Irish Potatoes & Cabbage with Bacon (Colcannon)

image from here

This fall we attended a family history fair.

Along with research information and classes,

there were tastes from around the world. 

We liked the Irish mashed potatoes with bacon.

This is the recipe they sent to us,

though I don't remember it having cabbage.

I also read you can substitute kale for cabbage.

Irish Potatoes & Cabbage with Bacon (Colcannon)

1-1/2 lb. baking potatoes (about 5), peeled, quartered

3 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 c. water
3/4 lb. cabbage, shredded (about 4 c.)
2 T. butter
1/2 c. milk, warmed
Salt to taste

Cook potatoes in boiling water in large saucepan 20 min. or until tender.
Meanwhile, cook and stir bacon in large skillet on medium heat until crisp.
Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
Add onions to reserved drippings; cook and stir 2 min. or until crisp-tender.
Add water; stir to release browned bits from bottom of skillet.
Add cabbage; mix well.
Cover; cook 7 min. or until cabbage is tender and water is cooked off, stirring occasionally.
Drain potatoes; return to pan. Add butter.
Mash potatoes until creamy, gradually adding milk. Add cabbage mixture and bacon; mix well.

Yield: 10 servings, 1/2 c. each

Karen's Amazing Granola

image from here

I have a recipe for granola that I love,

and another friend just asked for, so here it is:

Karen's Amazing Granola

10 c. rolled oats
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. wheat germ
2 c. shredded coconut
2 c. chopped pecans or almonds
1/2 T. salt
4 T. vanilla
1/2 c. water
3/4 c. canola or coconut oil
2 c. honey

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately, then together. Spread in 2 large shallow pans or cookie sheets. Bake at 250°, rotating and stirring every 30 minutes until almost dry, for about 2 hours. (I turned off the heat and left the pans in the oven to dry overnight and the next day. It may make a difference how the local humidity is.) Cool and store tightly covered, or in the refrigerator. The refrigerator has worked well for me and kept it crunchy! Next time I may add ground flax, etc--You know me! But it's yummy as is!

Note: Steph said she was adding some dried fruit and changing the name from Katie's (Karen's friend) to Karen's Amazing Granola

by Karen, Barbara's daughter

Sandwich ideas

We've been enjoying a lot of garden tomatoes, 

so BLTs are a staple this time of year for us. 

Here is a link to other delicious sounding sandwiches.

Salami, Basil, Tomato and Provolone

Ham, Swiss, Dijon and Chives

Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato

Hummus and Vegetables

Turkey and Cream Cheese with Tomato, Caraway and Sea Salt

I also saw this idea using cucumber as the bread.

The recipe was Laughing Cow brand cheese with turkey.

I tried it with a mozzarella stick and it was great!

Happy Back to School to Karen and all the grandkids!

Green Beans with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes, and Almonds

recipe and image from here

This is a delicious cold salad that I made tonight!

I didn't have sherry vinegar so I used red wine vinegar

and it was very tasty!

Green Beans with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes, and Almonds

1/2 c. sliced almonds
2 lbs. haricots verts (tiny green beans), trimmed
3 T. sherry vinegar*
2 T. fresh lemon juice
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/3 c. olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 (4-oz.) goat cheese log, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

2. Cook green beans in boiling salted water to cover 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge beans into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.

3. Whisk together vinegar and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until blended and smooth. Add cherry tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and green beans; toss to coat.

4. Top green bean mixture with crumbled goat cheese and toasted almonds.

*White wine vinegar may be substituted.


by Cheryl, Barbara's daughter

Kale with Sweet Corn

recipe and pic from here

Sometimes I post recipes I've tried. Sometimes those I want to try.

I have a lot of kale in the garden right now,

and this sounds yummy with corn and nuts.

Kale with Sweet Corn

1 c. fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears) or defrosted frozen corn
1 bunch kale, tough stems and center ribs removed and leaves chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 c. vegetable broth, no-salt-added or low sodium
1/4 c. chopped walnuts and/or slivered raw almonds, very lightly toasted*
1/8 t. black pepper, if desired
2 T. finely chopped scallions

If using fresh corn, boil ears of corn until tender, about 4 minutes. Cut kernels from cobs with a sharp knife. Set aside.

Steam the kale for 10 minutes or until tender. When the kale is done, place in a colander and press to remove excess liquid.

Heat 2 tablespoons water in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft, about 2 minutes, Add the corn, kale and vegetable broth. Reduce heat to low and cook until kale and corn are heated through, stirring frequently. Toss in the lightly toasted nuts and season with black pepper if desired. Top with finely chopped scallions.


*toast nuts in a preheated oven at 300 degrees F for 3 minutes, stirring frequently

I loved making this freezer jam from strawberries

and rhubarb we grew this year!

There is a link to a recipe for an easy cheesecake

at the bottom of this post using this jam.

I'd like to try it. It makes three 'pies',

 so you could have other flavors for the non-rhubarb fans.

I also made apricot pineapple freezer jam this year.

Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam 

3 cups. fresh or frozen, chopped rhubarb into 1/2" - 1"" pieces
1/4 c. water
2 c. chopped strawberries, (do not purée)
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 pkg. (45 gram size=3 T.) No Cook Freezer Jam gelling powder

In a large non-reactive pan, combine the rhubarb and the water.

Over high heat, bring the rhubarb to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered until the rhubarb is tender, about 5 - 7 minutes).

Chill the rhubarb.

In a large bowl, combine the chilled rhubarb and the chopped strawberries.

Gently stir in the sugar and allow the mixture to stand for 15 minutes.

Slowly, sprinkle the gelling powder over the mixture,
a little at a time, while continuing to stir for 3 minutes.

Allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes.

Gently stir again for 1 full minute.

Pour the jam into clean, freezer-safe containers or jars, leaving a 1" headspace.

Seal tightly.

Jam is ready to eat...store it in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks, or in the freezer for up to one year!

A GREAT RHUBARB JAM WITH "LESS SUGAR"!

Recipe from here. The consistency of this jam makes it most suitable for a topping for toast, bagels, waffles, pancakes, muffins, scones, ice cream, cheesecake, and more!

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Pineapple Coconut Whips

recipe and image from here

We had three weeks of 'heat' for the Northwest. 

These were awesome!

Pineapple Coconut Whips (or Dole Whip Copycat)
5 fl. oz. unsweetened almond milk
5 fl. oz. coconut milk
1⁄2 c. pineapple juice
21⁄2 c. fresh pineapple chunks, frozen
1⁄4 t. stevia (or sweetener of your choice), optional
1 pinch
salt

Add ingredients to blender jar in order listed. Blend on medium mow for 20 seconds then increase speed to medium high (speed 6) for another 30 seconds or until smooth. You may experience cavitation during blending. If so, you can wait until it catches again or stop blending, remove the jar, shake the contents back down to the blade, replace it and continue blending.Transfer pineapple mixture to a large plastic bag and place in freezer for 30-60 minutes. Cut off one tip of bag and pipe into serving dishes.

VARIATIONS

You can replace any or all of the frozen pineapple with another frozen fruit. Some of our favorite combinations are:
Pineapple Strawberry (1 c. of each)
Pineapple Mango (1 c. of each)
Pineapple Blackberry (1 c. of each)
Pineapple Raspberry (1 c. of each)
Strawberry (2 c., omit pineapple juice)

Make a Tropical Whip by omitting almond milk and using 10 fl.oz. of coconut milk.

You may use other milks with this recipe, just know it will change the taste and the texture.