Historical Nibbles

Raspberry Frangipane Tart

/ sandramervillehart

I’ve been watching The Great British Baking Show and learning a lot about dishes that are new to me. Even more helpful is The Great British Baking Show Masterclass, where talented bakers Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry demonstrate their own recipes.

Mary Berry shared her recipe for a frangipane tart on one of the episodes. I’d never made one so I watched carefully and wrote down all the instructions.

She advised bakers that several fruits would taste delicious in this recipe. Just choose a fresh fruit that’s in season. Though her apricot frangipane tart looked delicious, they weren’t in season when I made the dessert. I chose raspberries instead.

Though it challenged me to convert “grams” to cups, her recipe was pretty easy to follow.

Frangipane takes it name from Marquis Muzio Frangipani, who lived in France. This 16th century Italian nobleman invented an almond scent that was used to add a fragrance to gloves. This somewhat bitter perfume inspired French bakers to create the classic frangipane recipe.

If you’d like to check out one of Mary Berry’s frangipane desserts, here’s the link.

I took this dessert to a family gathering and they were excited to try it. Frangipane was a new dish for everyone and most of them liked it. Some thought that the raspberry jam layer and the fruit of the top greatly enhanced the dessert. I liked it but felt it needed a little more almond flavor. I was very glad I tried it.

Have you ever made this dessert?

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

“Frangipane,” Baking Encyclopedia, 2020/07/19 https://www.bakepedia.com/baking-encyclopedia/frangipane/.

Granny’s Tea Cakes

/ sandramervillehart

by Sandra Merville Hart

I was so excited that friend and fellow author Debra DuPree Williams shared a recipe from her debut novel, Grave Consequences, that I asked her if I could share another one from her novel. Happily, she agreed. This is her family’s recipe for her Granny’s Tea Cakes.

Southern tea cakes are more like a thick cookie than a cake. They probably were created in rural Southern kitchens from basic ingredients and passed down through the generations.

“Sis and I lamented that we don’t have any of our granny’s recipes,” Debra says. “I doubt she wrote down anything. They were all stored inside her mind and her heart.”

Granny’s Tea Cakes

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbs. buttermilk

¼ tsp baking soda

flour (Note: she didn’t include quantity. See below.)

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, buttermilk, then soda. Add flour and beat until it is of a consistency that can be rolled out. (Sandra used about 2 cups of flour.) Roll out on floured board and cut into small cakes. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.

I used a glass as a “cake cutter” and baked them in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Depending on the individual size of the cakes, you may need more or less time.

These are deliciously soft, thick cookies that remind me of my own grandmother’s stack cakes. The tea cakes are a little plain so I dusted mine with powdered sugar. The next time I bake them, I’ll add cinnamon to the batter.

This basic recipe will be easy to modify to your family’s preferences.

Thanks for allowing me to share these tea cakes with my Historical Nibbles family, Debra!

Sources

Williams, Debra DuPree. Grave Consequences, Firefly Southern Fiction, 2020.

Shannon, Patricia. “What is a Southern Tea Cake Anyway?”, Southern Living, 2020/08/22 https://www.southernliving.com/desserts/cookies/southern-tea-cakes.

Vegetable Pizza

/ sandramervillehart

My daughter asked me to bring an appetizer to a gathering at her home. Vegetable pizza is more exciting, in my opinion, than veggies and dip. Chopping the vegetables is the biggest part of the preparation.

I made it easy on myself by using the refrigerated dough sheets.

Ingredients

1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

2 packages refrigerated dough sheets (can use crescent rolls)

1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped

1 cup cauliflower, chopped

1 cup tomatoes, diced

1 cup cucumbers, diced

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the Ranch dressing mix, sour cream, and cream cheese. Mix well and set aside.

Chop the broccoli and cauliflower, using the florets. Discard the thick stems or use in another recipe.

Dice the tomatoes and cucumbers. (I usually put these on my veggie pizza. Since my daughter doesn’t like them, I left them off this time. That’s the beauty of this recipe—choose the raw veggies that your family loves.)

Roll out the dough sheet onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow it to cool for 10 – 20 minutes. (I purchased 2 packages and placed one each on two different baking sheets so that half could remain in the refrigerator while the first one was being served.)

Spread the Ranch dressing mixture over the crust once it cools. Scatter the veggies, one type at a time, over the dressing mixture. Top with cheddar cheese.

Refrigerate for at least an hour. Slice and serve.

Hope your family enjoys it!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Oregano

/ sandramervillehart

I add oregano to vegetable soup and cabbage soup. I love the aroma, which is enough to pique my appetite!

Of course, this is a popular seasoning in pasta dishes as well as pizza. Oregano can be chopped and added to pizza dough or bread dough.

This versatile seasoning may be used on fish, meat, sausages, in salads, marinades, and a variety of other dishes.

Dried oregano usually has more flavor but can grow stale if kept too long.

I was surprised to learn that the name is Greek and means “joy of the mountain.” Though the United States is now one of the leading producers of oregano, it was little-known until World War II soldiers, who had been stationed in Italy, returned home and talked about the herb.

Historically, both the Greeks and Chines used oregano for medicinal purposes.

It contains an antioxidant. It’s been used to treat colds, indigestion, diarrhea, and asthma.

Researchers are studying oregano for anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits. There is also some evidence that it may help fight some forms of cancer. Also, oregano may help those with Type 2 Diabetes to improve insulin resistance.

Of course, always consult your doctor before trying any of these as treatments.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

Brazier, Yvette. “What are the health benefits of oregano?” Medical News Today, 2020/07/19 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266259#nutrition.

“Oregano,” New World Encyclopedia, 2020/07/19 https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Oregano.

Bubble Solution

/ sandramervillehart

This pandemic has made us scramble to find items that used to be in ready supply. One of them—at least for my family—has been bubble solution.

My grandchildren are the perfect age to love chasing bubbles around my yard. Current conditions have curtailed activities for all of us. Because we have been staying at home more than usual, our bubble machine has gone through over two gallons of bubble solution this summer.

Here’s a simple recipe that mostly fills a standard large bottle of bubble solution. Save those old bottles and make your own.

 

Use a medium-sized bowl.

1 ½ cups dish soap

4 ½ cups water

2 tablespoons sugar

 

Combine these together gently or you’ll have lots of bubbles in the bowl. Mine turned out a little sudsy and I set it aside for a few minutes. 😊

Store in a bottle until ready to use.

We’ve already tested this recipe and it works great. Enjoy!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Charlotte Russe

/ sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

I’ve been watching The Great British Baking Show and learning a lot about dishes that are new to me. Even more helpful is The Great British Baking Show Masterclass, where talented bakers Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry demonstrate their own recipes.

Paul Hollywood shared his recipe for Charlotte Russe on one of the episodes. I’d never made one so I watched carefully and wrote down all the instructions.

To say that I appreciate his skill even more now is an understatement. 😊

He made lady fingers for his dessert. So did I. Mine turned out delicious yet too thin to line the dish. I made an emergency run to the grocery store for lady fingers.

The actual custard or Bavarian cream was deliciously thick and creamy. The problem came when I tried to lined the dish with lady fingers. I didn’t know the trick to make them stand and keep them upright after pouring in the custard. A few popped up about an inch. I weighted them down with a dish and then chilled the dessert in the fridge for 3 hours. When I checked on it, 3 or 4 of the lady finger sponges were on top while the rest stayed securely at the side.

The recipe called for a lime jelly on top. I was so disappointed that a few of the lady fingers had shifted out of place that I didn’t make the jelly for the top layer. Even so, it really did taste delicious.

I found a recipe for Charlotte Russe in an 1870s cookbook. Bakers preparing this dessert in 1877 went to far more trouble than I did. They had to chill the dessert with “snow or pounded ice.”

Whipping the cream was another challenge for early bakers. They used a whip-churn if available to whip the cream into a froth. Then they had to skim off the top froth to find the unwhipped cream underneath. Then they went through the process all over again. (I used a stand mixer, which was a lot easier. 😊)

I made a strawberry Charlotte Russe. Everyone who ate it really liked it, even without the lime jelly on top.

I guess I didn’t do too badly. Have you ever made this dessert?

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

Compiled from Original Recipes. Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping, Applewood Books, 1877.

 

 

Cinnamon

/ sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

 

I love desserts baked with cinnamon. Whenever I prepare them myself, a little extra of the spice gets added—sometimes nearly twice what the recipe suggests. For instance, when making pumpkin pie with fresh pumpkin, extra spices enhance the flavor—in my opinion.

A couple of years ago, I ran out of cinnamon in the middle of baking. My husband made an emergency trip to the grocery store for me.

Fearing that he’d bring home a two-ounce bottle, I said, “Buy a large bottle of cinnamon. I go through a lot of it.”

He bought their largest bottle—18.3 ounces! That was a little more than I anticipated. It took over two years to empty the bottle.

The cinnamon tree’s inner bark is the source of the brown spice that can be purchased as sticks or ground cinnamon. It’s one of our oldest spices and is mentioned in the Bible in Exodus, Song of Solomon, Proverbs, and Revelation.

Besides use as a spice, history shows that cinnamon has also been used medicinally. It’s an anti-inflammatory. It’s an antioxidant. Blood sugar levels rise in a diabetic after meals and a high carb food seasoned with this spice reduces this. And the aroma boosts brain activity.

These are just a few of the health benefits of cinnamon. Who knew something that enhances the flavor of foods could be so good for you!

Unfortunately, some sources say that ground cinnamon only keeps for about six months so the smaller bottle would have been better. When in doubt, smell it because fresh cinnamon has a sweet aroma.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

“Cinnamon, ground,” The World’s Healthiest Foods, 2020/05/27 http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=68.

Egg Omelet Supreme Recipe

/ sandramervillehart / 4 Comments

Today’s post has been written by fellow author and friend, Carole Brown. She’s here to share a delicious recipe from her newest release, a historical western romance. Welcome back, Carole!

by Carole Brown

In Caleb’s Destiny, late one night after an attempted robbery, Mr. Michael makes a mean egg omelet that Destiny really enjoys, even after she bumbles what should have been an easy “blessing” prayer for the food.

I’ve adjusted the ingredients of what may or may not have been in his egg omelets, but I hope you’ll give it a try and that they’ll be every bit as good as the ones Mr. Michael prepared for Destiny.

Egg Omelet Supreme Recipe:

Ingredients for one person (or maybe two if you’re light eaters):

2 fresh eggs

1-2 tablespoons of Almond Silk sweet milk

vegetables: your choice

meat: sausage, bacon,or steak:  your choice

Cheese (your choice)

Seasonings (salt, pepper, onion powder, or whatever you like). Feel free to add a drop of Worcestershire sauce or steak sauce, if that is to your taste.

cooking spray oil/butter

real butter

How to:

  1. Cook your chosen meat until done. Crumble bacon or sausage. Cut steak into small pieces.
  2. Chop vegetables into bite size, or smaller, pieces. (I like a few peppers, a touch of green onion, greens like broccoli, spinach, tomatoes or olives, etc or whatever you like).
  3. Whisk seasoned fresh eggs and approximately 1-2 tablespoons of Almond Silk sweet milk together. Stir in your vegetables and meat.
  4. Spray iron skillet with butter flavored or use real butter–my preference–and heat between a low to medium fire (I like to take it slow so the skillet won’t get too hot, causing the eggs to get too brown. Turn down temperature if it seems to hot.
  5. Pour mixture into skillet. Keep a close eye on the eggs and when they seem done enough to flip, then do so.
  6. Sprinkle cheese on top. When done to suit your taste, turn off heat, fold into halves and slide onto your plate.

Serve with real buttered toast (your choice of bread) fried hash browns, and fruit.

Feel free to adjust the recipe. Add a salsa or other condiments of your choice.

Enjoy.

About Carole:

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of ten books, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons? Connect with Carole on her blog, Amazon Author Page, and Twitter.

Book Blurb:

Mr. Michael, Destiny Rose McCulloch, and Hunter have a mysterious history. Why were three fathers, all business partners, murdered under suspicious circumstances while on their quest to find gold?

Hunter, who is Mr. Michael’s ranch manager, is determined to find the answers and protect the precocious young lady who he suspects holds a key answer to his questions.

 Mr. Michael wants only to be left alone to attend to his property, but what can he do when Destiny refuses to leave and captures the heart of everyone of his employees?

 Destiny almost forgets her quest when she falls in love with Mr. Michael’s ranch and all the people there. And then Mr. Michael is much too alluring to ignore. The preacher man back east where she took her schooling tried to claim her heart, but the longer she stays the less she can remember him. She only came west to find a little boy she knew years ago. A little boy all grown up by now…unless, of course, he’s dead.

 Three children, connected through tragedy and separated by time, are fated to reunite and re-right some powerful wrongs.

 

Strawberry Bohemian Cream

/ sandramervillehart

Strawberries in my fridge sent me searching for a new recipe. I found one for Bohemian cream that could be flavored with this fruit in my 1877 cookbook.

Slice a pound of strawberries in about ¼ cup of water and cook them, simmering, for several minutes. While it simmers, stir a packet of gelatine into hot water and allow it to stand 5 minutes.

Strain the strawberries, reserving the liquid. Stir in ½ cup sugar and the dissolved gelatine. Chill.

Stir a packet of gelatine into hot water and allow it to stand 5 minutes. (This is additional gelatine. The first was used in the strawberries.)

Gently boil 1 cup of whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Remove from heat. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and the gelatine. While this custard cools, beat 4 egg yolks. When cool, stir the yolks into the custard.

Whip 1 cup of whipping cream until softly set. Gently stir the whipped cream into the custard.

Gently add the whipped cream mixture to the chilled strawberries. Pour into mold or individual serving dishes.

Tip: You can line a mold with plastic wrap for easy removal of the chilled Strawberry Bohemian Cream.  

Delicious! Smooth and creamy with a lovely strawberry flavor. A light dessert that hits the spot. Especially nice for warm summer days. The amount of sweetness was perfect. I’ll make this again.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

Compiled from Original Recipes. Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping, Applewood Books, 1877.

 

Crustless Cheese Quiche

/ sandramervillehart

I’ve been eating a lower carb diet for the past few months and even went on Keto for 3 months. The greatest challenge for me was finding delicious low-carb recipes.

I searched for a good quiche crust recipe. I finally created a pie crust using ideas from several recipes. Though the crust was low-carb, the sweet taste overpowered the savory quiche.

It didn’t work.

Then I decided to create a recipe for a simple cheese quiche without crust. Delicious! I’m sharing it with you.

Crustless Cheese Quiche

4 eggs

2 cups Whipping cream

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk the eggs, cream, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl.

Spray 6 ramekins with cooking spray. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of cheese over the bottom of the ramekins. Add a little over ½ cup of the custard over the cheese.

Place in a pan. Then add a ½ inch of warm water and bake until the top is lightly browned. Remove from over and sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top.

Serve hot.

The quiche is light and fluffy.  Baked cheese on the bottom provides a thin layer so that I didn’t miss the crust at all. I love that this dish is delicious and low-carb and Keto!

Enjoy!

-Sandra Merville Hart