I am now working on a special cookbook, details will be available soon.

Well, here I am again. After having a great visit with Marla's daughter Jill and her to boys Jake and Leland I was captured by a flu bug of some kind and have been out of commission. But I am back and ready to rumble now. Give me some time to catch up on some pressing paper work and then I will add some new and exciting stuff to the blog.
Bob

We have all started baking a favorite treat and find we don't have one or two of the ingredients needed to finish the job. Here are some handy substitutes that might save you a trip to the store.

Cake Flour Recipe: If you’re running short on cake flour and need it now, here’s a tip for making your own: Add two level tablespoons of corn starch to a one cup measuring cup, then fill with bread flour. Sift three times then use as needed.

Self Rising Flour Recipe: In a one cup measure, place 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt, then fill to top with flour. Mix well and store in an airtight container if not used right away.

Half And Half Cream Substitute: In a one cup measure, place 3 Tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons of melted butter. Top up the cup with whole milk. You can also use an equal measure of evaporated milk as a half and half cream substitute.

Buttermilk Substitute: You can substitute 1 cup of buttermilk with the following quick recipe–In a one cup measuring cup, add 1 TBS of vinegar or lemon juice, then top up the rest of the measuring cup with milk. Set aside for 5 minutes, stir, then use as buttermilk in the recipe.

Baking Powder Substitute: Try 1/4 tsp baking soda & 1/2 tsp cream of tartar to substitute for 1 tsp baking powder.

Graham Cracker Crumb Crust Substitute: In a pinch you can use crushed corn flakes in place of graham cracker crumbs. Recipe for crust: 2 cups crushed corn flakes*, 1/3 cup melted butter, 2

TBS sugar. Gradually add the melted butter to the crushed corn flakes and sugar. Mix well and press into pie plate (8″ or 9″). Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. *Use the non-frosted corn flakes.
Chocolate Squares Substitute: 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa & 1/4 cup melted Crisco (Substitution for 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares).

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe: 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup butter, 1/3 cup boiling water, 1 cup skim milk powder. Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until all lumps are gone and milk is smooth. Store in refrigerator and chill before using.

Marla's daughter and 2 grandsons are here now and I made that blackberry ice cream as I said I would. It was delicious. And remember I said it was so hot. Well today it is cold and rainy, that is Western Washington weather at its best. So I thought a hearty soup might be good. Here is a great recipe that sticks to your ribs.

Butter Bean (or baby lima bean) Soup with Ham and Cabbage

1 lb. butter beans (or use baby lima beans if you can't get butter beans)
1 T olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped small
1 cup chopped celery1 tsp. dried thyme2 quarts water
1 T ham flavor base (optional, but recommended)
2 cups finely chopped green cabbage
2 cups finely diced hamfresh ground black pepper to taste

Soak beans 4-8 hours, then pour into colander, rinse, and let drain. (I soaked my beans 4 hours, but next time I would soak them longer for shorter cooking time. I think the best way to cook beans is to soak them all day while you're at work, then cook at night.)

In heavy soup pot, heat olive oil, saute onion and celery 3-4 minutes, until starting to soften, then add thyme and saute 1-2 minutes more. Add beans and 2 quarts water, and cook beans at a low simmer until they are starting to soften. This could take as long as 2-3 hours, depending on how long you soaked the beans, and their age if you're using supermarket beans.When beans feel like they are about 3/4 soft (when you bite down on one) add Penzeys ham flavor base (if using), finely chopped cabbage, and finely diced ham. Cook about 1 hour more, until beans are very soft, soup broth is very flavorful, and most of the cabbage has disintegrated into the soup. Season to taste with fresh ground black pepper and serve hot.

Hi all, whew it is hot up here in the Pacific Northwest. What better time for some homemade ice cream. And up here blackberries grow like weeds, thousands of acres of them. I eat myself sick everytime I take a walk. So here is a quick and delicious recipe for homemade Blackberry Ice Cream. I am going to make some this weekend.

Blackberry Ice Cream

2 C. freshly picked blackberries (frozen can be used)
1 C. sugar
2 C. heavy cream
2 - 3 T. fresh lemon juice
Puree berries in a food processor. Force the berries through a fine strainer to remove the seeds. Add the sugar to the cream and mix until dissolved. Stir in the berry puree and lemon juice. Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions.

Pork Dumplings

These tasty treats make a perfect appetizer or you can serve them as a main dish. For a main dish count on about 15 dumplings per person. Serve with hoisin sauce, hot Chinese-style mustard and toasted sesame seeds.



INGREDIENTS
100 (3.5 inch square) wonton wrappers
1 3/4 pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
4 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 egg, beaten
5 cups finely shredded Chinese cabbage

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the pork, ginger, garlic, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, egg and cabbage. Stir until well mixed.
Place 1 heaping teaspoon of pork filling onto each wonton skin. Moisten edges with water and fold edges over to form a triangle shape. Roll edges slightly to seal in filling. Set dumplings aside on a lightly floured surface until ready to cook.
To Cook: Steam dumplings in a covered bamboo or metal steamer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately

Marla and I are entertaining our freinds from Edmonton so I have been ooot and abooot for the last few days. I will have more recipes posted soon. Some of the ones we have been enjoying and getting fat on will make good reading.

OK folks, now that you know that I have a lot of recipes to share I would love to have you let me help you with that special dinner party you are planning, or picnic in the park or at the ocean or up in the cool mountains. Write to me and I will share some of my favorites for your type of occasion.

Here is another chinese food recipe. Everyone loves cashew chicken and this is one that is tasty and easy. If you don't have a Wok you can get one from this blog or you can use a large frying pan but a Wok works best.


CASHEW CHICKEN FOR THE WOK

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts, boned and chopped
2 green peppers
2/3 c. cashews
1 chopped onion
Ginger
3 tbsp. peanut oil
Pineapple cubes
Sesame seeds
MARINADE:
1/2 egg white1 tbsp. cornstarch1 tbsp. soy sauce
SEASONING SAUCE:
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. wine
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. sugar
Cut chicken into cubes and place in marinade for 30 minutes. Cut peppers and onions into chunks. Prepare seasoning sauce. Stir fry chicken and cashews in peanut oil hot and fast. Remove from oil. Add enough oil to make 2 tablespoons; stir fry onions, pepper and ginger until desired tenderness, about 1 minute, covered. Add chicken and cashews; cook 1 more minute. Add pineapple cubes; add seasoning sauce and take off wok. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Mix well and serve with rice.

With the summer Olympics in Beijing starting in just a week, on my youngest daughter's birthday as a matter of fact, I thought I would include some of my favorite Chinese recipes. Marla and I were in Beijing in November and we found China to be a wonderful country. It was very different than that which we expected. The people were warm and friendly, except the old timers who were very shy, and the streets were spotless. The problem of course is too many people and the terrible air quality. But it is well worth a visit and we plan to go back.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 ounce hot chile paste
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
4 ounces chopped peanuts


DIRECTIONS
To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.
Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens.