The sweet song of spring, it hums
Column Summary
I would like to hear music that a warm spring brings, but for now, until the choir gets is right, a spring hum will make me happy..
I wish the song of spring was loud in chorus, blaring above all the howling winter winds, turned up so high, I almost want to turn the volume down, but I dont.
As soon as Mother Nature fine tunes her weather report the choir director adds another verse to winter. I come to realize the song of spring is only in rehearsal, and a few more practices are scheduled. I just cant write those dates on my calendar.
While I long for mild temperatures to be the normal day-to-day experience, I do realize I am in the middle of winter and the new spring hymnals wont arrive until March (sometime), but I swear I hear a spring hum in the air.
The other morning I stepped outside with our dog and the silence was the most awesome silence I have ever heard. No echoing rumble of trucks traveling on US 30 (which is more than a mile away), no morning shuffle moos from the herd across the road, and no snow plows scraping their way through the townships.
What I did hear was a hum, a low but audible tune, a recognizable song of spring in practice. I recognized the melody, I welcomed the notes, I found myself smiling as my ears strained to appreciate what I knew was a spring hum.
The choir members in the hum I was hearing belonged to the late fall kitten peaking from under the shed door, her mellow meow was fine. The buzz of a chain saw, it began to echo across the woodlands coming from the Amish farm down the road I believe. My dog shook off his chill and his dog tags jingled. A flock of geese in northeast formation, they tried to blend in.
As the hum lingered in the cold winter air, I heard a drip-drip of melting icicles dropping from the porch gutters, a fluttering flock of small birds shivered in the stickly orange blossom bush, and more birds on the barn roof began to, well they began to sing!
The winter wind began to pick up; I shuddered in the cut-through-me chill. The snow crunched loudly under my running, booted stomp. The donkey at the neighbors added his complaint. I knew then Mother Nature turned the page in the calendar songbook, the song of winter was singing again.
If each one of you would write down and mail in one recipe served during this past week, I would have a full mailbox for days; bring it on! Send recipes to Country Cupboard, 5973 Blachleyville Rd., Wooster, OH, 44691. Emails are always welcome; thewritecook@sssnet.com
Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies (Daphne Ross, Wooster)
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup SNO-CAPS (box can be found in the candy aisle)
Spray baking sheets with non-stick spray. Set aside. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides as needed. On low speed, mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Drop balls of dough onto cookie sheet (about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie) or use a standard-sized cookie scoop. Press a few chocolate chips onto the tops of cookies for looks, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. Do NOT bake them longer than 10 minutes. Remove and let cool for 3 minutes on the cookie sheet. If the cookies are too puffy, try gently pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. Transfer to cooling rack. Cookies remain fresh in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole (Daphne Ross, Wooster)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch cubes
8 to 10 medium potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes, skin on
1/3 cup olive oil or other cooking oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons hot sauce (optional)
2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded cheese mix
1 cup crumbled bacon
1 cup diced green onion (or sweet onion)
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a large bowl mix together the oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and hot sauce. Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat. Carefully scoop the potatoes into a cooking spray coated baking dish, leaving behind as much of the sauce mix as possible. Bake the potatoes for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and crispy and browned on the outside. While the potatoes are cooking, add the cubed chicken to the bowl with the leftover sauce mix and stir to coat. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Top the cooked potatoes with the raw marinated chicken. In a bowl mix together the cheese, bacon and green onion and top the raw chicken with the cheese mix. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly delicious. Serve with sour cream or ranch dressing.
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels (Daphne Ross, Wooster)
1 (16 ounce) bag pretzel twists
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pour pretzels into a roasting pan. In a medium sized bowl mix together vegetable oil, cinnamon and sugar. Pour over pretzels and stir to coat. Place in 300 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes, removing twice to stir.
Cheeseburger Soup
2 to 4 beef bouillon cubes
1 quart water
1 pound browned hamburger
1 sweet onion sauté in hamburger drippings
3 large potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (1 pound) bag frozen California vegetables
2 cans cream of celery soup
1 pound Velveeta cheese cut into 1 inch cubes
In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and add bouillon cubes. Cover and boil for 10 min. To this add potatoes and veggies, cover and cook over medium heat until tender-about 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream of celery soup and add hamburger and onions. Simmer again with the lid on the pot for about another 5 to 10 minutes. At this point you may want to add some garlic, pepper, or other seasonings to enhance the flavor. Add the cubed Velveeta, stir until cheese melts and serve.
Ham and Bean Soup
1 pound dry baby lima beans
8 cups water or chicken broth
4 whole cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 pounds smoked ham bone or ham hocks
2 bay leaves
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme, crushed (optional)
1-to 2 tablespoons low sodium chicken or ham soup base
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
Rinse the beans in cold running water and sort to remove any stones or debris, or split beans. Wash several times. Cover the beans with water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 or 2 hours. Or, the beans may be soaked overnight in a covered pan. Do not drain. Bring the beans and liquid to boiling. Add a large meaty ham bone or ham hocks, onions, celery, garlic, thyme, pepper and bay leaves. (Ham is salty and you shouldn't add salt). Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour or until the beans are nearly tender. Remove the bone or ham hocks. When the ham is cool enough to handle, remove any remaining meat from the bones and chop. Add the meat back to the soup. Add potatoes and carrots. Remove 1/2 cup of the soup broth and stir the soup base in until dissolved; add this back to the soup. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Navy beans may be used instead of baby lima beans, or split peas are just great. If you have any leftover ham, it may be cubed and added to the soup during the last 15 minutes.
Lime Jell-O Dessert
2 small or 1 large package lime Jell-O
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 envelope package Dream Whip
1 block cream cheese
1 package instant lemon pudding
Prepare Jell-O as directed and let stand until starts to gel. Add the pineapple and let set. Mix the Dream Whip and cream cheese together and spread over the Jell-O. Prepare the pudding as directed and spread on top of Dream Whip. We have also stirred this all together instead of putting in layers. Either way is a delicious dessert.
Nesquick Quivers (Elva Witmer, Shiloh)
2 cups milk
2/3 cup Nesquick powder (any flavor)
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
Decorative cookie cutters
Combine milk, Nesquick, and gelatin in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Pour into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Makes 8 servings.
