Peaches

This is what you get from this… Yum…. sweet, juicy peaches!

Danish Raspberry Bars

For the lovers of raspberries, butter and almonds… a rich and flavorful dessert bar. Danish Raspberry Bars 1 1/2 cups sifted flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 3/4 cup red raspberry preserves 1/4 cup chopped or slivered almonds Powdered sugar 1. Heat…

Sweet Cherries

The sweet cherries are ready at the local orchard. Soon it will be cherry pie time as the sour cherries become available, then the blueberries, peaches, plums, nectarines, pears and apples. The fresh local fruit is always good fresh or baked between two crusts. Yum!

Channa Masala

This is an vegetarian dish which uses chickpeas and a lot of spices to make very filling dinner. Serve with rice, naan bread and enjoy. Channa Masala or Chickpea Stew 2 tablespoons butter 1 whole onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 piece fresh ginger (about 1 inch), peeled and chopped 1 whole Jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped 3 tablespoons tomato…

4-H Club Biscuit Bake-Off

Each summer when I was growing up, we would have the 4-H Club County Biscuit and Cookie Bake-Off . The winners of the local clubs’ bake-off comptetitions would meet at the demonstration kitchen in the REA (Rural Electrical Association) office and proceed to make plain sugar cookies and biscuits. We all followed the same recipe and a panel…

Apple Cream Coffeecake

This coffeecake includes slices of apples and a cinnamon-nut mixture in the middle of the cake and extra cinnamon/sugar/nuts sprinkled on top. Apple Cream Coffeecake 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Zesty Pork Loin

With a marinade or rub, a boneless pork loin is easy to bake or grill. This recipe uses a marinade that includes red pepper flakes to give the outer part of the roast a little zip and a glaze made with apricot preserves. Zesty Pork Loin Boneless pork loin roast (2 – 2 1/2 pounds) Marinade 1/2 cup light…

Pulgogi (Korean Barbeque)

We lived in Seoul, South Korea for two years and during that time, we learned to enjoy many of the Korean foods. Pulgogi (Bulgogi), or Korean Barbeque, is one of best-known Korean dishes. As we traveled around to different sites, it was common to see Koreans cooking pulgogi on a small grill on the sidewalk…

The Promise of Peaches to Come

The peach trees are blooming at the local orchard with the promise of sweet, juicy peaches for the summer. The strange weather this year does not seem to have damaged the apples nor the peaches. While peaches are usually associated with Georgia or South Carolina, there are many peach orchards in southeastern and central Pennsylvania. We are…

Cornbread – The Essential Food of the Rural South

I grew up in rural southeastern Arkansas. When I say rural, I mean 10 miles on a gravel road from the nearest town which had a population a little below 3,000. We did not have electricity nor indoor plumbing until I was in the first grade. Getting a telephone line out to the house took a lot longer and that did…

Fastnachts (German Doughnuts)

There are two different traditions in my life related to the German yeast doughnuts known as fastnachts or fashnachts.  My German mother-in-law made fastnachts on Good Friday because they abstained from meat on that day  (I never understood how eating warm freshly made yeast doughnuts was a sacrifice but I considered it a great tradition every Good Friday…

Clam Chowder

Canned clams make this New England style creamy chowder recipe quick to prepare. Clam Chowder 2 slices bacon, chopped 1 cup onion, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 1/2 cup carrots, chopped 1 cup chopped, peeled potatoes 1 8-ounce bottle clam juice 1 cup water 2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed 1/4…

Easy Apple Dumplings

This is a quick way to make apple dumplings using refrigerated pie crust to wrap around the cored and peeled apple. Even though the recipe does not use home-made pie crust, by the time you add the apple and drizzle the syrup on top, it tastes great. If you are a fan of nutmeg, add 1/2 teaspoon along…

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This is a great recipe for oatmeal cookies that includes raisins and nuts. The cookies are thick and chewy but don’t cook them too long in order to preserve the soft texture. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs

Firecracker Chili

This is a thick rich chili that is a great dinner on a cold day. The number of Jalenpeno peppers can be adjusted depending on personal taste. Firecracker Chili 4 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces 1 large onion, chopped 1/2 large bell pepper, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 Jalapeno peppers, chopped