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Summer of Rhubarb: Mustard & Sage Pork Roast with Rhubarb Sauce

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When deciding on how to use my summer supply of rhubarb I knew I wanted to make a sauce. Perhaps for a cheesecake or perhaps for a meat. I decided that it would go nicely with a pork roast.  I love pork roasts. They are so easy & so delicious. This one is a mustard-sage roast as I had fresh sage from my garden. Serve it with sweet potatoes & a salad or some other vegetable of your choice. It’s sort of a fall inspired dish but it will be wonderful no matter when you have it.

Mustard & Sage Pork Roast with Rhubarb Sauce

  • 3-4tbsp whole grain mustard
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • dash of salt & pepper
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage (hopefully from your garden), chopped. You can sub 1 tsp dried sage if needed.
  • 1.5-2 lb pork roast
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb (If frozen let thaw but do not drain off liquid. Also if your rhubarb is on the greener side, add a handful of raspberries for extra color).
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp corn starch
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Mix the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Coat the roast entirely and place in a shallow baking dish. Roast for 60 minutes & let stand for 10 minutes (covered) before slicing. IMG_1315
  2. Place the rhubarb in a small pot with the water. Bring to a boil & then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir the sugar & corn starch together. Add to the rhubarb. Cook for another 2 minutes until thick & bubbly. IMG_1322
  3. Serve the sauce* with the roast

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*This sauce is almost more of a glaze. I wanted it thick because I knew I would use it for other recipes & this makes too much sauce for just a roast. If you prefer it thinner, use only 1-2 tsp corn starch. Use the leftovers in oatmeal for breakfast, as an ice cream topping, or make a dessert out of it. I made Oatmeal Rhubarb Bars

Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb-Raspberry Crisp

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Cobbler, crumble, or crisp? What is the difference? I am still not clear. Depending on who you ask you get different answers. Everyone agrees that a cobbler has a biscuit type topping. A batter dropped in small spoonfuls giving the appearance of a cobbled road. When it comes to crisps & crumbles the answer is not so easy. Some say it depends on whether you live in the US or in Britain. Some say it has to do with whether or not the topping has oats in it. However, people do not agree on which baked good contains the oats. Some say the crumble has the oats while others say the crisps contain the oats. For my purposes, a crisp has a topping of flour, butter, nuts & oats. The oats crisp up while baking, hence the crisp. That is how I learned it so that’s how it shall be for me.

With that in mind, I decided to continue my summer of rhubarb with a crisp. They are so simple & quick. Plus, I had vanilla ice cream in the freezer I wanted to eat up so I thought it was a perfect combination.

Rhubarb-Raspberry Crisp

  • 3 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-pupose flour
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • dash or two of nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup cold butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Thaw fruit if frozen but do not drain. Place fruit in a 2 qt baking dish. Stir in the granulated sugar.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, & spices. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the nuts. Sprinkle topping over fruit.
  3. Bake for 30-35 minutes (40 minutes for thawed fruit) or until fruit is tender & topping is golden. Serve warm with ice cream.

 

 

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Sunny Summer Strawberry-Cream Cheese Muffins

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I have joked with people before about having reverse SADS. I know I don’t really have this but sometimes I feel like I do. I love the winter. I love being active in the winter & doing “wintery” things. Once spring rolls around, I feel let down. Maybe it’s due to the fact that spring in Minnesota is basically non-existent. A muddy, wet, cool climate that prohibits me from ice fishing as well as doing other outdoor activities. Or maybe it’s from the fact that I have always thought of fall as the beginning of the year due to being in school from ages 3-23. Fall, for me, has always felt like a time to start fresh.

With that being said, the reverse SADS only lasts a small amount of time & I always laugh at myself when I feel this quasi-sadness, but it does happen every spring. This year in Almost Canada, the spring sadness came in a bit later due to the season arriving late, but rolled away with what I assume to be summer. Sunny days. Warmish weather. Yard games & shooting my bow in the backyard. It also came with strawberries.

Berries are one of the great advantages of summer. Fresh & seasonally delicious. These muffins will make your days seem bright & sunny or just add to the bright & sunny goodness you are already experiencing. These muffins are cake-like & spongey. Enjoy for breakfast, as a tea-time snack, or heated up with ice-cream for dessert.

Sorry for the lack of photos but they all got eaten & given away before any could be taken.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins (adapted from Raspberry-Cream Cheese Muffins)

  • 2/3 cup (5 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, not packed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk with 1/2tsp lemon juice
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced & diced
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat well.
  3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in strawberries and walnuts.
  4. Place 20 foil cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter evenly into liners. Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans & cool on a wire rack.

 

Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb-Strawberry Coffee Cake

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Here in Minnesota, and many other places as well, summer means rhubarb. Everything rhubarb. I grew up eating the beloved strawberry-rhubarb pie which my grandmother would make every summer using fresh rhubarb from her garden. As I grew older, I realized how amazing & versatile rhubarb can be.

I love all things rhubarb. Pies, crisps & crumbles, tarts, sauces for dessert or for savory dishes. There are so many options for how to use it. When a co-worker asked me if I wanted any rhubarb I jumped at getting as much as I could until I start growing it. She gave me 14 cups which I separated into various quantities & stored in the freezer so I could just pull it out & cook with it when I wanted.

I began my summer of rhubarb on Sunday with a coffee cake from my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Coffee Cake:

  • 3/4 cup fresh or frozen rhubarb cut into 1in pieces
  • 3/4 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk (alternatively use 1 tbsp lemon juice & fill with milk to 8oz & let stand 5 minutes)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter
  1. For filling, in a medium saucepan combine fruit & water. Bring to  boil. Reduce heat & simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes or until fruit is tender. Combine the 1/4 cup sugar & corn starch. Stir into the fruit. Cook & stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened & bubbly.
  2. In a medium bowl combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder & baking soda. Cut in the 1/4 cup butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center.
  3. In another bowl combine the egg, buttermilk, & vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture & stir until just moistened. Batter will be lumpy.
  4. Spread half the batter into an ungreased 8x8x2in baking pan. Spread filling over batter. Drop remaining batter in small mounds onto filling.
  5. In a small bowl stir together the 1/4 flour & 1/4 sugar. Cut in the 2 tbsp butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the coffee cake. Bake in a 350F oven for 40-45minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

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Raisin Bread: To Yeast or not to Yeast

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I have never liked raisins. Not even as a child. I would rather eat nothing than eat raisins. A while back I did a battle of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and I have been sitting on a bag of raisins ever since. I don’t like them in salads or cookies but on occasion I have eaten Cinnamon Raisin Bread and enjoyed them that way. I decided to try a few different recipes to see if I could begin to use up my supply. I made one bread recipe with yeast & a quick bread recipe (with no yeast).

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I went with the no yeast recipe first. I love making quick breads. They are so “quick” & easy as the name implies. They almost always turn out delicious & moist which are the two basic criteria for a successful quick bread.

Cinnamon Raisin Quick Bread

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (I used 1tbsp lemon juice and enough milk to make 1  cup & let stand for 5 minutes)
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  •  1/3  cup raisins
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  2. In a small bowl whisk egg, buttermilk, and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry & stir until just combined. Fold in raisins.
  3. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; set aside.
  4. Spoon half the batter into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle with half of the reserved cinnamon-sugar; repeat layers. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
  5. Bake 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Let cool completely.

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Cinnamon Raisin Bread

  • ½ cup milk
  • 1/3 cup warm water, approximately 110F
  • 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour plus a few tablespoons (to reach desired consistency)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  1. Add warm water to a medium bowl. Stir yeast in water and set aside, about 5-10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, warm milk in a small saucepan or microwave until it just starts to bubble. Let cool until lukewarm.
  3. Mix in egg, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, salt and raisins to yeast mixture. Stir in the cooled milk slowly.
  4. Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until smooth.
  5. Grease a large bowl and place the dough inside turning to lightly grease all sides of the dough. Cover loosely with a warm, damp cloth.
  6. Let rise until doubled in size (approximately 2 hrs).
  7. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, approximately 1/2 inch thick.
  8. Moisten the surface of the dough with 1 tablespoon milk.
  9. Mix together ½  cup of sugar & 1 tbsp cinnamon and sprinkle mixture evenly on top of the moistened dough.
  10. Roll the dough tightly (the long way). Tuck under ends and pinch bottom together.
  11. Place a piece of parchment paper inside the loaf pan (for easy removal), grease with butter, and add the loaf. Let rise uncovered for about an hour.
  12. Place in cold oven and set to 350F. Bake for 60minutes until lightly browned and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
  13. Cool for 10 minutes in pan.
  14. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.

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Results:

Both breads were scrumptious. However…the yeasted bread was exceptional! The texture was what one would expect from a Cinnamon Raisin Bread & it looked more pleasing to the eye as the swirls were very pronounced. The cinnamon swirls were also more sticky compared to the quick bread. When you bit in to the quick bread, it had a sugar-cinnamon crust on top and in the middle, whereas the swirls in the other were slightly crispy & slightly gooey & sticky all at the same time.

Definitely take the time to make the bread with yeast. Also, the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled so you can make many loaves at once and place some in the fridge to bake at a later date. If this is done, once the dough is rolled out and rolled back up with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, cut in half or into thirds depending on how many loaves you are making. Place in the loaf pan with parchment paper and cover loosely. Place in the fridge and use within 1 week. When ready to bake, let stand on the counter or in a cold oven for 1 hour. Proceed to bake as previously directed.

 

Peach Muffins & Peach Bread

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It has been a long time since I have been able to bake. I moved up north and had temporary living arrangements where I did not have my kitchen or pantry items available to me for 2 months. I finally closed on my new home and have started the slow process of unpacking. The kitchen, however, was put together almost immediately.

My new kitchen has a wall oven. I have always wanted a wall oven. It’s so easy to put things in and take them out without ever having to bend over. I finally got to put it to good use these past few days. Baking Sunday occurred for the first time in a long time. For those of you who don’t know “Baking Sunday” is where I bake & do other things I enjoy while my other half watches football – a sport which I completely detest.

As I was looking through my cookbooks trying to figure out what to make, my sweetie saw a photo of fudgie brownies and said that it looked yummy. So I decided to make them. They turned out very dense and fudge-like as the name implied. I decided that the next day I would make muffins as I saw a recipe for “Muffin Monday” that looked yummy which called for canned apricots.

Seeing as how I have no can opener (it’s a long story) I needed something that had a tab on the lid or those fruit in syrup packs. I ended up buying peaches in syrup.

Peach Muffins adapted from Apricot Muffins

  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1 /2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 (4) pack of diced peaches in syrup (4-4oz containers)
  • 1/4 cup syrup from the drained dice peaches
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350F & line a muffin pan with liners. Drain the peaches but retain the syrup. Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl and mix the rest of the ingredients (except the diced peaches) in a medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the diced peaches leaving 1/2 to 2/3 cup to use in another recipe. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove muffins from pan and cool completely.

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As I had leftover peaches and syrup I decided to make a quick bread to use them up.

Peach Bread

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup fruit syrup
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup diced peaches
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a loaf pan with butter. Mix the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the oil, eggs, syrup, & milk in a medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the peaches and walnuts and pour into greased loaf pan. Bake for 50-60minutes or until a toothpick near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in a wire rack and remove from pan to cool completely before slicing.

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Both were delicious. The muffins had a light peach flavor throughout with bits of diced peaches, but they were a little dense and not as moist as they could have been. The bread also had peach flavor throughout and bits of diced peaches but was very moist. It had a great texture with the walnuts as well. Thus, the bread wins this battle.