her later years in Thunder Bay, Grandma made raising a family and keeping house into an art, pre-dating Martha Stewart by about sixty years. If she walked into my house today, she’d die. Grandma had a tiny kitchen where she worked alone in her full-length apron, turning out meatballs with gravy, cinnamon buns, and salads made of leaf lettuce from the garden, sprinkled with vinegar and sugar. She had little patience for children or grownups who wanted to watch or even help cook. For the most part she made traditional Swedish food, which is to say simple, verging on bland. We children loved it.
She also made more exotic fare: pickled herring, called sill, and headcheese, a sort of meat loaf that did not actually involve a pig’s head, at least not when the kids were around. My mom never made us eat that stuff. At home, we got to eat regular boomer food, red jello and hamburgers and French fries with lots of ketchup.
But I have digressed from the pepper knockers, which Grandma made every Christmas. To describe them as ginger snap cookies hardly does them justice. They are more rich and crispy and fragrant. Like all the best things my grandmother made, they are easy to make and look good on a white plate. They have no pretensions--they are Lutheran cookies, after all.
The correct name for them is pepparcockars, but as children, we found “pepper knockers” easier to say. The recipe is the essence of simplicity: butter, flour, molasses and spices: ginger (which is ‘pepper’ in Swedish), cinnamon and cloves. These were all things Grandma would have in the house. These days I keep Becel in the fridge—I only buy butter at Christmas to make the pepper knockers.
One of the things I love about making pepper knockers is that the recipe makes more than a hundred cookies, plenty for everyone. Another advantage is that the raw dough tastes, frankly, like molasses, so there is not much of a shrinkage problem before it gets baked.
Of course, pepper knockers must be served with coffee. When I was about ten, my mother taught me how to make coffee, exactly the same way Grandma did. You filled the Corning Ware percolator with water, measured the grounds into the metal basket, then turned the element on high. When the pot boiled over, you lifted it off, turned the element down to simmer, wiped up the mess and put the pot back. Done.
My kids turn up their noses at a lot of the things I cook, but they do like pepper knockers. My daughter in university even makes them herself. She loses the recipe every year, and phones home for it in early December. Last week, when most of her friends in Kingston were studying, she spent a day baking pepper knockers. She wrapped them in packages of ten, tied them up with ribbons, and delivered them to friends all around the student ghetto. It makes me happy to think of those young students eating the pepper knockers and drinking coffee, feeling warm and satisfied.
As long as someone is eating these cookies at Christmas, I can picture my Grandma looking down and saying, “Ts, ts, no more! You’re going to spoil your supper.”
Grandma’s Pepper Knockers
1 ½ c. butter
2 c. sugar
½ c. molasses
2 eggs
4 c. flour
4 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. cinnamon
Cream butter and sugar. Beat in molasses and eggs. Stir together all dry ingredients, then gradually add to the wet ingredients. Dough will be stiff.
Roll a teaspoon of dough into a ball, then roll the ball in sugar. Flatten a bit with a cookie press or the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them—there is a small window between underdone and burnt!
Terri's Fruit Crisp
Filling:
2 c blueberries
4 c apples (peeled and sliced)
2 c fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 c sugar
1/4 flour
grated rind of 1 lemon
Topping:
1 1/2 c quick rolled oats
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c whole wheat flower
2+ tsp cinnamon
1/4 c butter or margarine (melted)
1/4 c walnuts or pecans (optional)
Butter 9"x13" pan
Bake @ 375 for 40-45 min.
2 c blueberries
4 c apples (peeled and sliced)
2 c fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 c sugar
1/4 flour
grated rind of 1 lemon
Topping:
1 1/2 c quick rolled oats
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c whole wheat flower
2+ tsp cinnamon
1/4 c butter or margarine (melted)
1/4 c walnuts or pecans (optional)
Butter 9"x13" pan
Bake @ 375 for 40-45 min.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Hamburger Stew
This was a classic meal when we were kids, popular with everyone but George.
Brown hamburger in a little margarine. Add onion. Cover with water (about 2 cups) simmer for 20 minutes. Add carrots, celery, potatoes, peas, etc. When boiling add a can of Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Brown hamburger in a little margarine. Add onion. Cover with water (about 2 cups) simmer for 20 minutes. Add carrots, celery, potatoes, peas, etc. When boiling add a can of Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Therese Fahlgren’s Swedish Rye Bread
Therese Fahlgren (Anna Teresia Forsström) was born 13 Sep 1888 in Pajala, Norrbotten, Sweden. (Does anybody have her date of death in Kenora?) She was the older sister of our grandfather William Forstrom (Henrik William Forsström. This is another recipe from the Kenora Lutheran Church Cookbook.
2 pkg Quick Acting Yeast
1 teaspn Sugar
1 cup Lukewarm Water – Soak for 5 min. then stir;
5 cups Warm Water
1 cup Molasses (Domolco)
1 tblspn. Salt
1 Teaspn. Anis Seed
½ cup Melted Crisco
1 cup Brown Sugar
Add yeast to this and mix well, then add 3 cups Rye Flour and 12 cups white flour. Let rise until double in bulk. Knead, shape into 4 loaves and let rise until double in bulk.
Bake in moderate oven.
2 pkg Quick Acting Yeast
1 teaspn Sugar
1 cup Lukewarm Water – Soak for 5 min. then stir;
5 cups Warm Water
1 cup Molasses (Domolco)
1 tblspn. Salt
1 Teaspn. Anis Seed
½ cup Melted Crisco
1 cup Brown Sugar
Add yeast to this and mix well, then add 3 cups Rye Flour and 12 cups white flour. Let rise until double in bulk. Knead, shape into 4 loaves and let rise until double in bulk.
Bake in moderate oven.
Lightened-Up Artichoke Dip
Combine in a casserole and roast in oven at 425° for ½ hour:
• 1 large can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
• ½ onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
Puree in food processor:
• 1 can white kidney beans
• 1 c light sour cream
• 1 tub light garden vegetable cream cheese
Add zest of 1 lemon and 15 drops hot sauce (Tabasco) and process briefly.
Add roasted vegetables to food processor; pulse lightly, leaving some chunks.
Coarsely chop 1 cup raw spinach and pulse in.
Pour into baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup grated Asiago cheese.
Bake 30 minutes at 325°.
Serve with baked whole grain pita:
• Cut up whole grain pitas
• Mix 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter, and somegarlic powder and. Paint this mixture on the pitas.
• Bake the chips at 350° for 10-12 minutes
• 1 large can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
• ½ onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
Puree in food processor:
• 1 can white kidney beans
• 1 c light sour cream
• 1 tub light garden vegetable cream cheese
Add zest of 1 lemon and 15 drops hot sauce (Tabasco) and process briefly.
Add roasted vegetables to food processor; pulse lightly, leaving some chunks.
Coarsely chop 1 cup raw spinach and pulse in.
Pour into baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup grated Asiago cheese.
Bake 30 minutes at 325°.
Serve with baked whole grain pita:
• Cut up whole grain pitas
• Mix 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter, and somegarlic powder and. Paint this mixture on the pitas.
• Bake the chips at 350° for 10-12 minutes
Therese Fahlgren’s Peach Jam
Therese Fahlgren (Anna Teresia Forsström) was born 13 Sep 1888 in Pajala, Norrbotten, Sweden. (Does anybody have her date of death in Kenora?) She was the older sister of our grandfather William Forstrom (Henrik William Forsström). This recipe comes from the Kenora Lutheran Church Cookbook.
18 peaches
6 oranges, peeled
6 apples
Put all through food chopper and for every 3 Cups fruit put 2 cups sugar. Boil for 45 minutes. If desired put in maraschino cherries after removing from stove.
18 peaches
6 oranges, peeled
6 apples
Put all through food chopper and for every 3 Cups fruit put 2 cups sugar. Boil for 45 minutes. If desired put in maraschino cherries after removing from stove.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Irene N had the idea of adding Carnation. Good idea!
4 tbsp butter
2 c finely chopped yellow onions
4-5 tsp curry powder
2 medium-size butternut squash (about three pounds)
2 apples peeled, cored and chopped
3 c chicken stock
1 c apple juice
1 small can of evaporated milk (Carnation)
Salt and pepper to taste
shredded apple for garnish
Melt butter in a pot. Add onions and curry powder and cook, covered, over low heat until onions are tender, about 25 minutes.
Peel the squath, scrape out the seeds and chop the flesh.
When onions are tender, pour in the stock, add squash and apples, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until squash and apples are very tender, about 25 minutes.
Puree
Add apple juice and evaporated milk.
Season to taste, heat to a simmer and serve. Garnish with shredded apple.
4 tbsp butter
2 c finely chopped yellow onions
4-5 tsp curry powder
2 medium-size butternut squash (about three pounds)
2 apples peeled, cored and chopped
3 c chicken stock
1 c apple juice
1 small can of evaporated milk (Carnation)
Salt and pepper to taste
shredded apple for garnish
Melt butter in a pot. Add onions and curry powder and cook, covered, over low heat until onions are tender, about 25 minutes.
Peel the squath, scrape out the seeds and chop the flesh.
When onions are tender, pour in the stock, add squash and apples, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until squash and apples are very tender, about 25 minutes.
Puree
Add apple juice and evaporated milk.
Season to taste, heat to a simmer and serve. Garnish with shredded apple.
Baked Carrots and Parsnips
We always have this at Christmas and Thanksgiving.
4 carrots in julienne strips
4 parsnips in julienne strips
Place vegetables in single layer in 9 x 13 pan. Some people put carrots and parsnips at opposite ends, for people who don’t appreciate how delicious parsnips are.
Sauce:
Combine:
• 2 tsp cornstarch stirred into 1 tbsp cold water
• ¾ c chicken stock or dry white wine
• ¼ tsp sage
• Pepper to taste
Pour sauce over vegetables, cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
Mix and sprinkle on top:
• ½ c fine dry bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp parsley
Bake uncovered 10 more minutes.
4 carrots in julienne strips
4 parsnips in julienne strips
Place vegetables in single layer in 9 x 13 pan. Some people put carrots and parsnips at opposite ends, for people who don’t appreciate how delicious parsnips are.
Sauce:
Combine:
• 2 tsp cornstarch stirred into 1 tbsp cold water
• ¾ c chicken stock or dry white wine
• ¼ tsp sage
• Pepper to taste
Pour sauce over vegetables, cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
Mix and sprinkle on top:
• ½ c fine dry bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp parsley
Bake uncovered 10 more minutes.
Wild Rice Casserole
Soak 1 cup wild rice overnight.
Boil in lots of water uncovered until most grains curl.
Sauté
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup.
Fold mixture into the rice.
Bake in a covered casserole at 350° for 45 minutes.
Boil in lots of water uncovered until most grains curl.
Sauté
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup.
Fold mixture into the rice.
Bake in a covered casserole at 350° for 45 minutes.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Eleanor's Greek Plaki
A Fish and Vegetable Main Course
1 lb (more or less) white fish fillets (I use one package of frozen Safeway Basa Fillets)
3 or more sliced onions
3 stalks or more of sliced celery
4 large carrots sliced
4 medium potatoes or 3 large, sliced
3 large sliced tomatoes
Chopped parsley
2 cloves or more of garlic
¼ cup of oil (over layered vegetables and fish)
Marinade
1 glass of white wine
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp or more oregano
Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Marinade thawed fish for one hour in lemon juice, salt and pepper, oregano and glass of white wine.
2. Arrange in a large casserole dish as follows:
Onions on bottom then a bit of parsley, then some celery and carrots, sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper
Put fish next and then rest of carrots, followed by sliced potatoes.
Add the rest of the celery and onions on the top of this and a bit more oregano.
Put sliced tomatoes next with chopped garlic.
3. Pour marinade over the vegetables and fish and then lastly pour the 1/4 cup of oil over the top.
4. Cover and bake at 400 degree for about an hour. Remove cover for last few minutes.
Check to see if potatoes and fish are done since it may need a little more time. I usually leave it in the oven but turn it off.
It stays hot until ready to serve. Enjoy!
1 lb (more or less) white fish fillets (I use one package of frozen Safeway Basa Fillets)
3 or more sliced onions
3 stalks or more of sliced celery
4 large carrots sliced
4 medium potatoes or 3 large, sliced
3 large sliced tomatoes
Chopped parsley
2 cloves or more of garlic
¼ cup of oil (over layered vegetables and fish)
Marinade
1 glass of white wine
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp or more oregano
Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Marinade thawed fish for one hour in lemon juice, salt and pepper, oregano and glass of white wine.
2. Arrange in a large casserole dish as follows:
Onions on bottom then a bit of parsley, then some celery and carrots, sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper
Put fish next and then rest of carrots, followed by sliced potatoes.
Add the rest of the celery and onions on the top of this and a bit more oregano.
Put sliced tomatoes next with chopped garlic.
3. Pour marinade over the vegetables and fish and then lastly pour the 1/4 cup of oil over the top.
4. Cover and bake at 400 degree for about an hour. Remove cover for last few minutes.
Check to see if potatoes and fish are done since it may need a little more time. I usually leave it in the oven but turn it off.
It stays hot until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Lasagne for a Crowd
Makes 1 pretty-deep lasagne pan or a roast pan about the same length as a lasagne noodle, or bigger if you don’t mind breaking the noodles.
1. Get 2 boxes of Primo or Catelli Express Lasagne (the kind you don’t boil). One might be enough, but get 2 to be sure.
2. Get 2 cans of Primo Pasta sauce (750 m. size) (or other brand.)
3. Brown 1 lb. of lean ground beef. Drain if is seems fatty.
4. Add 1 can of the Primo pasta sauce and let it simmer for a while. Add about 1 cup of water, because the lasagne absorbs quite a bit of liquid when it cooks.
5. Make a cheese sauce by cooking together 2-3 tbsp of butter and 2-3 tbsp of flour. With a wire whisk, gradually add about 1 ½ c. of warm milk (preheat in the microwave). Cook until it bubbles and thickens. Then add 1 large container of Ricotta cheese. Stir until it’s all hot and smooth and then take off the heat.
6. Grate 1 lb. of pulled (ball) mozzarella.
7. Spread ½ can of Primo pasta sauce in the bottom of the roaster. Lay 4 strips of lasagne on the bottom of the pan (if they fit).
8. spread with 1/3 of the meat sauce, then glop on 1/3 of the cheese sauce, then 1/3 of the grated mozzarella, then another layer of lasagne. Repeat. Repeat again. By now you should have a layer of lasagne strips on top and 3 layers of fillings inside. Spread the top layer of lasagne with the remaining ½ can of pasta sauce.
9. Now you can freeze it to bake later, or bake it now.
10. Bake it at 350 degrees fo about an hour. If you freeze it, get it out the nught before because it will take a long time to thaw. Use a cookie sheet or something to support the bottom when lifting it in or out of the oven because it is heavy and the pan is not all that strong.
Good luck!
1. Get 2 boxes of Primo or Catelli Express Lasagne (the kind you don’t boil). One might be enough, but get 2 to be sure.
2. Get 2 cans of Primo Pasta sauce (750 m. size) (or other brand.)
3. Brown 1 lb. of lean ground beef. Drain if is seems fatty.
4. Add 1 can of the Primo pasta sauce and let it simmer for a while. Add about 1 cup of water, because the lasagne absorbs quite a bit of liquid when it cooks.
5. Make a cheese sauce by cooking together 2-3 tbsp of butter and 2-3 tbsp of flour. With a wire whisk, gradually add about 1 ½ c. of warm milk (preheat in the microwave). Cook until it bubbles and thickens. Then add 1 large container of Ricotta cheese. Stir until it’s all hot and smooth and then take off the heat.
6. Grate 1 lb. of pulled (ball) mozzarella.
7. Spread ½ can of Primo pasta sauce in the bottom of the roaster. Lay 4 strips of lasagne on the bottom of the pan (if they fit).
8. spread with 1/3 of the meat sauce, then glop on 1/3 of the cheese sauce, then 1/3 of the grated mozzarella, then another layer of lasagne. Repeat. Repeat again. By now you should have a layer of lasagne strips on top and 3 layers of fillings inside. Spread the top layer of lasagne with the remaining ½ can of pasta sauce.
9. Now you can freeze it to bake later, or bake it now.
10. Bake it at 350 degrees fo about an hour. If you freeze it, get it out the nught before because it will take a long time to thaw. Use a cookie sheet or something to support the bottom when lifting it in or out of the oven because it is heavy and the pan is not all that strong.
Good luck!
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