Summertime Jam and Jelly

Today my article ran in the Topeka Capital-Journal newspaper on making jams and jellies. 

The piece features a European-style strawberry jam recipe inspired by one Sue posted on her View from Great Island blog last summer, plus one I saw in Home Made Summer by Yvette Van Boven.

In this method, instead of boiling the filled jars to seal them shut, you turn the jars upside down to seal!

Also, the article features my Mom’s yummy grape jelly, which we made on a recent Sunday morning on the

farm in the traditional way.

Both the jam and jelly were big hits!

Click here for the article and strawberry jam recipe.

Click here for Mom’s homemade grape jelly recipe.

Mystery Cuisine: Peach Upside-Down Cake

Two happy events occurred recently. One was the arrival of summer peaches, which I mentioned in my last post. The second was the publication of a new Booktown Mystery by Lorna Barrett, titled Not the Killing Type.

I've written before about Barrett’s cozy mystery series, which also contains recipes. In fact, I look forward to the recipes just about as much as I do learning about the latest happenings to protagonist, Tricia Miles, and the other residents of the fictional Stoneham, New Hampshire.

This new book didn't disappoint, both with the plot and the recipes. I enjoyed the emotional growth Tricia goes through as she works to solve the current town murder. Barrett gave this plot a lot of depth. Then I saw the recipe for Grandma Miles’s Peach Upside-Down Cake and knew I had to give it a try. So I headed to a farm stand located at a North Topeka gas station and found some delicious peaches (along with yummy tomatoes and cantaloupe.)

This is an easy recipe. I didn't bother peeling the peaches, and I added cinnamon to the recipe since I think its warm, fragrant flavor goes well with peaches. The result was a delicious cake that works both as a breakfast coffee cake (as it’s used in the novel) or a dessert.

The Picky Eater gave his approval.

I've had a slice for breakfast two days in a row. Plus a slice for an afternoon snack.

Yep, this recipe is a keeper!

Peach Upside-Down Cake

Adapted from Not the Killing Type by Lorna Barrett

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 cups sliced peaches, fresh or frozen

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pour the melted butter into a 9-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter, and then lay the peaches on top in a single layer. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the peaches. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the shortening and sugar. Add the egg, lemon juice and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat the flour mixture and the milk, alternating between the two (one-third flour mixture, half the milk, one-third flour mixture, half milk, and remaining flour mixture.)

Spoon the cake batter on top of the peaches and smooth until even. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn the cake out onto a plate. Serve warm (though it tastes great cold, too!)

Rustic Peach Tart

Peaches have arrived in Topeka’s farmer's markets, and I've found a lovely way to enjoy them…other than the obvious one of consuming the luscious, sweet fruit while the juice runs through your fingertips This rustic Peach Tart is simple to make and highlights the flavor of ripe summer peaches.

The recipe is adapted from one I found in Home Made Summer by Yvette Van Boven. If you haven’t seen this cookbook yet, run out and grab a copy before summer’s bounty passes by. The book is full of wonderful recipes that celebrate the simple deliciousness of the fruits and vegetables available this time of year.

The best part of this recipe is the ease of preparation. There’s no peeling the peaches, and the crust comes together in minutes thanks to the food processor (and is one of the best crusts I've ever eaten.)

I also like the simplicity of the filling, which is just peaches, sugar, and salt. That’s it. The peaches are allowed to shine without any extra enhancements. Plus, depending on the sweetness of the fruit, not a lot of sugar is necessary.

Don’t have peaches? Any summer fruit will do in this tart recipe.

A simple, flavorful summer dessert. Perfect!

***Hey, thanks for reading! If you've enjoyed my posts or tried one of my recipes, you can support my writing efforts through Buy Me a Coffee...or tea...or flavored fizzy water. Your donation will be greatly appreciated, especially now as I deal with a chronic autoimmune disease that flared back up again. The button is located on the right-hand side of this page or you can follow the link here. If you can't donate, that's okay, too. Either way, thank you so much for reading my stuff!  

Pressure Cooker Pulled-Pork

Through the years I've made pulled pork a number of ways—slow corker, oven, and smoker. I love this dish for summer gatherings and it is always a popular meal choice.

Recently I discovered what is now my all-time favorite way to prepare pulled pork—with my pressure cooker. I tried this recipe while working on a newspaper article for the Topeka Capital-Journal about this much-maligned piece of kitchen equipment, and now it's my go-to one.  

Pressure cookers work by trapping steam inside, which in turn increases the pressure and temperature to a higher level than can be reached in a normal pan—thirty-eight degrees higher, to be exact. Food cooks faster, retains more flavors, and uses less energy. Plus, a pressure cooker is perfect for summertime, since the steam stays inside the pan instead of heating up your kitchen. (For tips on using a pressure cooker, check out my article here. You can also find the recipe I made for pressure-cooker Citrus Grain Salad here.)

This pulled pork recipe is easy! Instead of taking 6 to 12 hours to make, this one only takes 45 minutes

under pressure to cook a 4-pound pork shoulder. Including preparation, getting the pressure cooker up to full pressure, and the cooling off time, the recipe only takes about 1 1/2 hours from start to finish.

The flavor of this pulled pork recipe is amazing! The Picky Eater liked it and enjoyed the leftovers the next day. The liquid from the preparation makes a delicious sauce, or you can serve it with your favorite barbecue sauce.

Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork

Adapted from Pressure Cooker Perfection by the editors at America’s Test Kitchen

Serves 6 to 8

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 4-pound pork butt roast (also known and pork shoulder), cut into 4 pieces

3/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

6 to 8 hamburger buns

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture all over the pork pieces. In the pressure cooker, whisk together the cider vinegar, water, ketchup and liquid smoke. Add the pork pieces into the pot.

Seal the lid, and bring the pressure cooker up to high pressure over medium-high heat. When the cooker reaches high pressure, lower the heat to medium-low or lower, and cook for 45 minutes. If needed, adjust the heat to keep at high pressure.

Remove the pressure cooker from the heat and allow it to sit with the lid still locked for 15 minute to naturally release the pressure. After 15 minutes, quick release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and place the pork to a large bowl. Return the pressure cooker to the stove without the lid. Skim off any fat from the top of the sauce in the cooker. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced to approximately 2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes.

When the pork is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the pork, and serve the rest on the side. You may also serve with your favorite barbecue sauce. Spoon the pork onto the buns and serve. 

Food: The Universal Language

I’m sorry I haven’t posted much this month. I've spent most of it teaching summer camp for my preschoolers at Discovery School Montessori School, where I've worked for the past three years. This is the last week of camp…and my last week at the school. Next week I start my new work life as a full-time freelance writer.

Also, I've spent time with Angela, a lovely 16 year-old from Ukraine that my sister-in-law and her husband plan to adopt. She is here for the summer and hangs out with The Picky Eater and I whenever my sister-in-law has to go into work.

The entire experience is interesting since she doesn't speak much English and I know only how to say “Hello” and “Thank you” in Ukrainian. However, there is one language we both speak…food! She loves to cook. Recently we made a rustic peach pie, which I’ll blog about soon, and these chocolate chip cookies topped with M & Ms. We also hope to make some of her native country’s dishes soon for everyone to try.

Thank your for your patience as I get through this final week. I promise there will be many, many blog posts coming soon. 

European Treats from Brits and Au Marché

I’m always enamored by European food, especially British fare, as those of you who read this blog already know thanks to my posts on a typical British ploughman’s lunch and afternoon tea. When I was in the United Kingdom, I spent a great deal of time walking through every aisle of the corner shop looking at the products offered that were different from home. And when I found the Harrods food halls, I was in heaven!

I've never been to the other European countries, but I love the food from France (I blame Julia Child), Italy (Lidia Bastianich and Mary Ann Esposito), and Germany (my German heritage.) Breads, cheeses, and cured meats comprise some of my favorite lunches, and my favorite varieties and styles seem to come from across the Atlantic.

Last Saturday, The Picky Eater and I spent the day in Lawrence, Kansas, which always includes stops at Brits and Au Marché, conveniently located next door to each other. These two shops can conquer just about any European craving.

Being a true anglophile, Brits is my first stop. The Picky Eater sits on a bench and waits while I go up and down each aisle to check out what’s new and look for old favorites.

You can find any tea imaginable...

Plus a lot of food stuffs that take me back to those little corner shops in small British towns.

There are also beverages (I love the rose lemonade and elderflower pressé), cheeses, and frozen sausages and meat pies. Recently the shop started selling take-away items from Queen Lizzy’s Catering, including scotch eggs and sausage rolls. 

Of course, there are souvenirs…

And collectibles…

Don’t forget the jams…

Plus scarves from various football (soccer) teams…

I always leave with my favorite Carrs Ginger Lemon Cremes biscuits (cookies) and Nestle Toffee Crisp candy bar, plus anything else that looks appealing. Usually that includes a jar of orange marmalade, a book on British food, a new tea, and pudding. Also, we always stock up on Airwaves menthol and eucalyptus gum, which packs a refreshing punch in each tiny piece.

Next I venture to the rest of Europe when I step into Au Marché.

First I head straight for the cheese case. Cheese is my favorite food, but the chocolate case comes in a close second.

Plus, I make a stop at the case of imported salami and hams (some were missing because the clerk behind the counter was busy slicing them for customers)…

And then I scope out all of the other food stuffs, though some of the labels aren't in English, so I have no idea what’s inside. Of course, all I have to do is ask owner Lora Wiley and she fills me in on the details.

The shop sells in-house coffee bean varieties. Also available are bags of tea in a lot of different flavors. I left with the orange-cinnamon variety, which is yummy.

The only problem with Brits and Au Marché is deciding which treat to enjoy first when I get home.

Three Years of Blogging Foodie Fun!

Three years ago today I started this blog. (You can read post #1 here.) I was a food writer totally embedded into the New Hampshire and New England food scene. My favorite restaurants knew me by name, I knew where to buy the best pastries, and I had my favorite farm stands and food shops. Plus, I had made life-long friends I would terribly miss. All of which added up to my being very nervous about moving halfway across the country.

Life has changed a lot in three years. Now I have a new husband (and last name to go with him), a downtown apartment home in Topeka, and new important people in my life. I also have my favorite area restaurants, food shops, and farmer's markets. That's one of the nice things about the foodie world...you can always find someone to talk with about food.


I was excited three years ago at all of the possibilities my new life would offer. Turns out, those possibilities went beyond my wildest dreams. Yes, I miss New England from time to time. But I adore my city home on the prairie.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

There is one candy The Picky Eater and I agree on—Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. We buy the mini ones and keep them in a 1930s refrigerator-ware dish made by The Hall China Company for Westinghouse.  However, these little bites of chocolate-peanut butter goodness don’t stay around our house for long. 

Last week, Mary of the One Perfect Bite blog posted a recipe for Reese’s-Like Peanut Butter Bars. This is one of my favorite food blogs, so needless to say, I immediately printed out the recipe and started assembling the ingredients.

These treats are scrumptious! Since the recipe calls for graham cracker crumbs and chocolate, I added some mini-marshmallows on top of half the recipe for s’mores-like flavor. The Picky Eater loved the non-marshmallow ones—he gave them his famous three-thumbs-up! (So good he needs another thumb. He’s so cute.) Now we have a new candy for our vintage dish.

You can find the recipe here, and be sure to check our more of Mary’s delicious creations.

Brined Pork Chops

Do you smell it? Each evening, the aroma of grills cooking delicious things wafts through the windows of our van as I ride along for the first few stops on the Picky Eater’s courier route. To me, those tantalizing smells are the true signal that summer is fast approaching.

Unfortunately, we live in a downtown apartment with no outdoor space. Any grilling I do is inside on the
George Foreman grill, but I keep stopping in stores to stare at the cast iron grill pans. I see one coming to my kitchen in the near future. (This picture is part of the scenery we see on the route. Isn't Kansas beautiful!)

I've read for some time about how brining is a good way to prepare meat for the grill, especially pork. The salt in the brine not only helps to draw flavors into the meat, but it also keeps the moisture inside as the meat cooks.

I found this recipe for brined pork chops in Taste of the Midwest by Dan Kaercher. The seasonings were perfect for pork. Since I was using bone-in chops, I decided to fry them in a cast iron skillet instead of cooking on the Foreman grill.

The chops were delicious. Even the Picky Eater loved them, asking, “Can we have these again?”

You bet we will!

One tip about this recipe: Be sure to use kosher salt. Regular table salt will make the chops too salty to eat.  Also, don’t brine the chops for more than 4 hours, for the same reason.

Brined Pork Chops

Adapted from Taste of the Midwest by Dan Kaercher

8 cups water

1/2 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds, coarsely crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves, coarsely crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons whole allspice, coarsely crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed

3 bay leaves

4 bone-in pork chops, about 1-inch thick

Flour, for dusting

2 to 3 teaspoons oil, for frying

To make the brine: Combine the water, kosher salt, brown sugar and spices in a large saucepan. (I crushed the spices with my meat mallet, but you can also use the bottom of a saucepan or small skillet. Just push until you hear the spices crack.) Stir over medium-high heat until the mixture comes almost to a boil and the salt and sugar are dissolved. Cool the mixture to room temperature, and then cover and place in the refrigerator to chill, at least 2 hours.

To make the chops: Put the pork chops into the brine solution. Cover and place back into the refrigerator to chill for 2 to 4 hours. (Do not go over 4 hours.) Make sure the brine completely covers the meat. (You can do this in a zippered plastic bag or a bowl.)

Remove the chops from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Allow the chop to sit out for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.

Place the oil in a skillet (I used cast iron) and preheat over medium heat. Dip the chops into flour to coat, making sure to shake off any excess. Place in the skillet and cook for 7 to 10 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

To grill, preheat the grill. Reduce the grill to medium heat and cook the chops over indirect heat. (The burners under the chops are off, but the ones to the side are on.) Cover the grill and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, turning the chops halfway through the cooking time.  

Angel Food Cake for Mother's Day

I was excited when Mom requested an angel food cake for Mother’s Day. (It doesn't take a lot to make a food writer happy!) She had given me a 10-inch tube pan last year, and while I’d used it for a couple of recipes, I’d always wanted to try an angel food cake.

Now the cake is this summer’s go-to dessert!

For some reason, I thought angel food cakes were hard to make. Silly me! They’re not difficult at all, as long as you keep a few pointers in mind.

First, if you don’t have a tube pan with a removable bottom, I suggest you get one. Since angel food cakes must be baked in an ungreased pan so the cake can cling to the sides as it rises, a removable bottom will save you a lot of headaches when it comes time to take the cake out of the pan. However, if you don’t have one, don’t let that stop you. Just line the bottom with parchment paper before you add the batter.

The key to a great angel food cake is in how you whip the egg whites—soft and fluffy, but not stiff.  The cream of tarter in the recipe will help stabilize the egg whites, making your job a bit easier. Also, have the whites at almost room temperature (60 to 70 degrees) before whipping.

Another key is to cool the cake upside down. Some tube pans have little metal “feet” to hold them up, but you can also invert the pan and prop it on the neck of a bottle or an inverted funnel while the cake cool. Just don’t try to remove the cake from the pan for at least 1 1/2 hours.   

This angel food cake turned out light, moist, and delicious! However, it did look a little lopsided thanks to one side getting a bit squished during the trip from Kansas to Missouri. We topped each piece with sliced strawberries in sugar (the frozen kind found at the grocery store, per Mom’s request) and fresh whipped cream. (Here's Mom with her cake. I did see her munching on a plain, hand-held slice, too. Why not? It was her day!)

The best thing about this cake, besides being fat-free, is the variety of toppings you can serve with it. Fruits, flavored glazes, frosting…just use your imagination.

Next time, the only thing I would change, besides squishing the cake in transport, will be to add the optional almond extract. Mom noticed it was missing. Now I have an excuse to make it again…and again…and again.

Angel Cake

Adapted from Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker

1 cup sifted cake flour (sift the flour before you measure)

1 1/2 cup sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups egg whites (between 10 and 12 eggs, depending on the size)

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Separate you egg whites and set aside so they come to room temperature (between 60 and 70 degrees.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Have at the ready a 10-inch ungreased tube pan. If your pan doesn't have a removable bottom, line the bottom with parchment paper.

Sift together the cake flour, 3/4 cup sugar, and salt, three times. (Yes, three times! You want everything light and airy.) Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl if you’re using a hand mixer, place the egg whites, water, lemon

juice , cream of tarter and flavorings. Beat on low speed for 1 minute to combine, and then increase the speed to medium high and beat until the mixture is a foam that holds a soft shape when you lift the beaters and has increased in volume 4 to 5 times, which takes about 3 to 5 minutes. (Mine took 4 minutes.)

Continue to beat on medium-high speed while adding the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar, one tablespoon at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes. At this point the mixture should hold soft, glossy peaks that bend over at the top when you left out the beaters. (Do not beat until stiff!) You want a mixture that holds a shape but can still be poured into a cake pan.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Sift a fine layer of the flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, over the top of the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour until it is just combined. Continue to gently add the flour 1/4 cup at a time until it is all incorporated. Don’t stir or mix the batter…just keep folding until there are no traces of the flour left.

Pour the batter into the tube pan. Spread the top gently to level, and then run a thin metal spatula through the batter to release any large air bubbles. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. (Mine took 35.)

Remove the cake pan from the oven and cool the cake in the pan, upside down, for 1 1/2 hours to keep the cake from collapsing. Some pans have little metal feet to hold it upside down, but if not, just place the center of the tube pan onto the neck of a bottle or an upside down funnel to hold the cake while it cools.

To remove the cake from the pan, slide a thin knife between the cake and the pan to help it release, both the outside edge and the inner tube. With a removable bottom, you should now be able to lift the cake out of the pan. Then just slide the knife between the cake and the bottom to remove completely. (If the tube pan doesn't have a removable bottom, just turn the pan over and gently tap until the cake comes out.)

Allow the cake to cool completely before wrapping or frosting. If stored in an air-tight container (or wrapped in plastic wrap) the cake should stay moist and fresh for 2 to 3 days. When serving, cut the cake with a serrated knife in a gentle sawing motion.   

Minute Steaks and Skillet-Roasted Chicken for Two

Have you ever watched “America’s Test Kitchen” on PBS? I've been a fan for years. Filmed in a 2,500-square-foot-kitchen in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this is where the delicious recipes for Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines are created, as well as the ones for the television program.

What I love about this television show and the magazines is how the folks in the test kitchen try out every imaginable recipe for a dish until they develop what they feel is the perfect one. They also test kitchen equipment and ingredients to find the best taste, performance, and value. Since the magazines do not contain advertising, I feel secure that I'm getting an honest opinion.

For a food writer, the Test Kitchen’s efforts are priceless. While I will test different ways to create a recipe, their work often points me in the right direction and saves me a lot of time. Sometimes I think their final recipe is a little too complicated, but not often. And I may change ingredients or steps from time to time, but their basic ideas offer a sound foundation from where to start.

Recently, I was thrilled to receive the America’s Test Kitchen book Cooking for Two 2013. It’s perfect for my household, which consists of The Picky Eater and me. Plus, each recipe includes the detailed explanation as to how it was created. I immediately started flagging recipes to try.

Here are the first two, both of which were hits in our house:

First, I made the Weeknight Roast Chicken, which is done in a skillet and only takes an hour! Instead of making the sauce in the recipe, I made gravy in the skillet.

I loved it! The meat was moist and the skin nicely browned. The Picky Eater liked it, but he wanted the meat to be more fall-off-the-bone. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to try it again!

Next, I made the Minute Steaks with Garlic-Parsley Butter…except mine had garlic-rosemary butter since I was out of fresh parsley. 

The recipe called for spreading the just-cooked steaks with a compound butter, but instead I melted the compound butter in the still-hot skillet to get any left behind steak flavor and cook the garlic just a bit. Since the Picky Eater doesn't like garlic, I left his steak plain and he topped it with his favorite sauce—ketchup. I, however, happily poured the melted butter over my serving.

We both loved this one! The Picky Eater has already requested we have it again. (He said, “I give it three thumbs up and I only have two thumbs!” Sometimes he can be a little silly, but he’s cute.)

I can’t wait to try more recipes in this cookbook. I’m just getting started!

Weeknight Roast Chicken

Adapted from Cooking for Two 2013 by the Editors of America’s Test Kitchen

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 (3- to 3 1/2-pound) whole chicken, giblets removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

Place a 12-inch oven-safe skillet (I used cast iron) into the oven on a rack place in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a small dish, mix together the salt and pepper. Dry the chicken with paper towels, and then rub the entire bird with olive oil. Next rub the salt/pepper mixture all over the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the back.

When the oven and skillet are preheated, place the chicken into the skillet. Roast in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the breast meat reaches 120 degrees and the thighs reach 135 degrees. Turn the oven off—yes, you turn off the oven!—leaving the chicken inside for another 25 to 35 minutes, until the breast reaches 160 degrees and the thighs reach 175 degrees. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Minute Steaks with Garlic-Rosemary Butter

Adapted from Cooking for Two 2013 by the Editors of America’s Test Kitchen

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon dried ground rosemary or 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 (6-ounce) cubed steaks

2 tablespoons oil

In a small dish, mix together the butter, rosemary, garlic and Worcestershire sauce until combined. Set aside.

Place the flour into a shallow dish. Pour the oil into a 12-inch non-stick skillet (I used cast iron) and heat over medium-high heat until the oil just begins to smoke. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and then coat with the flour, being sure to shake off the excess.

Fry the steaks on one side until they reach a deep brown, about 3 minutes. Turn the steaks and continue to cook for an additional 1 to 3 minutes. Remove the steaks to serving plates.

Turn off the heat under the skillet and pour any excess fat. Add the butter to the skillet and cook until just melted, scraping any steak bits off the bottom. Pour the melted butter over the steaks and serve.