Cherry Rhubarb Jam

If you know me you know I love to make jams and jellies to give away as gifts.  We have apple, cherry and pear trees in our yard and red and black raspberries along with rhubarb.  These fruits are handy to experiment with and use to make multiple batches. During the summer when the fruit is ripe I pile up on jam to give as gifts for Christmas.  I have simplified this process by using my bread machine.  I have a West Bend machine that has a jam cycle on it and have started using that and it works wonderfully.  I still make some versions the old fashioned way, but found that I can make various versions quite simply by using this wonderful kitchen appliance!  With rummage sale season upon us, you should be able to find a bread machine someone foolishly wants to get rid of.  Just be sure it has a jam cycle on it and you are in business.
A few years ago, my husband Mark and I went for a weekend in Door County and ate breakfast in a cute little Swedish Restaurant. We ordered Swedish Pancakes served with (since Door County is known for their cherry orchards) Cherry rhubarb jam.  They were delicious!!!  We have talked about those pancakes many times remembering how great that jam was.  I have tried to replicate it and found something I think is quite close to what they served us.  Serve this with my recipe for English Muffin bread.  You won't be disappointed.

Cherry Rhubarb Jam


2 c. sugar
1 T. low-sugar fruit pectin
3 c. chopped rhubarb
1 c. pitted sour cherries, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Put these in bread machine pan in order given.  Select jam cycle.  When done pour into clean jars. Let sit out on counter 24 hours before refrigerating.  This can be stored in refrigerator or frozen.

Crustless Asparagus Quiche

Tis the season for asparagus.  Marvelous!!!  Spring is such a hopeful time of year.  With all the blossoms, singing birds, rain showers, green grass, warmer temperatures how can you not feel hope?  Along with all of those niceties comes asparagus.  I love asparagus and for me the season is too short.  The patch in our garden only feeds us for a couple of weeks and that is not at all long enough for me.  Sure I can buy it at the grocery store, but that is not the same as harvesting it from your own yard!  I received an email the other day that touted the benefits of asparagus as a natural remedy against cancer.  Taken daily it claims to get rid of cancer.  According to the article, asparagus is the highest tested food containing glutathione, which is considered one of the body's most potent anticarcinogens and antioxidents.  Whether this is all true or not, I like feeling good about what I eat rather than the guilt that can go along with food.  I really don't need a good reason to eat asparagus.  So with that I leave you with the recipe for:

Crustless Asparagus Quiche


6 oz. lean ham, cubed
3/4 c. asparagus cut in 1" pieces
1 c. shredded Gruyere cheese, or Swiss
pinch nutmeg
8 large eggs,
1/2 c. milk or 1/2 and 1/2.
1/2 t. salt

Spray 9" pie pan with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Microwave asparagus pieces in 1T. water in covered microwave safe bowl 2 minutes just to soften a bit.  Drain.  Layer the ham, then asparagus, then cheese in bottom of pie plate.  Beat eggs, add milk, salt and dash nutmeg and beat until well combined.  Pour over ingredients in pie pan.  Bake 35-40 minutes until knife inserted into center comes out clear.  Let sit about 10 minutes, cut and serve.

Breakfast Sausage Squares

     The original recipe comes from my mom.  This is one of her recent additions...meaning she didn't make this when we were growing up.  The name she has for it is Egg Squares, but I don't really like that name so I am changing it!  Not that the name I have assigned to it is any better, but I think it gives a better idea as to what is in it.
     I love to do brunches. They can be elegant or informal.  You can entertain early in the day and visit throughout the afternoon or make an early departure and still have time to do other things.  With Mother's Day fast approaching, I have been on the lookout for recipes to make for our Mother's Day brunch.  This is one that I think I will make this year.

Breakfast Sausage Squares


1 package sausages, cut in 1/2 inch slices
9 beaten eggs
3 c. milk
3 slices of white bread, cubed
1 1/2 c. grated Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 t. salt
onion flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Butter 9x 12 pan and set aside.  Brown sausage slices and drain.  Beat eggs and add remaining ingredients.  Mix well.  Pour into buttered pan.  Bake 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

English Muffin Loaves

Don't you just love English Muffins?  With all the nooks and crannies to hold the butter and jam you slather on?  They are so nice and crunchy when toasted.  Yum.  Well here is a recipe for English Muffins only in a loaf!  It tastes just like the real thing but easier to make.  I say that, yet I have never made individual English muffins.  Why should I  when I have this terrific recipe!?  I got it from a magazine years ago, don't remember which one.

English Muffin Loaves


2 pkgs. Fleischmann's active dry yeast
6 cups unsifted flour
1 T. sugar
2 t. salt
2 cups milk
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 c. water
cornmeal

Combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and soda.  Heat liquids until very warm (120-130degrees F)  Add to dry mixture; beat well.  Stir in rest of flour to make a stiff batter.  Spoon into two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pans that have been greased and sprinkled with cornmeal.  Sprinkle tops with cornmeal.  Cover; let rise in warm place for 45 min.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes.  Remove from pans immediately and cool.

This is great served with your favorite jam or try my recipe for bread machine jam.

Kathleen's Crunchy Granola

Preheat oven to 275I try to make healthy recipes most of the time.  I choose ingredients that have known health benefits to compose my meals.  Oats are known to lower cholesterol as well as being high in soluble fiber which is beneficial in many ways.  Granola therefore is quite a healthy breakfast or snack if you do not add too much fat or sugar to it.  This has no added fat other than that naturally occurring in the oats and nuts if you add them. Sugar on the other hand is a little high in this recipe, but if you would usually add sugar to your cereal or snack anyway, this may be a healthier alternative than something else you might choose.  The recipe comes from a cookbook by Kathleen Daelmans.  I usually don't add the dried fruit as I like it best with out.  Hickory nuts are the best in this, but if you don't have them, pecans or walnuts are good too.

Kathleen's Crunchy Granola


1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 c. water
4 t. pure vanilla
1 t. salt
8 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1-2 c. chopped nuts (hickory, pecans, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts etc.or combination)
dried fruit, optional  (raisins, dried cherries, cranberries etc.)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Combine sugar and water in 4 c. glass bowl or cup.  Microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Add salt and vanilla.  Pour over oats and nuts.  Bake on two parchment lined jellyroll pans for 45-60 minutes stirring every 15 minutes until lightly browned.  If using fruit, add when it comes out of the oven.
Cool thoroughly and store in airtight container.  I usually store in gallon-sized ziploc bag in freezer.  Eat with milk or yogurt or just the way it is!

Rhubarb Muffins

I know it isn't rhubarb season but I have a dilemma.  I have leftover whey from my ricotta making that I need to use and I also have some rhubarb in my freezer to use before rhubarb season is upon us again. I thought I would solve these two problems (problems?) by making these yummy muffins.  Rhubarb paired with nutmeg, crunchy nuts...warm from the oven...mmmm.  If you have rhubarb in your freezer, here is a good way to use it. This recipe is also low in fat.  If using frozen rhubarb, do not thaw as it will become mushy.  You can use the whey from the ricotta making in place of the buttermilk or use sour milk.

Rhubarb Muffins

2 1/2 c. flour (I use whole wheat)

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 c. buttermilk

1 egg

2 T. oil

1 t. vanilla

2 c. diced rhubarb

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Topping:

1/2 c. sugar

2 T. butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray 12 muffin cups. In bowl, combine first five ingredients; set aside. Beat egg; add oil and whisk til thickened, whisk in brown sugar, then buttermilk and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients, then rhubarb and nuts.  Spoon into muffin pan.  In small bowl cut butter into 1/2 c. sugar and sprinkle over each muffin.  Bake 20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Blueberry Oat Muffins

I love muffins for breakfast on weekends.  Its not that I don't like muffins any other day of the week, its just that I have more time on the weekends to whip up a batch.  Sometimes I will make extra to have during the week, but usually they are gone in one day.  This is one of our usuals.  I make this one probably the most of all the other recipes for muffins.  I like the idea of the oats and I make it with whole wheat flour, so I think of it as a healthy recipe.  It is also low in fat which makes it healthier, but you would never know it by the taste.  The buttermilk is the preferred liquid, but if you don't have it on hand you can use regular milk with a teaspoon of vinegar added to it and it will turn out fine.  It is just better made with buttermilk.

Blueberry Oat Muffins


1 c. rolled oats
1 c. + 2 T. buttermilk**
1 beaten egg
1/4 c. canola oil
 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Add buttermilk to oats in small bowl.  Set aside for a few minutes to soak.  In medium bowl, beat egg and whisk in oil till thick and lemon colored.  Stir in brown sugar with whisk.  Dump in oat mixture and add all but blueberries.  Mix and stir in blueberries.  Drop spoonfuls into sprayed muffin tins and bake in preheated 400 degree oven 15-20 minutes.  This makes 14 to 16 muffins.  **(If you use regular milk, just use 1 cup)