The Farm Chicks

Strawberry Fool

Greetings from the countryside of Dayton, Washington!

Colin and I just enjoyed one of the most memorable dinners ever. (I'll be writing about it next week).

And good news! We enjoyed "Strawberry Fool" for dessert. In honor of Strawberry Week, I thought I'd share the concept of the dessert with you here, and how you can re-create it at home.

Please don't roll your eyes when I tell you this...

This is a very simple dish!

And elegant? YES!

To create, quarter fresh strawberries and gently stir in granulated sugar (add sugar to taste). Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, until the strawberries begin to release their juices. Combine strawberry mixture with heavy whipping cream and taste to ensure the mixture is suitably sweetened for a dessert. Beat until cream is stiff.

Scoop beaten strawberry cream mixture onto a chilled platter, top with chocolate cookie wafers and fresh raspberries. Drizzle with sweetened, unwhipped, heavy cream and embellish with thinly sliced fresh mint. Serve immediately.

If you want to get really fancy (and create more work for yourself), drizzle with Creme Anglaise, instead of the sweetened, unwhipped, heavy cream.

And how many times in your life have you gotten to announce that you're serving "Strawberry Fool" for dessert? Yeah, me too.

xo, from Dayton

P.S. Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers are readily area where I live, however, if they're not in your area, the next best substitute (but a pain in the neck) would be Oreo cookies with the filling removed.

Strawberry Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

One of my favorite spring flavor combinations is strawberry and rhubarb and every year, I love experimenting with recipes that include them. My Strawberry Cake is sweet and aromatic while the Rhubarb Topping is a bit tart, really buttery, and delicious. Desserts really don't get any homier than this.

Rhubarb Topping:

3/4 cups butter (1 1/2 cubes)

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (not packed)

3 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2" - 3/4" chunks

Add butter and brown sugar to a saucepan and cook over medium high heat until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Pour into a 13"x9" baking pan. Top with the rhubarb chunks and set aside while you prepare the Strawberry Cake batter.

  

Strawberry Cake:

2 heaping cups fresh strawberries, blended to produce 1 1/2 cups 

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and hull strawberries and quarter. Blend strawberries and measure out 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Set aside.

Add flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda to a mixing bowl and stir together. Add butter, milk, and the strawberry mixture and beat at medium speed, scraping bowl as needed, for one minute. Add eggs and beat on high for two minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Pour batter atop the Rhubarb Topping in the baking pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the cake is set in the center, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for five minutes. After five minutes, loosen cake from edges of the pan with a spatula and invert onto a cooling rack or platter.

Serve cake at room temperature as the cake and rhubarb are most flavorful after they've cooled.

Collecting: Milk Glass Hen Dishes

Milk glass is an all-time favorite collectible of mine. I love how such a simplistic color can be beautiful in an understated sort of way.

Last fall, I stumbled upon this collection of milk glass hen dishes at a barn sale on the prairie, near my home. I paid $30 for the set of 8.

I'm drawn to the older pieces that appear opalescent in light:

It's collections like these that add another layer of specialness to our family holiday celebrations. I look forward to using my new collection this Easter and for many years to come.

Vosges

I recently received a big delightful box of chocolates in the mail from Vosges Haut Chocolat. These Barcelona Bunny chocolates are filled with hickory smoked almonds and sea salt. Oh my. Scrumptious!

You can use chocolates as a whimsical addition to your Easter table with a few simple items.

1.) Fill your dishes of choice with green sugar crystal sprinkles (I used a salad plate pictured above and custard cup shown below).

2.) Place chocolates in dishes.

3.) Set a grouping on the chocolates in the center of your table or buffet or set individual dishes at each place setting.

Notes: Thank you to Vosges Haut Chocolat for the treats. We loved them!

The bunny shown in the custard cup is one of several included in the Mad Hare Orchestra and are dark chocolate with Tahitian vanilla bean.

Homestyle Lowfat Carrot Cake

I created this cake for Colin's birthday this year, not knowing (after all these years!) that he doesn't really care for carrot cake. Luckily, he loved it and when I told him it was lowfat, he was happily surprised. The fat in this recipe comes from the eggs in the cake and the oil used for greasing the pan. And of course, the icing. I enjoy the fact that it's lowfat, but like the ease of the preparation even more. The cake is heavenly scented with homey spices and topped with a creamy icing that just melts in your mouth.

Carrot Cake

3 cups shredded carrots

4 eggs

1 cup nonfat milk

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9'x9" square baking pan. Set aside. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat at low speed for about 30 seconds to combine all ingredients. Turn mixer to high and continue to beat for about one minute until mixture is combined really well. Pour batter into baking pan and cook for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. (the cake will be really dark brown). Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. While it cools, prepare the icing.

Icing:

2 ounces lowfat cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon nonfat milk

Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and blended. Add sugar, vanilla, and milk and beat well until completely smooth and all ingredients are incorporated. (I call this an icing because it isn't firm like frosting, rather, it's quite creamy and icing-like).

Spoon icing onto the cake in the pan (iced in the pan is what makes it homestyle) and spread with the back of the spoon.

Then just slice and serve.

Tips: Rather than oiling and flouring the baking pan, I use a baking spray that is oil and flour combined, so all I have to do is spray it on and I'm done. Baking sprays can be found on the shelves of the baking aisle in grocery stores, most often with the oil.

*Post Edit* Baking the cake in a 9"x9" pan will result in a cake that is a little more on the dense side. If you prefer it to be less dense, bake in a 9"x13" pan for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Notes:

I love homestyle cakes because there's no pressure on making them perfect and there's a sort of comfort in that. Let's just relax and eat cake.

Frosting a cake "homestyle" decreases the amount of frosting used, as there's none going on the sides.

The scent of this cake makes a happy home. I'm not kidding, just bake it up and the scent will make everyone smile.

Mini Donut Cupcakes

What's cuter than cupcakes? Donut Cupcakes!

It all started at Carolyn's when I spotted this most darling little pan:

Wouldn't these make the most special little Valentine or anytime treats?!, I thought. So, I whipped up a batch of my favorite mini cupcake batter and baked them up in my new pan.

Next, I prepared the perfect Cupcake Glaze:

Cupcake Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

6-7 tablespoons cream

1 drop food coloring

Whisk together until smooth. If necessary, add more cream to reach desired consistency.  Then it was just dip and sprinkle, dip and sprinkle:

Donut Cupcakes are F-U-N! ...

  

Donut Cupcakes are *Sweet*... Donut Cupcakes are the perfect Valentine treat!

But what if you don't have a little donut pan? It's Mini Cupcakes to the rescue!

And *good news* ... they're just as tasty!

Sources:

I bought my donut pan at Carolyn's in Spokane.  A sweet little mom and pop shop. Carolyn's does ship, so if you want a pan for yourself, you can call Carolyn's and they'll take your order. And then you're supporting mom and pop.  And nothing can be better than that.  Carolyns: 509-489-3631

The cupcake recipe is from Country Living.  Click here for the recipe.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

I love the delicate texture of this bundt cake, accented by the tangy, lemony glaze and the crunch of the poppy seeds.  It's a special treat, any time of the day!

1 cup butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

zest from two lemons

juice from one lemon

1 cup buttermilk

3 cups flour

3 Tablespoons poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Oil and flour your bundt pan.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Beat butter and sugar together in a medium-sized mixing bowl until fluffy.  Add in eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Add in remaining ingredients and beat until completely combined.  Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, until cooked through.  Remove from oven and set on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and continue to cool on the wire rack.  Drizzle with glaze, once cooled.

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Whisk together until smooth.  Cover until ready to use.

Grandma's Rhubarb Crunch

Every spring, Colin's mom, Mary Jane, makes this Rhubarb Crunch.  I love that it has a special syrup that is poured over the top, making it different from any crunch I've ever tasted.  Our family looks forward to it every year.

4 cups chopped rhubarb*

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

Chop rhubarb and set aside.  Mix together the flour, oats, cinnamon, brown sugar and melted butter:

Press one-half of crumb mixture into a buttered 7"x11" or 8.5"x11" baking dish:

Sugar Sauce:

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup cold water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk sugar, cornstarch and water together in a glass bowl:

 

Microwave until thick, clear, and bubbly, approximately 3-5 minutes.  Remove from microwave and whisk in vanilla.  Add chopped rhubarb atop pressed-in crumb mixture in the baking dish.  Pour sugar sauce evenly over rhubarb:

Top with remaining crumb mixture:

 

Bake at 350 degrees until edges are bubbling and crumb topping is browned, about 30-40 minutes:

* If you're a little short on rhubarb, feel free to add in chopped apples or strawberries to get to 4 cups.  However, you wouldn't want to completely replace the rhubarb, as it is a nice contrast to the sweetness of the crust and sugar sauce.

Happy Spring!

Mintade

It's going to be 80 degrees in Spokane today.  The perfect weather for Mintade!

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, strained

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice, strained

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice, strained

6 cups icy cold water

1 cup fine granulated sugar*

1 cup fresh mint leaves, torn

lots of ice

Combine juices and water in a pitcher.  Stir in sugar, until dissolved.  Stir in mint leaves, smashing leaves with spoon to release mint oil.  Pour into ice-filled glasses.

*I like to use fine granulated sugar, however regular sugar works okay too.  It will just take a little longer to dissolve.  You may enjoy using more or less sugar, depending on your taste.

Sources:

Spoons: JoAnn's Fabric

Vintage napkins: The Farm Chicks Show

Egg on a Plate Cookies

I love making things that make my family smile.  Today I made these cookies and then asked the boys if they wanted some eggs.  Of course they did, and came flying upstairs, expecting fried eggs.  Instead, this is what they found.  And they loved it.

Butter Cut-Out Cookies:  

1 cup unsalted butter*, softened

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Make the dough:  Add the butter to a large-size mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in sugar and vanilla on medium speed, until well combined.  Sift together flour and salt.  Gradually beat into butter mixture on low speed.

*If you don't have unsalted butter, don't worry.  Substitute salted butter and skip adding the 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Shape the dough:  Transfer dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and pat into an 8” disc.  Wrap with the plastic and chill for one hour.  (If you're in a hurry, just pop it into the freezer until firm).  On a lightly floured surface or parchment paper, roll out dough to 1/4" thick and cut into 2.5" - 3" rounds, using a circular cookie cutter.  Use a small glass, dipped in flour, to press the center of the "plate", as shown above.  Reroll until all dough is used.  Place the cookies about 1" apart on ungreased baking sheets (I like to line my pans with parchment paper), and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Bake the cookies:  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake 12-15 minutes until firm, but not brown.  Cool on a wire rack.

Decorate the cookies:  Flood with frosting as shown with the cookies in my Christmas Wreath project, using the same icing recipe.  Outline and flood the rim of the cookie plate with icing and then flood the center.  Allow to set and top with a gummy fried egg and cracked candy egg.  (See sources below).

Makes about 18 cookies plates, depending on size.

Sources:

I found these darling little gummy fried egg candies at Cost Plus World Market, but did a search to make sure they're widely available, and they are. I found many stores online where they're sold like here, here, and here.

The eggshells are candy malt eggs that are widely available at most markets during the Easter season, and online throughout the year.  To crack the eggs, I held each egg firmly with one hand and carefully jabbed a sharp knife into the center of the egg with my other hand, and tapped the egg against the counter, while applying pressure with the knife.  It takes a little practice to not completely shatter the egg.  But after a few times, you'll get the hang of it and you can eat all of the crumbs from your practice eggs!

The Butter Cut-Outs recipe is from my next book, The Farm Chicks Christmas.  It's such a wonderful recipe because it can be adapted for so many different holidays or eaten just as the perfectly soft, buttery cookie I sometimes crave.  I adapted it from a recipe given to me by my friend, HaneLore and I share a few different ways to prepare it in the book.

Idea:

While Bongo was munching away on his plate, he suggested making little cast iron fry pans, iced and flooded with black icing, complete with a handle. I think that would be soooo cute!  A little fried egg, right in the pan.  I'll have to try it, for sure!

Now get crackin'!  hee hee

 

Easter Platters

Adding an Easter egg-themed touch to your dinner table is really simple. Simply take platters and cut colorful paper napkins in the shape of an egg to line the platter. Use for serving rolls or other dry items. To use for serving veggies, simply cover the paper napkin with the same shape cutout of white parchment. The napkin will still show through and will appear pretty and toned-down pastel and it won't get soaked.

Easter Place Settings

Cute little place settings are such a fun addition to the Easter table.  For these little egg cup markers, I simply filled each one with rice, topped them with moss and poked little handmade toothpick flags in with each person's name. 

Springcakes

This weekend was perfect, and It felt like spring.  So we had springcakes.

I used my favorite cupcake recipe and frosting, tinting it green for the grass.I baked the cakes in mini square pans, (but cupcake pans would work great too).  I frosted the cakes by hand and then piped the grass on using Wilton decorating tip #233.  I lightly sprinkled the grass with colorful non-pareils and added some cute little chocolatey mushrooms.


Spring. I heart you.