One Down

Yesterday I did the bind off for the back piece of my peacock blue & brown knit dress. Since I don’t have the room in my studio space to do all the pieces at once, I also blocked it. So far I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made. Of course, starting out and spending the first week of the holiday break with a sinus bug helped (though I hate being sick.) It made a convenient excuse for sitting around in my PJs all day while I knitted.

The Project Queen

Saucijzenbroodjes

(Saw-shashen-broodyes) Dutch for Pigs in a Blanket.

This is another recipe that comes from my mother-in-law. She received it from her husband’s sister. Like Poffertjes, Saucijzenbroodjes are often made by the churches of (Netherlands) Dutch communities in Iowa and Michigan. They are popular fundraisers when there are festivals, such as the Tulip festivals held in the spring.

My mother-in-law might make them at different times of the year, but I remember them being a big part of the winter holiday break, when most of my husband’s siblings and their families came to visit. Saucijzenbroodjes make a great accompaniment for soups, especially split pea or vegetable. They are also suitable for parties since they are a palm-size treat.

To get the full effect, I definitely recommend making the recipe the way it’s written, but if in a bit of a hurry, make the dough and use the “pig” of your choice. I have made cheater’s versions in the past with crescent rolls. Though they’re tasty, they aren’t the same. The batch pictured here has beef little smokies and shredded cheddar cheese inside the dough. I found myself making them Sunday night after 9 p.m. My husband was going duck hunting and needed a treat to share with his hunting buddy who was driving them 2 hrs. to their lease. I didn’t have time to work with the meat mixture.

Like anything you’re not familiar with, this is a recipe that takes some practice, especially getting the dough-to-meat ratio right so nothing is left over. I tend to eyeball my portions, but methods that leave nothing to chance are detailed below. The amount of meat and bread crumbs may need to be adjusted. My mother-in-law’s recipe doesn’t give amounts for the meat mixture, so I’m making an educated guess here. As for the dough, don’t panic the first time you make it. It has more of a pastry feel to it after it’s baked, but it won’t look like pie dough when raw. It’s more like very soft cookie dough. I found it easiest to scoop it onto my baking sheets then spread it out in a rectangle with my fingers before pushing the cheese and sausages down into it. The dough was then pulled over the top and ends of the filling, making sure all gaps were closed. It will seem like the dough is very sticky. However, the shortening actually prevents that, so don’t be afraid of getting your fingers in there.

A note on lining your baking sheets: A brown paper bag is recommended. It will absorb excess grease. I know large grocery bags have mostly gone the way of the dodo, but a few paper lunch bags cut open will do the trick. Parchment paper is OK, too. Stay away from wax paper and foil.

Dough (Blanket)

5 c. all-purpose flour

1 ¼ c. shortening

1 tsp. salt

3 tsp. baking powder

2 tbsp. sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ c. milk

Place first 5 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixture looks like crumbs. If the processor has a large enough bowl, add the eggs and milk. Run until blended. Otherwise, place the processed dry ingredients in a mixing bowl before adding the wet.

Pig

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. raw pork sausage (loose, not in casing)

1 c. white or panko bread crumbs (increase if to too greasy, or decrease if meat is too dry)

Gently mix the meat and crumbs. The goal is to make 24 “pigs”. To help make even portions, place the meat in a 9” x 13” pan. Spread it evenly, but don’t press it down with your fingers. In the lengthwise direction (13” side), cut across the pan in 3 ¼” sections (9” long cuts). There will be 4 sections. Widthwise (9” side) cut ¾” sections across pan for a total of 6 sections (13” long cuts). Fold each portion in half lengthwise and gently pat into a sausage shape. If you have a digital kitchen scale, place your empty mixing bowl on it and zero the scale. Place your “pig” ingredients in it and divide the weight by 24. You will then know how much each portion should weigh. A scale can also be used in the same manner to divide the dough into 24 pieces.

After the dough is wrapped around the meat on all sides, and placed on brown or parchment paper-lined baking sheets, beat an egg with a small amount of water. Use a pastry brush to coat the dough with the egg wash. Bake in a 350° oven for 40 min. or until brown.

 The Project Queen

Silent Night

Like many people “Silent Night” is my favorite Christmas Hymn. It’s a lullaby for the infant Jesus, and like many lullabies, it’s peaceful and soothing.

I actually have a special memory attached to this hymn. It involves a nativity my maternal grandparents put under their Christmas tree. Unlike many nativities this one wasn’t static. It was an electrical music box with a star that illuminated the manager and figures that rotated around the Holy Family. The shepherds were on one side and the wise men on the other. As the figures rotated, it played “Silent Night”. I loved to lie under the tree and watch it. In fact, it’s the one thing I really remember clearly about Christmas Eve dinner at their house (other than Grandma’s Waldorf Salad). Well, I do remember some of the gifts I received, but none of them hold a special place in my heart like that nativity did.

My grandparents moved out of that house when I was about 10 or 11. They decided it was time to downsize and relocate where someone else did all the maintenance. Grandma gave me a carved jewelry box because I liked to play with the jewelry she kept in it. I guess because it was spring or summer when they moved, I didn’t give the nativity a thought. But it didn’t go with them to their apartment. After they moved from the house, I never saw it again. Like most of us, it was probably a case of out-of-sight, out of mind. But a few years ago I started thinking about the nativity. My husband injured his back while on active duty with the military in 2006. To say we’ve been through a lot would be an understatement. When life gets difficult who among us wouldn’t want to go back in time and re-experience a special memory? Sadly, no one recalls what happened to the nativity, and I haven’t been able to find another like it. My father and my husband are both woodworkers. Perhaps they would like to help me make a replica. In the meantime, I still take a great deal of comfort from “Silent Night”.

The Project Queen

Single-Serve Microwave Popcorn

I don’t know why, but lately I’ve been experiencing a craving for popcorn. To satisfy it, I bought a box of single-serve microwave popcorn that I could snack on when the last 2 hours of work seemed to drag.

After that box was consumed, I planned to purchase another. Then I started to read the ingredients and nutrition labels. Suddenly, I didn’t want to eat pre-packaged microwave popcorn anymore. My favorite is Kettle Corn. The brands that carry it use sucralose as the sweetener. I don’t do fake sugar. Ditto for palm kernel oil. As I studied my options I kept coming back to the bagged popcorn. It’s certainly far more budget-friendly. And it contains a single ingredient – popcorn. The notion of making my own microwave popcorn started rolling around in my brain. I had heard or read somewhere that it’s possible to do the popping with a brown paper bag. Sure enough I did find recipes on the internet.

Turns out it really does work. My husband doesn’t eat a lot of popcorn, so heating a pot for 1 serving of stovetop popping isn’t practical. I’ve noticed that air poppers are making a comeback, but I really don’t need any more appliances in my kitchen. So the homemade single-serve microwave option is quite handy. I can also make it at school where the faculty lounges are equipped with microwaves, but no stove.

Popping my own popcorn at school gave me the idea to put together single-serve kits for all of my co-workers. Our district does a healthy eating challenge every year during the holidays. It involves getting weighed right after Thanksgiving and again after the new year. While it’s nice to have treats, those who are participating don’t want to be sabotaged with calorie bombs.

The recipe to make your own follows. You will notice in the photo that the popcorn is in a sandwich bag. To make it user-friendly for my colleagues I oiled the popcorn for them. I didn’t want the popcorn to make the bags greasy before people had the opportunity to enjoy their treat. When making for yourself, the plastic bag isn’t needed.

Single-Serve Microwave Popcorn

1/8 - 1/4 cup popcorn

1/4 tsp. canola oil (or 1 spritz of spray oil)

Leave popcorn in measuring cup and add oil to coat. Stir with a small utensil or toothpick to make sure all kernels are coated. Pour the popcorn into a paper lunch bag. Fold the top down and place in microwave. To make sure the popcorn is in a single layer, the bag can be placed on its side. Just make sure the fold is facing down. It's not necessary to use the popcorn  setting. Leave the microwave at full power and pop for 1 ½-2 minutes. Open the bag after all popping has stopped and add your favorite seasoning.

Some suggestions:

Italian: Parmesan-Romano Cheese, Italian Seasoning Herb Blend, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper (The easiest way to make it is to add 2 tbsp. Italian Seasoning, 1 tbsp. Garlic Powder and ½ tbsp. Cayenne Pepper to an 8 oz. container of cheese. Besides putting it on popcorn, it’s also tasty on pasta)

Ranch: Your favorite dry ranch mix

Kettle Corn: Sugar and a small amount of salt.

To keep the calories low, your popcorn can be coated with some spray oil so your flavoring sticks to it.

The Project Queen

Peacock Blue

Some of my projects are things I’ve been itching to make for awhile, and there is nothing like a sale at one of my favorite yarn stores to turn a dream into reality.

I have a Bernat pattern book in my collection that contains cable and raglan knitting patterns. There isn’t a copyright date, but judging from the hairstyles of the models, I place it between the early to mid 1960s. All of the patterns are classic and very wearable now, and there are several I would like to make eventually. However, there is one in particular that I am in love with; a sweater dress with a cable collar and sleeves. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s pictured in one of my favorite colors – peacock blue.

I forget when I bought this book. I know I’ve had it a few years now. The purchase of a pair of boots I bought a couple of months ago prompted me to pull it off the shelf. Since the yarn called for in the dress pattern was discontinued years ago, I did some research for suitable substitutes. I found some nice possibilities online, but since a dress requires lots of yarn I decided it would need to wait a while longer.

Last Friday I needed to run an errand in Old Town Spring after I got off work. I told my husband I would take care of buying dog food from one of our favorite venders there, so it would be one less stop to make during the weekend. Very obligingly, he asked me if I needed any yarn, reminding me that the yarn store just west of Old Town Spring was having a gum ball sale. Since I would be driving by it on my way home, there was no reason I couldn’t stop. Of course, I left with the yarn needed for my dress. I chose a peacock blue just a little darker than the pattern photo. I also bought 3 skeins of brown yarn. The store was a bit short of the peacock blue in the yarn of my choice, but I had already been considering a color blocked design. The yarn I fell in love with is a wool and alpaca blend. Soft, cozy alpaca is one of my favorite fibers. Committing to a 2-color design didn’t require any convincing.

I did a gage swatch that evening and have been working on the back piece for the last week. I’ve completed about 12 inches so far. It would be grand if I finished the dress before this winter ended. Though I’ve been knitting more than 20 years now, I don’t think I’m that fast. Still, it is a worthy goal, so we’ll see what happens. Wish me luck.

The Project Queen

Chicken Cordon Bleu Deconstructed

I don’t know about other households, but the members of mine think we’re having something special when Chicken Cordon Bleu is served for dinner. Of course, the easiest way to make it is buying the ready-made stuff and tossing it in the oven. If you’re like me, however, and growing increasingly concerned with the long list of ingredients found in many processed foods, finding easy alternatives to favorite dishes starts becoming a priority.

This recipe came about when I needed to use up some diced ham. I will occasionally challenge myself with labor intensive recipes. This wasn’t one of those occasions. After inventorying the freezer and pantry, I realized I had the components to make Chicken Cordon Bleu, only there was no way I was spending an hour or more pounding, filling, and breading a few chicken breasts.

Speeding up the process and keeping the dishes to a minimum was the name of the game. It’s a great way to use up something leftover, such as a holiday ham. (Scalloped potatoes and ham sandwiches are great, but who couldn’t use another recipe in their arsenal?) It's an easy weeknight dinner, but could also be served to guests. Might I suggest serving this at your New Year’s Eve get-together? Using chicken breast tenderloins helps shorten cook time, and it’s easier to serve smaller portions. Do your prep in the baking dish; wash fewer dishes later.

3 tbsp. butter

1 clove garlic or 1 tsp. garlic powder

1 c. Panko bread crumbs

1 tbsp. parsley, dried (double for fresh)

2 lbs. chicken breast tenderloins, thawed

1-2 c. ham, diced

1 c. Swiss cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place a 9” x 13” baking dish on the largest burner of your cooktop. Melt butter in the dish as it’s warming up. If using fresh garlic, sauté in the butter until it’s soft. Mix in the bread crumbs and parsley. Set aside in a small mixing bowl.

Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides and brown the outside in the baking dish, but don’t cook all the way thru. Move the dish off the heat. Make sure the chicken is distributed evenly. Sprinkle ham and cheese over the chicken and cover with the bread crumbs. Cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake 10 minutes more.

Note: To decide how much chicken to actually cook for the number of expected guests, plan on 2 pieces per person (unless someone is a really big eater.) The other ingredients can be adjusted accordingly. Deli sliced swiss cheese can also be used in place of shredded, 6-8 slices for a 9" x 13" pan.

The Project Queen