Granola

Cooking oil spray
1/2 cup oil (canola)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, see note
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
6 cups quick cooking or old-fashioned oats (not instant)
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup wheat germ, see note
1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup raisins
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries, such as Craisins, or dried cherries

Place the oven racks in the two center positions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 11x17 inch jelly roll pans with cooking oil spray. Set aside. In a 1-quart microwave-safe bowl, combine oil, maple syrup and brown sugar. Microwave, uncovered at high for 3 minutes or until sugar starts to melt. Remove from the microwave and whisk until any lumps disappear.

In a 3-quart or larger bowl, combine the oats, walnuts, wheat germ and coconut. Toss to mix well. Pour the syrup mixture over the oat mixture and stir until well mixed. Spread evenly in jelly roll pans.

Place a pan on each oven rack and bake for 10 minutes. Taking not of which pan was on the top rack in the oven, rotating to the opposite rack. (See note) Bake for 8-10 minutes more, then remove from the oven taking care not to over brown. Cool the granola in the pans for 1 hour. Sprinkle half of the rasisins and half of the dried cherries over each pan. Stir to mix well. Store in airtight containers. Preferably glass jars or tins until ready to serve up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition information for 1 tablespoon serving:
34 calories
2 g. fat

NOTE: For best results, use only real maple syrup. Look for wheat germ in the supermarket cereal aisle. If your oven will accommodate two 11x17 inch pans side by side on the same rack, it is not necessary to rotate the pans. If not, be sure to rotate the lower pan to the top rack (and vice versa) during the second 10-minute baking time.

Pork Hock Stew (Traditional French Canadian)

3 lbs pork hocks
2 cloves garlic (cut in spears)
1 T salt
¼ t each of ground cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg
¼ cup of drippings, fat or cooking oil
2 medium onions, chopped
Water
¾ cup browned flower. (brown in hot over 350 – 400 in shallow cake pan, stirring frequently to desired darkness. The darker the flower, the stronger the gravy)

Day before serving:
If desired poke garlic sliver in each pork hock.
Mix salt, pepper, and spices and sprinkle hocks with mixture coating each thoroughly.
In a large pot, brown the hocks in fat.
Add chopped onion and water to cover.
Simmer covered for 2 – 3 hours until the meat is very tender.
Remove hocks and onions from stock,
Remove only the meat from the hocks, discarding, skin, bones and fat.
Return only the meat to the stock.
Refrigerate overnight.
Next day, remove all the fat from the top of stock and discard. You will be left with a very rich gelatinous stock.
Before serving, reheat the stock to simmer and thicken with burnt/browned flower.

Peach Pan Pie

½ cup milk
3 tbsp. Butter, softened
1 egg
1 small pkg. Vanilla pudding mix (not instant)
1 tsp. Baking powder
¾ cup flour
1 large can sliced peaches, well drained (reserve 3 tbsp. Juice)
3 tbsp. Reserved juice, amaretto or triple sec
½ cup sugar
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon

In blender, combine mild, butter, egg, pudding mix, baking powder and flour. Blend on high 1 minute or mix by hand for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into a 10-inch ungreased pie plate or quiche pan. Place peaches over this mixture, leaving ½ - inch space around edge.

In blender, combine reserved juice, ½ cup sugar and cream cheese. Blend until smooth. Spoon over top of peaches, also leaving ½ inch at the edge. Sprinkle with mixture of the 2 tbsp. Sugar and the cinnamon.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with whipped topping, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

(I have had the above recipe for over 15 years clipped from the Mpls Star Tribune) It is delicious!!

Baked Spinach Meat Balls

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 egg
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Garlic powder
1 can (10 oz.) beef broth
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
¼ cup dry red wine
1 tbsp. Cornstarch

Combine beef, onion, egg and Parmesan cheese. Drain thawed spinach well; mix through the beef. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder and mix well. Form into 1 inch balls. Place into a heavy casserole with tight lid.

Combine broth, tomato sauce, red wine and cornstarch; mix well. Pour over meatballs. Cover casserole and bake in oven at 350 degrees F. for about 45 minutes. (I then add 2 tbsp. Flour mixed with water and let it thicken in the oven for another 5 minutes).

Can be served over mashed potatoes or rice. It is an easy and delicious way to add spinach to children’s diet.

Creamed Corn

This is not one of my favorite dishes but I would rather eat
homemade creamed corn over the kind from the can.

Serves 4
8 ears corn, husks and silk removed
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:

Remove kernels: Cut off tip of each cob; stand in a wide shallow bowl. With a sharp knife, slice downward to remove kernels.

Stand each cob over another wide shallow bowl. With the edge of a soup spoon, scrape downward to remove pulp.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add corn kernels, pulp, and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover, and cook, until corn is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add cream and sugar; simmer, uncovered, until cream has thickened, 4 to 6 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve.