Chestnut Date Pumpkin Roll

I bought a can of chestnuts at Whole Foods in the fall.

I have been thinking about how I will use them for months.

Thoughts have been for stuffing, pumpkin soup, chestnut crumble and finally healthy icing.

Pumpkin roll:

1/4 cup powdered sugar for towel

Combine Dry ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon and cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

Then add wet:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin puree (Our very own cheese pumpkin)

Grease and flour 15x10 jelly roll pan

Bake 375F for 11 to 15 minutes.

Let cool 10 minutes. Then flip onto a tea towel dusted heavily with powdered sugar and roll while still warm.

Let cool while you prepare icing.

Chestnut date Filling:

Puree dates that have been soaked for a day in hot water

Puree canned chestnuts

I have leftover purees in fridge to add to something else.

Place in food processor:

1/2 cup each pureed dates and pureed chestnuts

add 1/3 cup cottage cheese and process till smooth

add 2 tbs. melted butter and 2 tbs. melted coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla

then add 1 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Unroll towel with cake.

Spread icing evenly.

Re roll and refrigerate on a plate.

A Tunic For Mama

I am always sewing, stitching, and creating for others.
It brings me joy to make, create and to give.
But, lately I have been thinking about my wardrobe, much of which does not fit.
I decided to start to make clothes for myself.
I also set a few rules for myself. (I have a really hard time following rules!)
I will use patterns, finish seams, and follow the directions.
This might not seem difficult, but for me it really is.  My husband calls me "Vera" in many
aspects of life. I tend to start on one path and veer in another direction pretty quickly. For example, I started with a crocheted squirrel (another future post) and he ends up with a lot of changes from the pattern. Including using felt to speed things up a bit.
So here is a tunic made for me by me.
I followed the pattern, but left off the sleeves.
Umm, yes, my trees are upside down, but the seams are finished and I even used interfacing!

Waterproof Sweatshirt Aprons

I have been thinking about making aprons for the boys for awhile.

I have different patterns, but when it comes to getting things done around here, I forget much of the planning.

So one day, while the boys played around me I made these aprons.

We have the backs of many sweatshirts leftover from the quilt Grandma is making.

The collar seemed too perfect.

I also happen to have my childhood apron that I used as the pattern.

We had leftover waterproof fabric from making diaper covers.

If I could change one thing I would make one tie long enough to come all the way around to Velcro.

Then the boys could put them on by themselves.

But they work perfectly for washing dishes and baking.

New Variation on Strawberry Pie

I stood in front of the freezer this morning wondering what to make for dinner.

After choosing a rather boring chicken soup from the freezer I pulled out the bag of frozen strawberries.

I thought, "Isn't this why we froze them? For a cold winter day when there is no fruit in the house"

One setback, One member of the family is forgoing wheat. So I played with my recipe.

Wheat Free Strawberry Pie:

Crust:

1/2 cup of each:  ground almonds, corn flour, ground whole oats, fine unsweetened coconut

2 tbs. butter

2 tbs. coconut oil

1 tbs. canola oil (or more coconut)

1/2 tsp. salt.

warm butter, oil, and salt in a small sauce pan.  Add to flour mixture while still warm.

Mix well. If not wet enough add 1tsp.-1tbs. warm water. Press into pie plate.  Try to make sides of crust

thick so that it does not burn.  Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes.

Filling:

5 cups frozen strawberries

3 tablespoons barley malt

1 tablespoon raw sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Place all in a wide pot and cook on medium until soft and bubbly. About 10 minutes.

Remove 1/2 cup of juice and mix in 2 tablespoon cornstarch.  Make sure there are no lumps and add to pot. Bring to a soft boil until slightly thickened. About 10 minutes.

Add filling to crust. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.  I had some filling left over and saved in a glass jar to add to yogurt.

Preparing strawberries in the summer for freezer

Strawberry pie

Elderberry Syrup

In the midst of an illness it is easy to forget the remedies you know.

My poor little guy keeps having coughing fits at night making it hard for most of us to sleep.

In the middle of the night I found myself reading my favorite herb book for children:

First thing this morning we removed the last of the elderberries from the freezer and made our 3rd bath of 

Elderberry syrup.

Elderberry Syrup:

Elderberry Syrup Recipe:

1 cup frozen elderberries

3/4 cup honey

1. Remove as many of the stems as possible. (The thick stems are toxic if eaten, mine have many of the small stems but I strain them out of the juice) Cover with water, about 2 cups. Simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Strain juice through a sieve pressing the berries to remove all the juice.

3.Let cool until wrist temp and mix in honey.

4. Bottle and store in refrigerator.

5. Take a teaspoon once a day or when needed.

I read many recipes in the fall that added other herbs or spices for colds.  My first batch I added 2 tsp cinnamon.  Elderberries have so many health benefits that I just keep it simple like above.  It doesn't last long enough in our house to worry about preservation.

I have a really hard time getting little guy to take anything like a decongestant, but he will happily eat a spoonful of elderberry syrup.  Children are so smart!

as they went into the freezer

dye bath with a few elderberries for fun

Our Elderberry bush in the garden.

Sumptuous Caesar Salad

I have played with Caesar Recipes for many years.

I started making them when I worked at a restaurant that offered table side Caesar Salad Preparations.

I have changed it according to different dietary considerations.

I removed the raw egg in place of mayo when I was pregnant.

I omit the cheese when we are not eating dairy and it is very good.

Following is the recipe I now make each time, sometimes omitting the cheese:

Caesar Salad Recipe:

1/2 lemon

3 anchovies

4 dashes Tabasco

2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons garlic oil (3 garlic cloves 3 tablespoon olive oil)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

fresh ground pepper

1-2 head of Romaine

Garlic Oil:

Mince 3 cloves of garlic. Add to a ramekin and pour 3 tablespoon olive oil over.

Place in a toaster oven at 350 F for 5-7 minutes until bubbling and fragrant. Let cool while you prepare dressing.

I use a wooden Caesar bowl, but any shallow wide bowl will work.

Place anchovies in bowl, add lemon juice, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce.

Using two forks smash anchovies until a paste forms. Now stir in garlic oil and Mayo.

Taste by dipping a bit of lettuce. Sometimes I add more Tabasco or oil.  Then add cheese to thicken.

Clean and spin torn lettuce.  Mix by hand in bowl until coated.

Add to bowls (2 large or 4 small), add fresh ground pepper, and a little more cheese if your wish.