IT IS OVER 70° IN MICHIGAN IN MARCH!!!!!

El Nino years are good to us.  In honor of this beautiful weather, it could be snowing at this time of year, we are having a 1940's picnic to celebrate my Mom.

My Mom in 1948 at 43 years old having fun in Lake Michigan.


MOM'S CREAM CHEESE AND OLIVE SANDWICHES
On a beautiful summer day when the big white fluffy clouds would come drifting off Lake Michigan, my Mom would make these sandwiches and we would pack them up and go climb one of the big dunes near our cottage. We'd lie in the warm sand, eat sandwiches and hard cooked eggs while looking for all the cloud shapes, dragons, animals, funny faces and castles, formed by the puffy slow moving clouds. The dunes are covered with houses now but the sandwiches are still good.

Good quality wheat bread, we used homemade
Cream cheese, softened
Pimento stuffed green olives, sliced

Spread cream cheese on bread. Lay olive slices on cream cheese; top with second slice of bread.  NOTE:  This recipe is frequently found in cookbooks from the 1940's as is CREAM CHEESE & CHOPPED NUT SANDWICHES.  For an updated, layers of flavor sandwich, use a jarred Italian Muffuletta Olive Salad instead of just green olives.


MOM'S EGG SALAD
Mom didn't rely on seasonings for flavor, she relied on top quality products and she was very fussy about where she shopped, what she bought and the person from who she bought it.

Hard-cooked eggs
Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise, no other mayonnaise would do
Salt to taste

Peel eggs.  Put in bowl and smash with a fork or potato masher.  Add mayonnaise to moisten and salt to taste.  NOTE:  At Michigan State University, they put a little sweet  pickle relish in their egg salad which I like too.

EASY HARD-COOKED EGGS PERFECT EVERY TIME

I have used this method for as few as 2 eggs and up to a big pot of eggs in a commerical kitchen.  There is never a green ring around the yolk and they peel easily.

HOW TO HARD COOK AN EGG
Put eggs in a pan and cover eggs with cold water. Bring eggs and water to a boil. Remove pan from heat and cover. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain off water and put eggs in cold water with ice cubes. Crack eggs all over the shell. Remove shell. NOTE: Putting the cooked eggs in icy water helps make it easier to peel off the shell.

MORNING AT THE COTTAGE - HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATRINKA

Our beloved, wonderful Katrinka is 11 years old today.  As you can see, she doesn't do mornings well anymore.  Last summer, we thought we were going to lose her so today is especially great and we are thankful to have her.  Izzy, our gift of joy, is always ready to go.

MOM'S "MACARONI" AND CHEESE

With a few days left in Lent, here is a very different kind of "macaroni" and cheese.  I don't know if it is an original recipe of Mom's, but I have never seen a recipe like it.  It is quick and easy with few ingredients and puffs up like a soufflé when it comes out of the oven.  We frequently had this on Friday night because even though we were not Catholic, we observed the custom of meatless Fridays. A good sharp Cheddar is essential to this dish, the sharper the better, otherwise the results are too bland. To lower the fat in the recipe, I eliminate the pats of butter and use skimmed milk instead of regular.  The is a method rather than an accurate recipe as the amount of ingredients depends on the size of the baking dish to be used.

The ingredients:  Mom insisted on the best thin spaghetti.  I like to grate my own cheese as I find it melts better than purchased pre-shredded cheese.  Cook spaghetti at least 1 minute less than package directions because it is going to be baked too.

The method:  In lightly greased baking dish, put a layer of spaghetti.

Then a generous layer of cheese.

Put on a layer of crushed crackers and repeat layering until casserole dish is full.  End with crackers on the top layer.

Put little pieces of butter over the top layer of crumbs.  Gently pour warmed milk carefully down the side of the casserole dish until the milk is level with the bottom of the top layer of crackers.  Bake in preheated 350° oven until the top is golded brown and the entire top, including the middle is puffed up.

All puffed and golden.

Enjoy!!

THE RECIPE

MOM'S "MACARONI" AND CHEESE

Thin spaghetti, cooked al dente and drained

Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated Saltine crackers, crushed
Little pats of butter
Warm milk

The amounts of the ingredients depend on the size of the dish to be used. In a lightly greased, oven-proof casserole, layer the cooked spaghetti, cheese, crackers and pats of butter in the order given. Repeat layering until the casserole dish is full. End with crackers on the top layer. Lightly dot top layer of crackers with little pats of butter even if the butter has been eliminated throughout the casserole. Carefully pour warm milk down the side of the casserole dish until the milk is level with the bottom of the top layer of crackers. Bake in preheated 350° oven until the top is golden brown and the entire top puffs up including the middle, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the dish.

FULL "WORM" MOON TONIGHT

It is called the "Worm" moon as this is the time of year that the worms become active for which the Robins are very grateful.

GENEALOGY AND THE NETHERLANDS

If you are interested in doing genealogy in the Netherlands, check the Dutch Heritage page for information.

SPRING FLOWERS

It is a lovely cool spring morning in Michigan. The tulips have just started poking their green leaves up through the earth. For beautiful pictures of spring flowers CLICK on Dutch Links for a slideshow of the famous Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands.

LAKE MICHIGAN

A lake of sparkling diamonds?

Mar. 26, 2010

LAKE MICHIGAN

Or is it a lake of glass?

Mar. 23, 2010

AN UPPER PENINSULA COFFEECAKE

CINDY’S CHURCH CAMP COFFEE CAKE WITH THREE FILLINGS
Cindy went to a “crop” at the church camp where her sister’s family live in The Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The camp served this coffeecake with the brown sugar filling, there is a choice of three different fillings, for breakfast and Cindy knew it was a recipe she had to have. When I made it for her birthday in 2009 with the almond filling, the whole family agreed the rich, buttery, yummy, have to have more, coffeecake was a winner.  Son-in-law hates almond so his choice is the brown sugar/pecan filling.

Apple/nut filling, Almond filling or Brown sugar filling, choice of one
1 ½ c sugar
¾ c butter, softened
1 ½ t vanilla
3 eggs
3 c all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1 ½ t baking powder
1 ½ t baking soda
¾ t salt
1 ½ c sour cream
Glaze

Grease tube pan, 10x4inches or 12 cup Bundt cake pan. Prepare one of the fillings below; reserve. Beat sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Beat in flour mixture alternately with sour cream on low speed into the sugar mixture. Spread 1/3 of the batter, about 2 cups in greased pan; sprinkle with 1/2 of the filling. I find a small spatula helps to spread the batter when putting it in the pan.  Repeat ending with batter on top. Bake in preheated 325° oven for about 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean; cool 20 minutes. Remove from pan; drizzle with Glaze.

APPLE NUT FILLING
1 ½ c apples, chopped
1/3 c brown sugar
1 T flour
2 T butter
¼ t nutmeg
1/8 t salt
½ c nuts, chopped

Cook all ingredients except nuts over medium heat, stirring constantly, until apples are tender, 3 to 4 minutes; stir in nuts.

ALMOND FILLING
1 pkg. (3 1/2oz) almond paste, cut up
½ c powdered sugar
¼ c butter
½ c almonds, sliced or chopped, or 2oz. package

Heat almond paste, powdered sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in almonds.

BROWN SUGAR FILLING
½ c brown sugar
½ c nuts, finely chopped, optional
1 ½ t cinnamon

Mix all together

GLAZE
½ c powdered sugar,
¼ t vanilla
1 to 2 t milk

Mix all together until smooth.