Drop Dumplings ...p86

I love it when the critic loves her very own recipe without knowing it's hers.  It means that I'm cooking like my mama and that's a good thing because usually I have trouble making dumplings.  Just not my forté.

 These dumplings, however, were simple to make and remained moist during the devouring of the first helping into the second.  In fact, I served them up for lunch the next day and they were still quite good - not pasty and gooey like some I've made.

If one of the things you dislike about baking pies, dumplings, and the likes, is the task of lifting the dough off your flour-strewn counter, invest in a Silpat.  It's a silicone, non-stick baking mat...safe to use in high oven temps (though I've never used it in the oven);  I use it as a non-stick mat.  It's wonderful! 

Hardy Appetit!

Microwave English Muffin Bread ...p87

Ready to rise

Bread cooked in a microwave?  My husband's mother, way back in the late 70s, ahead of the times, took a microwave cooking class when the rest of us were terrified that the machine was going to cook the cook and not the contents.  I'm not sure how much the fear was warranted, but the story of the elderly woman who, desiring to quickly dry her poodle by placing it in the microwave, only to have it go poof! had all of us scared to attempt anything more than reheating our leftovers or boiling water....and that at arm's length.

Risen to the top of the loaf pan, now ready to bake.

Well, most of us are still here and the microwave has become standard equipment in just about every household in America.  And if the only thing I ever cooked in a microwave was this bread, I would want one on my counter.

Fully baked loaves.....still pale, ready to be sliced and toasted.

This bread is so easy to make, I often am baffled as to why I don't make it regularly!  If you just slice and eat, you'll find it bland -  this bread is designed to be toasted - just like English Muffins.   Along with some tasty jam, it makes a lovely Christmas gift for your friends and neighbors.

Hardy Appetit!

Sara's Summer Squash ...p81

A lot of you (especially men it seems) don't like this illustrious, dull vegetable, therefore, we cooks disguise it with tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini and cheese and call it Ratatouille, hoping that you will find it palatable.  In reality, I think squash suffers from a bad reputation because of its presentation in just about every institutional cafeteria as a "squashed," overcooked, tasteless vegetable devoid of any flavor.  Unlike the crisp explosion of moisture refreshment you get from sliced cucumbers, the moisture derived from sliced, cooked squash tastes like, well, slime.

Yet, I love squash. I love the beautiful yellow blossoms that indicate the vine is about to bear fruit, and usually lots of it.....  I love the satisfaction of pulling a basketful of squash off the vine, and just looking at it on my kitchen table for days.  I love the creamy yellow of the skin.  I love, even more, eating it when cooked up in a tasty casserole like Sara's Summer Squash. 

The critic enjoyed this recipe as much as we did.

Hardy Appetit!

Cucumber Salad ...p32

Just recently my husband asked if I knew that a person can live on cucumbers.  I know that they are refreshing to eat and use cosmetically....I'm not certain about all the nutrients they contain, and I won't go into that as I did with broccoli, but the facts are out there.  Cucumbers are very good for you.  Optimally, eat the whole thing - peel, pulp and seeds for the most benefit - but if you ARE going to eat the skin, be sure to buy organic.  Evidently, organic means the wax is non-synthetic and free from chemical contaminants.  

The critic loves cucumbers - perhaps one of the reasons she has lived a long, reasonably healthy life.  Mom's preference though is to have them sliced and soaked in vinegar and salt, just the way her dad just to like them.  I wish I could keep a bowl going in the fridge all the time, but they're likely to be gobbled up in one sitting.  

Seedless English cucumber

Begs you to bite down on this hydrating wonder!

This recipe calls for soaking in sour cream as well as the vinegar, and while there is no mention of letting them sit for any length of time in the refrigerator, they are better after sitting a few hours  or overnight in the refrigerator.  The critic thinks cucumbers served this way are YUM.  I only used one very long seedless cucumber without reducing the amount of sour cream - which I think should have been done - or you be sure to use 3 large cucumbers or 2 English cucumbers.  I love the addition of the white onions in this recipe - nice flavoring.

 

Hardy Appetit!

Broccoli Salad ...p31

Broccoli has suffered long enough from a maligned reputation, thanks in part to President George Herbert Walker Bush who banned it from service on Air Force One way back in 1990.  In my attempt to bring honor back to this misunderstood veggie, I googled "broccoli" for some reasons why it should be on your dinner plate this week.

I was shocked to find out all I did.

DETOXIFIES  Nutritionally, broccoli is like that threefold cord not easily broken mentioned in the Bible - Eccl. 4:12, in its job of detoxifying our bodies.  According to WHFoods,

Broccoli has a strong, positive impact on our body's detoxification system, and researchers have recently identified one of the key reasons for this detox benefit. Glucoraphanin, gluconasturtiian, and glucobrassicin are 3 glucosinolate phytonutrients found in a special combination in broccoli. This dynamic trio is able to support all steps in body's detox process, including activation, neutralization, and elimination of unwanted contaminants.

IMPROVES USE OF VITAMIN D  Most people over age 50 find the need to supplement their Vitamin D intake.  Well, please eat your broccoli then because broccoli just loves to assist in the metabolic balance of Vitamin D with Vitamins K and A that it contains in abundance.  

ACTS AS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY  A flavonoid (Kaempferol) in broccoli has anti-inflammatory qualities.

LOWERS CHOLESTEROL  Broccoli, when lightly steamed, binds with the bile acids in your digestive tract to excrete cholesterol.

FIGHTS CANCER  But please don't cook your broccoli to mush because that destroys sulforaphane - an extremely potent cancer-fighting agent and immune system booster.  ScienceDaily.com

1 1/2 cups served 2-3 times a week is the minimum recommended serving, but to get the most out of its cancer-fighting properties, 2 cups 4-5 times per week is optimum.

Statistics however show that the average American eats 4 1/2 pounds per year.  Is that enough?

If one pound of chopped broccoli = 4 1/2 cups,
 or  1 lb:4.5 cups,   then
    52 lbs:234 cups (1.5 cups x 3 svgs. x 52 weeks) recommended servings

If my math is right, we are sorely deficient in our broccoli intake, to the tune of 47.5 lbs short per year.

NATURAL SUNSCREEN  Broccoli doesn't have to be served as "trees".  Popular now are the broccoli sprouts - added to your sandwich or salad just like alfalfa or bean sprouts.  The latest bad news to bounce around is that our sunscreen lotions that we slather on routinely are suspected of causing the very skin cancer it is designed to protect against.  Well, eat those broccoli sprouts - they contain an extract that boosts your natural ability to defend yourself against UV rays.  That extract is the same sulforaphane mentioned above and when rubbed on skin is proving to substantially protect it from UV rays without the carcinogenic effects!

And broccoli doesn't have to be boring.  Use it as the basis for salads, soups, a side dish, casserole, dessert (yes, dessert!), or drinks....

If you're not quite that adventurous that you'd make a dessert or drink using broccoli, try this salad recipe.  Loaded with healthy additions like raisins and cheese, it satisfies with a nice crunch and just a touch of sweetness. It's also very pretty in a clear salad dish.

Hardy Appetit!