My Mom's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

As Step Son is to be married tomorrow, and family is gathering, I am making happy occasion food.  Do you know what I mean?  Is there food that means fatigue or sick, happy or sad to you?  I realize not everyone has this relationship with food and life. This is my mom's recipe in her hand writing.  I can't remember exactly how I got it, when she gave it to me or under what situation, but I have had it for a very long time.

Mom's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. grated orange peel  (opt)
3 c. cut up rhubarb (1/2 inch pieces)
3 c. strawberries, sliced
2 T. butter 
A double pie crust

Arrange the bottom pie crust in a pie plate that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Combine all other ingredients and mix well.  Pour into prepared crust. 

Add top crust and crimp edges.  Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until done. 

Remember to celebrate happy occasions with happy food.

Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I've been working on a recipe for Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes.  This is not my mother's mashed potatoes, which in Paula Deen style, were so very rich with butter and cream.  They aren't perfectly creaming and smooth, either, in Martha Stewart style.  I have no problems with a few lumps in mashed potatoes.  Actually prefer it.


This started yesterday.  I roasted the garlic.  It's worth it because of the extra flavor and doesn't take that much time, but I do all my cooking after dark, so planning is necessary.  The total truth is that I don't like raw garlic in some things and sauted garlic is easy to burn. 


http://dinnerattheosbornes.blogspot.com/2010/09/roast-garlic-in-preparation-for-roast.html

Somewhere around 2 to 2 1/4 pound of yukon gold potatoes.  I'm going to say this many.

Peel them.  I use a paring knife and cut against my thumb.  What most people call a potato peeler, I use to peel carrots.  One of these days, I'll get around to another blog post about peeling.  I did lots of it at an early age.  My mother and grandmother picked and canned or froze produce all summer long.  I spent many a summer afternoon belly-up to the sink, peeling and slicing things, so let's just say I have a couple opinions about that. 

Cut each peeled potato in half, unless they are big.  Then, cut them in quarters.  Put them in a large sauce pan or small stew pot and cover with water.  I add about a good teaspoon of salt and start heating them.  At a slow steady boil, cook them until they stick easily with a fork.  

Place a big colander into the sink.  Turn on the cold water.  Carefully pour the pot, water and potatoes, into the colander.  I'm not sure why I do the cold water thing.  I'm not usually prone to old wife's tales, but it makes good sense to me that it is not good for the plumbing to pour boiling water into it.  On the other hand, maybe it's just fine.  That's just how I do it. 

Return the cooked potatoes to the same pot.  Add 1 T. butter, 2 T. olive oil and 1/2 cup  Tillamook Sour Cream.  You can substitute other good commercial sour cream if you don't live in the Pacific Northwest.  1/2 t. of salt or more if you like it.  Actually, I like a little more.   1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper. 

Mash with a potato masher.  The one on the right is just like the one my Mom had, I think.  I bought it at a garage sale.  But the one on the left is my favorite to actually use. 

Another option includes a food mill, which actually works pretty well for this type of thing.  They are functional, cheap, easy to find.  They go easily in the dishwasher.  I believe I bought this thing at the Goodwill on 78th just east of 99 highway. 

I like my masher, but I've also used my nice little Black & Decker hand mixer to mash potatoes many times.  So there is another option. 

  

Put the roasted garlic from the night before on the cutting board and give it a good chop. 

http://dinnerattheosbornes.blogspot.com/2010/09/roast-garlic-in-preparation-for-roast.html

Add it to the potatoes and mix with a big spoon.   

Actually, I've been thinking that this would be good with more garlic.  Next time, I may roast more, so don't be scared of this amount of garlic.  It is a really happy thing. 

Remember to trust me.

Roast Garlic in Preparation for Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Roast Garlic.

This is half a bunch of garlic, several cloves.  Leave the outside husky paper on to protect it.  1 1/2 T of olive oil poured over.  Toss with fingers or a fork.  Into a 375 oven for 10 minutes.

It's done when the tines of a fork make a mash. 

The dry outside husk is easy to remove once it is cool enough to handle.

  Before I go to bed, I'll clean up this and refrigerate the roast garlic mash for tomorrow. 

Here is what the outside husk looks like once pealed off.

And here is the good stuff.  Fragrant like cooked garlic and smooth like soft butter.

Remember that everything will be okay.

Eating Raw Dough and Forgiving Grandma

My grandmother firmly believed that it was bad for you to eat raw dough - bread dough, cookie dough and the like.  My grandmother was, let's just say, an opinionated worman.  It was difficult to say no to her. 

I rememeber my mother having fights with her about letting us eat dough.  My mother made noodles, bread, muffins, biscuits.  She was always busy.  And my mother actually encouraged us to eat the raw dough.  I think it was her little way of rebelling against a fairly firm and dominant person.

I have a house full of guests coming later in the week.  A family wedding this Friday.  More on that later.  I'm doing a bit a preparation in the kitchen and pantry for their arrival.  So here I am, mixing dough and scooping out fingerfuls straight into my mouth.  And telling my husband about this story.  He is rolling with laughter, having heard so many stories about my grandmother.

Here, today, Grandma, I forgive you for everything.  I know that you had many challenges and that your life was hard.  Having young children during the Depression must have been difficult.  I don't even know what all of those challenges were.  I wish that I had you here to tell me in a way that my mature mind could understand.  I regret that I didn't listen a little better and try to understand a little more when I was younger.  I know that you did the best you could.  Thank you for teaching me what you knew, protecting me, and feeding me.

Remember to forgive.

Comfort food at the Osbornes - Sage and Cheese Meatloaf and Roast Garlic Mash Potatoes

We are both a little down in the dumps tonight.  Nothing really.  Just tired.  A comfort food night is in order at the Osbornes.  This should actually feed 4 people, but it makes good sandwiches the next day if there are 2.

Sage and Cheese Small Meat Loaf
1 egg
3 T. chili sauce
1/3 c. commercial bread crumbs
4 T. shredded swiss cheese (Gruyere is also good)
1 t. dry onion
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. rubbed sage
1/8 t. pepper
3/4 lb to 1 lb ground beef

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Clean hands are the best tool.  Don't be shy about smushing this through your fingers.  It needs to be well mixed.  I won't tell anyone if you enjoy how it feels.  Take off your rings before and wash your hands after.  Just stuff we all learned in kindergarten.

Oh, and if you don't have chili sauce, Ketchup with a couple shakes of hot sauce is fine.  I'm not one to run out and buy an ingredient, just 'cause the recipe calls for it if I don't have a plan to use the rest of it.

Shape it into a slightly flattened ball.  Place uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 50 - 60 minutes.  This is not fancy.  You won't see it on Food Network.  But you can do it on a week night when you are tired.  And you don't have to go to the grocery store first.

I might mention that I've laid pieces of bacon across this prior to baking many times, but not tonight.  If you do that, cut them to fit and press them into the meat just a bit so they don't curl up as they cook.  I've also added a little more chili sauce and 2 more T. cheese on top once cooked and bake an additional 4-5 minutes. 

A little down in the dumps are you?  Here are your choices: 

1. Mall therapy including a nice meal out.  Not a bad plan if it fits the budget, but does it really make you feel better?  My experience with that is it is very, very temporary.
2. Go to bed and have a Pitty Party. I'm not one to criticize.  I've been there. 
3. I don't know what?  Drink a bottle of wine.  Eat a carton of ice cream.  Not my thing so I don't know if that makes you really feel better... but my feeling is No!
4. Or Sage and Cheese Meat Loaf and Roast Garlic Whipped Potatoes.

I vote for #4.  What do you think?

Oh, and if you make sandwiches out of this.  Good bread toasted, Ketchup or chili sauce or barbecue sauce, melt some mozzarella cheese on it.  A big pickle and a glass of milk.  I'm just saying.

Remember to feel good.

Oh, and the roast garlic mashed potatoes are next.

Oh, and this post is linked to the Hearth N Soul Blog Hop. 

http://girlichef.blogspot.com/2010/09/hearth-n-soul-blog-hop-volume-15.html

and Simple Lives Thursdays at Glowfglins

http://gnowfglins.com/2010/09/23/simple-lives-thursday-11/

Check it out.

Snipping Green Beans

A comforting activity.  Wash your beans and let them drain in a collendar or dry them with a towel.

Take the end off, then the stem, with a little pinch and twist.  Green beans should be crisp and give a little snap as they break.  Then break each bean in two.  Leave them whole if you want.  This is how I do it.

Continue with each bean until you are done.  Have a little chat with someone while you do it.  Or have them help you.  If there is no one there to enjoy this with you, have a little chat with yourself.  This is the time of day when I reflect and get some perspective.  After a busy day with so many demands and activity, these simple tasks can give time to reconnect and feel good. 

Remember to do something that feels good.

Italian Sauted Green Beans

Pick beans when they are small.  Big green beans aren't tender or tasty.  If you are buying them from the store or farm stand, take the time to pick out the smaller ones.  In fact, you should never feel embarrassed to pick through produce and get exactly what you want. 


Green beans are very good for you, easy to grow, and frugal.  Only the cost of a package of seeds.  More importantly, they provide a life long memory for the kids.  Talk about it: growing, picking and eating "our own" produce.  We find things under the bushes we want to look at.  Bugs, other plants, interesting things in the dirt.  It is fun and good for them.


Italian Sauted Green Beans
2 cups fresh green beans, snipped and cleaned.
2 big garlic cloves or 3 small garlic cloves, minced
1 T. olive oil
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. fresh ground pepper
1/2 t. dry oregano leaves (or 1T. fresh finely minced)
1 T. white wine, water, or broth
1 small tomato, diced.

Snip smallish green beans and break in half.  Wash thoroughly in a colandar.  Let drain.  In a large skillet, heat oil until a drop of water gives a medium sizzle.  Add beans and move them around with a spoon to coat.  Add salt, pepper, and oregano.  Increase heat to medium high and continue stirring for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and wine and tomato.  Stir to combine well.  Reduce temperature to medium, add a lid and steam for an additional 5 minutes.  

Just a few hints from someone with just a little experience. 

• The beans should be well drained before they hit the hot oil.  Just saying.  If you are in a hurry, dry them with a paper towel.  Thank me later.
• Get your hand wet under the sink then splatter a drop at the skillet to determine how hot the skillet and oil without danger to you. 
• Keep a lid close by.  If it sizzles too much, put the lid on. 
• With more experience, you'll get a medium sizzle without drama.  
• Burned garlic doesn't taste good.  Many recipes add the garlic early in the saute.  I think add it late. 
• The purpose of the wine is to give liquid to steam the vegetables softer and flavor.  If you don't like or don't want the wine, use water or broth. 
• A drop of my favorite hot sauce isn't a bad idea if you like that sort of thing. You could leave the fresh ground pepper out and add more hot sauce.

Remember to make real food.