Category Archives: Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Pancake Tuesday

These were a nice change from regular pancakes made with yogurt instead of milk. We enjoyed them with a dollop of plain yogurt and pure maple syrup. Since childhood our family has enjoyed pancakes with sour cream and syrup. If you’ve never tried it you should.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1-1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

  1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  2. In separate bowl whisk together the yogurt, eggs, oil or butter and vanilla.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients combining well.
  4. Heat pan to medium high to cook the pancakes with a combo of vegetable oil and butter.
  5. Use 1/3 cup measure to proportion the batter and end up with 8 uniform pancakes.
  6. Cook to a golden brown on one side and flip and cook the other side.
  7. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Yield: 8 pancakes

Double the recipe to serve more people.

We did not grow up with the tradition of Pancake Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras or Lent. We have always joyously celebrated Easter ~ Resurrection Sunday.  In fact we never stop celebrating Christ’s resurrection and what His death, burial and resurrection mean to us as Christians.

It is a good day for pancakes.

Egg Drop Soup ~ Happy Lunar New Year!

Today is Lunar/Chinese New Year. It was high time I made this simple soup that many Chinese Restaurants serve. Several recipes were very similar online so I really don’t know who to credit this recipe to. Our local restaurants call this soup Egg Flower Soup and another name is Egg Drop Soup.

Ingredients:
4 cups prepared chicken broth
2 Tablespoons chicken stock reserved from the 4 cups
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 green onions chopped
Salt and white pepper to taste

Make a slurry of the 2 Tablespoons broth and 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, set aside.
Pour the remaining broth into a medium sized pot.
Add the soy sauce and grated ginger to the broth.
Bring the broth to a boil.
Add the slurry slowly and stir to incorporate it all until the broth thickens for at least 2 minutes.
While the broth is boiling and the slurry thickens the broth add the beaten eggs slowly in a stream while stirring the broth in one direction.
Keep stirring and adding the egg as it becomes feathery in the broth.
After the beaten eggs are added turn off the heat.
Taste and see if you need added salt or white pepper.
Add the chopped green onions and serve.
Serves 4 people.

Happy Lunar New Year!

 

Pasta Carbonara

This is a pasta dish based on eggs, bacon or ham, and cheese.

Pasta Carbonara
Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 pound bacon or Pancetta, cut up into bite size pieces
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup thawed frozen peas (optional)
  • 1/4 cup snipped parsley
  • 1 pound pasta of your choice
  • Pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Let eggs and butter stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
  2. Heat an ovenproof casserole dish (approx. 9 x 13) in a 300 degree oven.
  3. In a skillet, cook bacon or pancetta for a few minutes and then add red onion and continue cooking until red onion is soft, add garlic and heat for an additional minute.
  4. Remove this mixture and drain on paper toweling.
  5. Meanwhile, beat together eggs, salt, and cream just until combined.
  6. Add pasta to a large amount of boiling salted water.
  7. Cook 10 to 12 minutes or until tender; drain well.
  8. Turn hot pasta into the heated serving dish; toss pasta with butter.
  9. Pour egg mixture over and toss until pasta is well coated.
  10. Add bacon, onion, cheese, peas and parsley; toss to mix.
  11. Season to taste with pepper.
  12. The heat of the pasta and the casserole dish cooks the egg mixture…

Oops, on my Wednesday Hodgepodge I said I’d be sharing the Skillet Chicken today but that was scheduled for next Saturday. 

Easy Noodle Bake

From time to time we are asked for recipes for easy meals for busy moms with young children. This recipe will fit the bill. This recipe is enough to serve two adults and one or two younger children. It can be doubled to feed more.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb. ground beef
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1-1/2 cups uncooked egg noodles (I used medium)
  • 1 cup frozen vegetables of your choice (I used chopped broccoli)
  • 10 oz. can of cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup shredded colby/jack cheese

Method:

  1. Saute onion with a little olive oil until translucent.
  2. Add ground beef and cook thoroughly, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, drain excess fat, set aside.
  3. Spread uncooked noodles evenly in bottom of prepared baking dish.
  4. Top with cooked beef and the vegetables.
  5. Whisk soup, milk and water together.
  6. Pour over vegetables.
  7. Top with cheese.
  8. Cover dish with foil sealing well.
  9. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
  10. Serve hot with a side salad if desired.

Ellen’s Extra Tip:
Why not cook up a larger portion of ground beef when preparing this easy meal since ground beef usually sells for less in larger packages. Use a whole onion and cook up a three or more pound package of ground beef and save equal portions in freezer ziploc bags for future use. You could store one package in the refrigerator and make a nice taco salad another night of the week. Freeze the other portions for easy retrieval for a quick meal like hamburger soup or chili.

Sirloin Soup

This soup is rich and delicious and because it calls for Sirloin steak the meat is very tender.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 large leek, rinsed well and finely chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 1 pound sirloin steak, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper depending on your heat tolerance
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 quart beef stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Method:

  1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the leek and carrot and cook until soft, stirring frequently.
  4. Add the beef, salt, pepper and spices.
  5. Cook until the meat is no longer pink.
  6. Make a slurry with the flour and 2 tablespoons water.
  7. Add to the pot and stirring for a minute.
  8. Add the stock and bay leaf, stir well, and bring to a boil.
  9. Lower the heat and simmer partially covered for 1 to 1-1/2 hours stirring occasionally.
  10. Remove the bay leaf, add the parsley, stir well.
  11. Serve with good crusty bread.

This recipe makes about 4 servings.

Butterflied and Roasted Chicken With Veggies

This is a rustic meal with rough cut vegetables roasted in a pan that can go from your stove top to your oven. Butterflying the chicken gives you the option to cook the chicken breast down which results in breast meat that is not dried out while you wait on the dark meat to be cooked thoroughly.

Ingredients:

  • 1 -3-4lb. whole chicken
  • 4-5 white potatoes, quartered
  • 4-5 carrots rough cut
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed, optional
  • Seasoned salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil and more Olive Oil to coat the vegetables.
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper.

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Rinse and pat the whole chicken dry.
  3. Using good kitchen shears cut out the backbone of the chicken and set aside to make chicken stock or discard.
  4. Flatten the whole chicken by pressing firmly on the breast bone. Remove any excess skin.
  5. Prepare vegetables placing them in large bowl and season them with salt and pepper (to taste).
  6. Add the smashed garlic.
  7. Sprinkle the vegetables generously with olive oil and toss together to coat all the vegetables evenly.
  8. Set aside.
  9. Heat oil and butter in large oven proof pan or dutch oven.
  10. Season chicken well with seasoned salt of your choice.
  11. If you don’t have seasoned salt season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
  12. Place chicken breast side down in heated pan to brown and crisp up the skin.
  13. Turn the chicken over carefully and brown the other side.
  14. Remove the chicken to a plate or platter while you go on to the next step.
  15. De-glaze the pan with a little chicken stock or white wine.
  16. Add all the seasoned and oiled vegetables to the pan.
  17. Place the chicken breast side down on top of the vegetables.
  18. Place pan with vegetables and chicken on the center rack of preheated oven.
  19. Roast for 60 minutes.
  20. Turn chicken over and roast for 10 more minutes or until meat thermometer registers 165 degrees at the thickest part of the dark meat.
  21. Remove the chicken from the pan onto cutting board and cut the chicken into serving sizes.

You can return the chicken to the roasting pan or onto a platter at this point adding the vegetables.

Remove the chicken from the pan onto cutting board and cut the chicken into serving sizes. You can return the chicken to the roasting pan or onto a platter at this point adding the vegetables.

Serve with your favorite additions or no additions. We chose some salad and sour dough bread.

Crock Pot Carnitas

This easy recipe using inexpensive meat would be great to have cooking all day long before your New Year’s Eve festivities. Carnitas is Mexican slow cooked pork that is easily shredded for fillings in soft tacos or burritos or Chimichangas.

Ingredients:
3 lbs. pork ( I used a pork shoulder)
1 lb. pinto beans (dry)
6 cups water
1/2 Cup onion, chopped.
2 cloves garlic, minced.
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon Cumin seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon salt
1 small can diced jalapenos
1/2 – 1 cup salsa of your choice

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until beans are soft and meat falls apart. Uncover and cook on high to thicken liquid to desired consistency. At this stage you can skim off any fat if you desire.You can also cook these ingredients in a dutch oven on the stove top for 5 or more hours.

Serve with flour or corn tortillas, shredded cheese, cilantro, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, green onions, limes, avocado, and salsa.

This recipe will serve 8-10 people generously.

Roasted Cranberry and Goat Cheese Flatbread

This easy to make flatbread appetizer would be a nice addition to your Christmas or New Year’s Eve festivities. I found this recipe in a grocery store flyer.

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon chopped leeks
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
  • salt to taste
  • 2 flatbreads (14.1 ounces)
  • 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans, divided
  • For topping: freshly chopped arugula, pomegranate arils, and honey

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Mix cranberries, maple syrup, leeks, thyme and salt in an 8 inch square baking dish.
  3. Roast, stirring every so often, until the mixture begins to caramelize, about 15 minutes.
  4. Remove from oven and stir until cranberries are broken down and the mixture is thick.
  5. Cool for 5 minutes.
  6. Divide the cranberry mixture and spread evenly over the flatbreads.
  7. Top each with goat cheese and pecans.
  8. Bake directly on oven rack for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is warmed and the flatbread is crispy.
  9. Remove from oven.
  10. Garnish each with freshly chopped arugula, pomegranate arils and a drizzle of honey.
  11. Cut into small wedges or strips and serve.
  12. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Serves: 8 generously as an appetizer

I used the Stonefire Authentic Flatbreads for this recipe. They come 2 in a package.

MGCC Christmas 2023

We drove to Abbotsford on Thursday November 30th a day early for our Mennonite Girls Can Cook annual Christmas party. We were graciously invited to stay an extra day with Terry and Lovella who were hosting the party this year. We arrived late afternoon and had some test runs on different drinks we might be serving at our party. Wonderful conversations were enjoyed in their home and at the restaurant where we had dinner that evening.

On Saturday morning we were invited to Anneliese and Herb’s for breakfast and again enjoyed gracious hospitality. Lovella and Anneliese live just around the block from each other. We were back at our hosts by noon to help set things up for our Appetizer and Dessert evening.

 

As each of the other girls arrived the ‘buffet island’ was filled to the brim.

The guys chatted as we finished up setting out the appies.

The ‘girls’ loaded up their plates and enjoyed time in the living room.

We all brought one gift and then got to choose one to take home with us. Soon it was time for dessert.

In case anyone is wondering…these girls can still cook. We enjoyed our dessert in the family room. Good times together and we talked well into the night.

After a quick sleep it was time for our car to head back over the border into the USA. We are thankful for our ongoing friendship with the Mennonite Girls and their husbands. God is good to us.

Pecan Pinwheel Cookies

These cookies started with a basic Butter Cookie Dough that could create a variety of cookies.

Ingredients:

  • 1-3/4 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons soft butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

  1. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth but not fluffy.
  2. Beat in egg.
  3. Add flour and mix until incorporated, using hands if needed.
  4. Chill dough for one hour.
  5. On floured parchment, roll half the dough into a rough rectangle about 10 x 8 inches.
  6. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
  7. Slide rectangles on parchment to baking sheet.
  8. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  9. Meanwhile mix 3 tablespoons soft butter, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon in small bowl.
  10. Spread half of this mixture over one of the rectangles of refrigerated dough and distribute well.
  11. With long side facing you, use parchment paper to help you roll into log.
  12. Repeat for the second rectangle adding the rest of the filling.
  13. Chill until firm.
  14. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  15. Cut logs into 1/4 inch slices.
  16. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
  17. Bake until lightly browned, 12-17 minutes.
  18. Let cool on wire racks.

Makes 5-6 dozen cookies.

You can freeze one of the logs for future use if you don’t need this many cookies at once. Just wrap them in parchment and put the log into a freezer safe zip loc bag until ready to bake.