Rustic Almond Pear Galette!

Did you know that the pear is Oregon's state fruit? And this year is bringing a beautiful and bountiful crop.
There are a few steps to make this galette, but it is relatively easy. Just follow the directions and
serve warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Dough:
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, plus a little more for sprinkling on top
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (I use real salt)
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
1/3 cup ice water
Place the flour, sugar and salt into a large food processor. Add the cubes of butter and whirl until crumbly. Add the ice water and whirl until the dough comes together in a soft ball. If it seems dry add a little more ice water. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten into a 1 inch disk. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Almond and Pear Filling:
5 full cups of firm ripe Bartlett pears
1/2 cup of firm packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of raw slivered almonds, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup almond paste
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 egg lightly beaten
pinch of sea salt
Peel and core the pears and cut them into 1/2 thick slices. In a large bowl mix together the pears, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and the pinch of sea salt.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out into a 14 inch circle

  Transfer the dough onto the parchment covered baking sheet. Take two pieces of at least 10 inch wide wax paper and place the almond paste in the middle. Roll the paste out into about a 9 inch circle. Remove the wax paper and place the almond paste onto the middle of the galette dough.

 Lightly toast the slivered almonds in a pan over the stove. Sprinkle over the almond paste.
Layer the pears slices going in a circle over the almonds and paste. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the juices in the bowl over the pears. Discard the rest. Dot the butter evenly over the pears. Fold the border of the dough over the edge of the filling, pleat the dough as needed.. Leave the center of the galette open. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and lightly sprinkle with sugar.

Take a few finger fulls of raw almond slivers and sprinkle over the galette. I didn't have any parchment so  I used waxed paper and it worked just fine
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the pears are tender. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Then close your eyes and pretend you are in France :) 

Hallie was the only one home with me when I made this and since she is the cutest wiener dog ever she gets her picture in the blog.

EASTER PIZZA! The ultimate antipasto~

What you say? It isn't anywhere near Easter and when have you heard Easter and Pizza used in the same sentence? Well if you grew up in an Italian household this antipasto is always served on your Easter table. Now I am trying to stay somewhat seasonal so why am I posting this now? Two reasons~ one I was visiting my mother-in-law and my husbands cousin a couple of weeks ago and  I talked them into making this for the blog. I have never seen another Easter Pizza quite like this one, each region of Italy seems to have it's own version of recipes. And I wanted to capture it on film as my mom-in-law doesn't measure anything.
Number two~my girls are on vacation and they took their camera's with them (how rude) so I can't take any new pictures right now.

Here is my mom-in-law and her kitty. Aren't they cute?
My husband Gary has a cousin Diane who is an excellent cook. Far better than I'll ever be, she did the honors in making this delightful antipasto. It is especially a favorite with the kiddies, but I have seen plenty of adults gathered around the appetizer table.

Without further adou~ Janet and Diane and Easter Pizza!

2 lbs ricotta cheese
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 medium to large eggs
2 Tbs fresh chopped Italian parsley
6 oz pepperoni diced small
8 oz mozzarella cheese diced
4 cups cooked orzo pasta
1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse to stop the cooking process. Orzo pasta looks very similar to rice.

Break eggs into a large mixing bowl. Lightly beat them then add the chopped parsley, ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese. Mix together then add remaining ingredients and mix again.
It will be very thick

Spread evenly into a 9x13 baking pan and bake for about an hour in a preheated 350 degree oven until firm and lightly browned.

Cool, cut into squares and enjoy! Best served at room temperature, refrigerate any leftovers.
Thank you Diane! I love you very much and you and your mom were an inspiration to me. Showing each other such unconditional love. I am blessed to have known this family since I was 5 years old and marry into it when I was 21.

 Here is just about everybody, but my favorite nephew Dustin at our annual Memorial day reunion/ yard clean up. Quite the motley crew....Thank you Lord for the wonderful blessing of family!

Psalm 107:21 "Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men."

Summer Salads!!!

Pea Salad, Creamy Garlic Yogurt Dressing and Macaroni, Potato Salad and Chicken Salad!

For my younger daughter Vanessa, there is nothing better than Pea Salad with bacon.
And it is sooo easy to make!

#1
Pea Salad
16oz. frozen green peas
1/2 lb. bacon (I use nitrite free)
2 celery sticks chopped
1/2 cup roasted salted cashews
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup Greek yogurt

Place peas in colander rinse with hot water and let thaw. Cut up the bacon into small pieces and fry until brown. Drain on paper towels.  Place all of the ingredients except the Greek yogurt in a bowl and mix together. Gently stir in the Greek yogurt. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes for flavors to meld together.

So good and so easy!

#2
Creamy Garlic Yogurt Dressing
3/4 cup Milk
1/2cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup (heaping) parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup Greek yogurt
3 cloves garlic minced
2 Tbs. chopped green onion
1 teaspoon real* salt

Combine all ingredients except the Greek yogurt in a mixing bowl. Mix well with a wire whisk. Fold in the Greek yogurt leaving some lumps intact. Refrigerate in tightly closed container.
* Real salt is my favorite natural sea salt. It is unrefined and full of natural minerals and flavor. It is "saltier" than regular salt so you can use less of it. You can find Real salt at health food stores, Whole Foods and Fred Meyer. If you choose to use table salt you might add an extra 1/2 teaspoon.

Enjoy this fresh dressing with your favorite green vegetable salad!

#3
"The standard base" for macaroni, potato and chicken salad
Before I give the list of ingredients  I need to explain that I am not usually a measuring type of cook. I just sort of eyeball it most of the time. I did take the time to measure what I usually put in this base, but feel free to add or subtract a little depending on what your family likes.
3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise (Best Foods preferred!)
2 -3 Tbs mustard 

2 Tbs white vinegar
2 Tbs dill pickle juice
3 celery sticks chopped
1/2 cup red onion minced
3-4 slices of pickles minced ( I use Claussen Kosher Dill Sandwich Slices)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Place in covered container and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes. This is important! All the flavors need to meld together. So please make the base before you cook the macaroni, boil the potatoes or cut up the cooked chicken meat.
For Macaroni Salad~ Cook 1 lb macaroni according to package directions. Drain, rinse and cool. Add "the base". Additional ingredients I add to my mac salad is cubes of cheddar cheese, green peas and sliced olives.
For Potato Salad~ Peel about 3 russet potatos cut into cubes, scrub but don't peel about 3-4 red potatoes. Cut both types of potatoes into cubes and boil them in salted water until just fork tender but NOT mushy. Drain and cool, when cool add "the base" Mix together, sometimes I add a hard boiled egg or two.
For Chicken Salad~ Take one cooked chicken that is cooled cut up the pieces into cubes and add "the base".

Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Nothing like old fashioned macaroni or potato salad! Even Hallie our dog thinks so!
Thank you Lord for your abundant provision. May we truly be grateful and keep our eyes on you, the giver of all good things. Nourish our bodies that we might do your work. Amen
Psalm 18:19 "He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because he delights in me."

Fresh Peach and Blueberry Pie

Tis the season here in Oregon! Berry and peach season! Here is my family's favorite summer pie recipe along with my best flaky pie crust recipe.

Gary and Danny enjoying the finished product!

Pie crust

2 cups unbleached flour

6 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes

6 tablespoons regular crisco, cut into cubes

5-6 tablespoons ice water

1/2 teaspoon of salt 

Place flour, butter, shortening, and salt into food processor. Process on medium until crumbly. Add the ice water and process until mixture forms a ball. I love my very old but reliable food processor it makes a great crust every time!

Place dough into a sheet of wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Then flour your surface and your rolling pin and roll the dough out!

You all should be so blessed to have an amazing spatula like this ( my husband made this many many years ago) it makes lifting the pie dough into the dish a piece of cake! 

Flute the crust. We had a hard time doing this because it was so hot! So it did not come out as pretty as it should have but I decided to go ahead and post it anyway. Cooking is always an adventure and although it wasn't pretty it still tasted good. Poke holes in bottom and sides of the dough and bake in a preheated 425degree oven for 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool

Now on to the filling!

4-5 cups fresh blueberries divided

6 cups fresh peaches

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons corn starch

squeeze of fresh lemon

Take 2 heaping cups of fresh blueberries and place them in a medium sauce pan. Mash with the 1/2 cup of water

Mix together sugar and corn starch add to the mashed blueberries. Cook on medium heat until bubbly and thickened stirring with a whisk constantly, this will take several minutes. Continue cooking 1 minute longer. Remove from burner add a squeeze of fresh lemon. Cool. 

When the glaze is still slightly warm, peel and cut up  6 cups of peaches. To that add  2 cups of fresh blueberries. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon, pour on the glaze and lightly toss. Refrigerate the fruit and glaze mixture.

 Just before serving add the fruit and glaze to the baked pie shell. Serve with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!!!

A very special thank you to Uncle Danny for his help with this blog!!!

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control..." Galatians 5:22-23

Lord, thank you for the great blessings of family and friends. Thank you for the food on our tables and the joy of sharing it with others. Truly you are Jehovah Jireh, the one who provides. Amen

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits!

These biscuits are a family favorite. I took several recipes and blended them together to make one heavenly buttermilk biscuit! I have made them with sausage gravy, served them with fresh berry jam and local Oregon honey, made them jumbo size for bacon, egg and cheese sammy's or added just a little more buttermilk and used them as my dumplings for you guessed it chicken and dumplings. Which is a recipe I plan on sharing this fall when the weather turns damp and cool...oh wait we are unseasonally damp and cool now...well you will still just have to wait for that one.
   Please follow the directions carefully and you will have a tender and flaky biscuit that will have your loved ones asking for more. I realize now that I have started posting recipes that I have a few kitchen essentials that  I would have a hard time doing without and one of them is my 10" cast iron skillet. I use it for a variety of recipes but probably the most for this recipe. I suggest if you don't own  a cast iron skillet that you shut down your computer right now and go buy one. Trust me you won't be sorry that you did! 


Old fashioned Buttermilk biscuits
1 stick butter (it will be divided)
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
7/8 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 9" or 10" cast iron skillet. Set aside.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Take the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter and using a cheese grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture. Lightly toss butter into the mixture.

4. Add the buttermilk and stir lightly with a fork until the dough is free from the sides of the bowl.
5. Dump dough onto clean counter and knead gently, 10-12 folds. (Do not over knead or biscuits will be tough).
6. Roll or pat out the dough into a 1 inch thick square. Cut dough into 9 squares.

7. Place biscuits in cast iron skillet with the melted butter.
8. Bake 12-15 minutes. Enjoy warm from the oven with with additional butter, jam, or honey.

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. " Psalm 34:8
This is very similar to my dad's favorite grace~ "Bless us O Lord, for these thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Help us to be mindful of all our blessings, and to be mindful of the needs of others. In Jesus name, Amen

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

This white clam sauce is simple to make but tastes like you've spent hours cooking. It is good for a quick weeknight meal. 

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch green onions, diced (don't use the very end pieces)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, grated

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

1 can minced clams

1 can chopped clams

8 oz chicken broth

1/3 cup white wine (Chardonnay preferred)

squeeze of lemon 

a dash or two of red pepper flakes

1 pound linguine

1. Start heating a pot of salted water for the pasta, following package directions.
2. Heat butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the green onions, carrot and garlic. Saute until limp. At this point, make sure the pasta is cooking.

3. Add the clams with the juice, and the chicken broth.

4. Boil gently for a few minutes, so the clams are barely poached.
5. Add the wine, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes and a squeeze of lemon. Simmer for five minutes.

6. When pasta is al dente, drain and return to pot. Pour clam sauce over the pasta and simmer for 1-2 minutes, toss.

7. Serve with additional red pepper and grated parmesan cheese. Crusty italian bread is great for mopping up the sauce!

Firm Embrace,
The Adopted Italian