Sister Mary's Zucchini Brownies

Sister Mary's Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini Brownies

2 cups sugar ( I used 2 cups packed brown sugar )

1 cup oil

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

2 cups shredded zucchini

2 tsps. vanilla


In large mixing bowl place the sugar, oil, and eggs. Beat with electric mixer. Stir in vanilla and zucchini and milk. In separate bowl stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to sugar mixture and stir well to mix. Pour into greased cookie sheet. Bake in 360F oven for 20 minutes until done.

Icing

Frost while warm.

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cocoa

6 Tbsp. evaporated milk (I used just reg cream or milk)

3-4 cups icing sugar

2 tsps vanilla

Delicious Carrot and Bran Muffins

These muffins are not only delicious but also healthy!

my Carrot and Bran Muffins

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 and 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 and 1/4 cups regular bran
3/4 cup oatmeal
1 and 1/2 cups of finely shredded carrot
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 and 1/2 cups flour
1 and 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 and 1/2 cups raisins ( more or less as desired ) I like to wash the raisins in warm water before using.

In large mixing bowl beat together the oil, brown sugar, syrup and eggs using electric mixer. Now add the bran, oatmeal and carrot and stir well to mix together. In separate small bowl place the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir together. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk stirring well. Stir in raisins. Add just a tad more flour if the batter seems runny.
Bake in greased muffin tins in preheated oven. I bake mine at 350F for approximately 20 minutes. Bake till golden brown, remove from oven. Cool and enjoy! Makes 24 muffins.

Raisin Scones

my homemade Raisin Scones

2 cups flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup butter ( scant )
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup raisins

In large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir to blend. Add raisins. Cut in butter. In small bowl combine milk and beaten egg. Add to flour mixture and stir with fork to mix all together.

Pat into greasing baking pan, using a little flour to pat it out to the edges of the pan. I use a pizza pan.
Cut into 8 triangle wedges. Bake in preheated oven at 375 F for 15 -20 minutes until golden.

Serve warm along side a stew or soup for lunch or supper or for breakfast with your morning coffee.

Bubbat ( a Mennonite flat bread )

This is a tastey bread to serve along side of roast chicken or farmer sausage!

my homemade Bubbat

1 cup flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons oil or vegetable shortening melted
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup raisins

In large mixing bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the shortening, beaten egg and milk. Stir together. Stir in raisins.
Pour into greased 8 inch cake pan. Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes till done.
( this recipe may be doubled and baked in a larger pan )

Cream Cookies

Cream Cookies

MY CREAM COOKIES

1 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 and 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
5 cups flour ( approximately )

In large mixing bowl, place the butter, white sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer Stir in the sour cream. In separate small bowl stir together the soda, salt, baking powder and 2 cups of the flour. Add to cream mixture and stir well. Now stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Gently pat and roll out on floured  counter. Cut into your favorite cookie shapes. Bake in 350 F oven for 7 minutes until done. Put on your favorite vanilla or chocolate icing and decorate as desired. Enjoy. Store in air tight container.

Crumb Apple Cake



My Crumb Apple Cake

2 and 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter

Measure flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar into large mixing bowl. Stir well. Cut in the margarine and rub into crumbs. Take out 2/3 cup crumbs - set aside for topping. To the remaining crumbs add the following:
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup sour milk
Beat with electric mixer to mix well.
Pour into greased 9x13 inch baking pan.

Peel and slice 2 large apples. Place apple slices on top of the batter in pan. Now sprinkle with the reserved crumbs for topping. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until done. Serve with or without ice-cream.

Rhubarb Platz ( a Mennonite Rhubarb Square )

My Rhubarb Platz

3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 and 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
1/2 cup soft margarine
1 egg yolk
4 tablespoons milk

Rhubarb ( about 4 - 5 cups chopped )

1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons flour
ground cinnamon

Prepare rhubarb and set aside. In large mixing bowl place the 3 cups flour, the salt, baking powder, and the 1 and 1/2 cups white sugar. Stir thoroughly to blend. Add soft margarine. Rub with hands to form crumbs. In separate small bowl combine egg yolk and milk. Slowly add the egg/milk mixture to the crumbs, be sure to add only enough liquid to make soft crumbles. It may not take all the milk/egg mixture. Place half of crumble mixture into greased 10" by 13" baking pan. Pat down. Place chopped rhubarb onto top. Stir together the 1 cup white sugar and 2 tablespoons flour. Sprinkle sugar mixture over rhubarb. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 F oven for 30 - 40 minutes until done, a nice light golden brown.

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

This cake is moist and delicious! Very easy to make!

My Rhubarb Coffe Cake

Batter
1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
2 cups cubed fresh rhubarb

Topping
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Stir together.

Using electric mixer, beat together the brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in large mixing bowl. In separate bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk to brown sugar mixture. Beat with electric mixer or by hand till well combined. Gently stir in the rhubarb. Place cake batter in greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with the topping mixture. Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes until done. Serve and enjoy!

Home Style Chicken Stew

5 medium sized chicken breasts, cut in chunks

My Home Style Chicken Stew

2 small onions,chopped

1 litre chicken broth

3 cups mixed frozen vegetables
3 medium potatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 tablespoon soya sauce (gluten free if desired)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

a bit of flour ( rice flour if you are making gluten free ) to roll chicken pieces

Roll chicken pieces in flour to coat. Fry chicken in pan using a little oil, turning often. Cook till done and lightly browned. Add onion to frying pan and cook with chicken pieces. Place chicken and onion in roaster pan, now add the remaining ingredients except corn starch to roaster pan and stir together well. Bake in 350F oven for 30 minutes. Now mix cornstarch with a little cold water and stir into stew. Return stew to oven and continue to bake another 30 minutes approximately till done. Serve with a slice of homemade bread. Enjoy!

I make this recipe gluten free - just be sure to use rice flour to coat the chicken, and also make sure your soya sauce is gluten free.

Glomms Warenikje with Cream Gravy (Cottage Cheese Perogies )

My Vereniki

These are boiled cottage cheese filled dumplings also know as Vereniki.

Dough
1 cup milk
3 egg whites
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon salt
4 - 5 cups flour

Cottage Cheese Filling
3 cups dry cottage cheese
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons cream
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix dough and knead until smooth and firm. Roll out thin on lightly floured counter and cut in squares. Place 1 tablespoon of the cottage cheese filling in center of each square. Fold dough over and seal edges.  Gently put each dumpling into boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
Serve with Cream Gravy and your favorite fruit sauce. ( rhubarb, strawberry, blueberry etc)

Cream Gravy
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in frying pan and allow to cook for 1/2 minute. Add 1 cup of cream and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil. Boil gently for a few minutes. Serve with Warenikje.

Date Square - Matrimonial Cake

Date Squares - Matrimonial Cake

Base and Topping
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup butter or margarine ( softened )

Preheat oven to 350F. In large bowl place the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and rolled oats. Stir together to mix. Blend in the butter or margarine to make crumbs.

Date Filling
1 cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup water

In saucepan, mix the dates, brown sugar and water. Bring to boil and cook on low heat until dates are soft.

Now
Place half of the prepared crumbs in 9x9 inch greased baking pan. Press the crumbs down firmly. Now spread the date filling over crumb base. Sprinkle remaining half of the crumbs over date filling. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until done. Cool and cut into squares.
This is a very good recipe.

Sno-cap Chocolate Cookies ( recipe and picture )

This is an all time favorite!!

Sno-cap Chocolate Cookies

This is an all time favorite!!

Cookie Dough
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup fine coconut
1/2 cup sour milk

In medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Set aside. In separate medium sized mixing bowl, cream butter or margarine together with the white sugar. Add beaten eggs and vanilla. Beat again. Stir in the coconut, sour milk and flour/cocoa mixture. Mix well with wooden spoon. Let cookie dough rest on counter for 2 hours. Then drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350F about 12 minutes until done. Be careful not to burn the cookies.
Cool till still just barely warm, then top with icing.

Icing
2 cups icing sugar  ( more or less as needed )
3 tablespoons soft butter
6 tablespoons cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter, then add the icing sugar, cream and vanilla. Mix well. Add more icing sugar if needed or a little more cream if the icing is too stiff. Spread on cookie and dip the cookie in a bit of fine or angel flake coconut ( or sprinkle the coconut on top of cookie if you prefer to do it that way). Enjoy. These freeze well in air tight container.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

My Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatballs
2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup quick oatmeal
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic or onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons water
dash of nutmeg

Mix the above listed ingredients together in large bowl. Form into meatballs. Roll each formed meatball in flour and place in a small amount of hot oil in frying pan. Cook the meatballs till browned and done, turning meatballs once as you fry them.
Place meatballs in prepared sweet and sour sauce. ( Recipe for sauce below.) Simmer for 45 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 and 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons soya sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry powder mustard

Stir the listed ingredients together in large saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly.  Now add the meatballs that have already been cooked as directed above. Simmer meatballs in sauce for about 45 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice. Delicious!!

Gluten Free Dinner Buns - recipe, directions, pictures

In our spiritual life we need bread - nourishment for our souls. Jesus says  in John chapter 6 that He is the bread of life. John 6: 51 says: I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

In this post I want to share with you how I bake gluten-free Dinner Buns. I will post my recipe as well as pictures that I took in my kitchen as I was mixing and baking the buns. My husband has Celiac Disease and cannot consume any gluten but he can have milk and eggs so my recipe uses both milk and eggs. Take all precautions to use only gluten free ingredients when making these buns. I developed this recipe after many years of baking and cooking for my husband. He uses these buns when we have hamburgers on the barbeque or with chilli, or even just with jam. The procedure for making gluten free buns is entirely different from  making regular bread so don't be surprised if it seems like an odd way of making buns, it is just the way it needs to be done.

Here is a picture of the finished Dinner Buns:

Here is my recipe: The recipe yields about 18- 20 dinner buns.
Sister Sparrow's Gluten-free Dinner Buns

2 cups milk
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/3 cup soft margarine, melted
1 and 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups packed Celimix white bread mix ( the first ingredient in the mix is cornstarch)
1 and 3/4 cups Celimix Rice bread mix  ( first ingredient is rice flour)

Instructions
Warm up the milk in the microwave till it is warm but not hot. and add the water, sugar, salt, eggs and melted margarine. Beat together with heavy duty electric mixer. Now sprinkle in the yeast and baking powder and beat again to mix well. Now beat in the 2 cups of the Celimix white bread mix ( where on the bag, you will notice the first ingredient is cornstarch). Beat together well.  Now add the 1 and 3/4 cup Celimix Rice bread mix and beat together well. The batter quickly becomes very stiff as you add the rice bread mix.

Here is a picture of the finished batter.

Here is a picture of the Buns batter in the pans:

 You will need to have purchased small tin foil baking cups.  Grease ( I use cooking spray ) the small tin foil baking cups. Fill the baking cups with the bun batter - filling each cup only half full. Set the indivdual baking cups filled with bun batter onto a cookie sheet. Place in a warm place to rise. ( I prewarm my oven just a tiny bit and set them in there to rise) Let rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F. ( If you have set your buns in the oven to warm, be sure you remove them before turning on the oven to preheat for baking the buns).
Bake the cookie sheet filled with the individual buns for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool. Enjoy!
Store the buns in the freezer in an airtight container such as an ice-cream pail. When you are planning on having a bun for a meal, warm it in the microwave just prior to the meal. Do not take it out to defrost ahead of time as the buns become dry easy if they out of the freezer. The buns are best fresh or warmed up a bit in the microwave. When the bun is warm again, it will be nice and soft.

Here is a picture of the buns just after they are baked:

To give you an understanding of the two different bread mixes that I use: The reason I use a combination of both of the mixes is that I have found it makes better buns if I use the two kinds of bread mix together.

This is the White Bread Mix

And next is a picture of the Rice bread mix:

Green Bean Soup ( Mennonite Style )



My Green Bean Soup - Mennonite Style



1-2 pounds smoked ham - with bone is fine
( smoked farmer sausage can be substituted for the smoked ham )
8 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 cups cut green beans
3 medium carrots, cut up finely
1 cup green peas
2 medium potatoes, cut up finely
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large bay leaves
small bunch of parsley, cut fine
sprig of summer savory or 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 cup heavy cream

In large soup pot, place the ham and water. Boil gently for 3/4 hour. Skim off any scum. Then add the onion,  vegetables, salt, pepper, bay leaves, parsley, and either thyme or summer savory. Continue to boil the soup gently for 1 hour until the vegetables are fully cooked. Check to see if you need to add a little more water as the soup boils. Remove ham bone, bay leaves, and sprig of summer savory. Add cream to soup. Serve and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are very good.

My Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted ( I use canola oil )
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips

In large mixing bowl, beat together with electric mixer - the melted butter or margarine, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs and vanilla. Now stir in the peanut butter. Add the baking soda and salt and stir really well with wooden spoon. Stir in flour and chocolate chips. Set on counter to rest for 2 hours. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 8 or 9 minutes till done.

Dinner Buns Deluxe



My Dinner Buns Deluxe


2 cups warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons instant yeast
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup mashed potatoes, warm
1 cup oil
5 - 6 cups flour

Place warm water, sugar and salt in large mixing bowl. Stir. Add the instant yeast and beat with electric mixer just to blend. Let stand a few minutes. Beat eggs. Add eggs, mashed potato and oil to water/yeast mixture. Beat with electric mixer to blend well. Now stir in the flour stirring well with wooden spoon. It is important that you mix in the flour really well. Slowly continue adding the flour and stirring it into the dough. Knead the dough about 8 minutes using a little flour as you knead. Cover and let dough rest on counter for 40 minutes. Punch down. Let dough rest again for 20 minutes. Form into buns and place on greased baking sheet. Let rise 1 hour. Bake in 375F for 15 minutes or until done.

Scalloped Potatoes ( Potatoes and Onions in Cream)

5 medium potatoes
5 small onions
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour ( **or cornstarch )
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper

Grease a 3 quart casserole dish. Peel the potatoes and onions, then slice into casserole dish. In saucepan melt the butter. Stir in flour. Combine heavy cream and water and add to butter/flour mixture. Cook till mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper. Pour over potatoes and onions in casserole dish. Bake in 350F oven till done, about 60 - 70minutes.

** If you are using cornstarch the sauce is prepared a little differently. Melt butter or margarine in saucepan. Place the cornstarch in small bowl, add the cream / cold water mixture to the cornstarch and stir well to blend. Now add to melted butter or margarine in saucepan and cook till sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper. Pour over potatoes and onions in casserole dish. Bake.

My Picture of : Scalloped Potatoes ( Potatoes and Onions in Cream )

Homemade Bread

My Homemade Bread

1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Stir yeast into water/sugar mixture and let soften.

2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1/8 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
5 cups flour ( more or less as needed to make a good bread dough )

In large bowl stir together the water, salt, oil, sugar and beaten egg. Add the yeast mixture and stir well. Now add 2 cups flour. Mix with electric mixer till creamy looking. Stir in remaining flour and knead to finish. Knead about 8 minutes. ( I knead my bread dough by hand )
Cover bowl and set in a warm place on counter to rise about 45 minutes. Punch down and let rise another 20 minutes. Mould into loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Let rise again for about 50 minutes. Bake at 375F for approximately 45 minutes until done and golden brown. Cool and enjoy!

Syrup Cookies ( Jam Jams )

My Syrup Cookies ( Jam Jams )

1 and 1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, soft
1 cup Rogers syrup or corn syrup ( not pancake type syrup )
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour ( enough to make a soft dough you can roll out )

In large mixing bowl, beat together the margarine or butter, the sugar, syrup and eggs with electric mixer. Now add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir well with wooden spoon to mix. Now add the flour. Cookie dough should be soft but  not sticky. Set aside on counter to rest the dough for 2 hours. Roll out dough on floured counter. Cut with cookie cutter. Bake at 350F for 5-6 minutes. Cool the cookies.
You can either decorate these cookies or you can put together with jam ( spread a small amount of jam on a cookie and put together with another cookie). Enjoy!