Charlotte Russe

August 3, 2020August 3, 2020 / 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

July 6, 2020July 6, 2020 / 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

June 22, 2020June 22, 2020 / 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:

Cook your chosen meat until done. Crumble bacon or sausage. Cut steak into small pieces.
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).
Whisk seasoned fresh eggs and approximately 1-2 tablespoons of Almond Silk sweet milk together. Stir in your vegetables and meat.
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.
Pour mixture into skillet. Keep a close eye on the eggs and when they seem done enough to flip, then do so.
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

June 8, 2020June 8, 2020 / 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

May 25, 2020April 2, 2020 / 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

Traditional New Mexican Biscochitos

May 11, 2020May 11, 2020 / sandramervillehart / 6 Comments

Norma Gail, fellow author and friend, returns to Historical Nibbles to share a delicious cookie recipe from her upcoming release. Welcome back, Norma!

Biscochitos or biscochitos in Northern New Mexico Spanish, means “little cakes” or “bizcochos”. They are the official state cookie, and one of the favorites of Bonny MacDonell, the heroine in my novels, Land of My Dreams and the newest, Within Golden Bands, releasing on May 19^th. At one point, she escapes the constraints of her new husband’s Scottish sheep farm, under attack from a mysterious stalker, and flees to a spot overlooking the islands at the east end of Loch Garry. Her lunch consists of a sandwich with turkey and green chili and biscochitos.

Simple to make, the cookies consist mainly of shortening and flour, flavored with anise and a little brandy, and generously coated in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Known as far back as the culture of Santa Fé de Nuevo México in the 1500’s, they were traditionally shaped like a fleur-de-lis, though round is more frequent today. They probably originated in Spain or Mexico. A Christmas favorite, they are also seen at weddings, baptisms, and other celebrations, and are delicious with hot chocolate.

Here’s my favorite recipe:

2 cups lard or vegetable shortening

¼ tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

6 cups flour

2 tsp anise seeds

2 eggs

¼ cup brandy or sweet wine

¼ cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Sift flour. Cream lard with sugar, anise seeds, baking powder, and salt until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add brandy. Mix in flour gradually, stopping when dough reaches the right consistency for rolling. Turn out on a floured surface and roll to ¼ – ½ inch thick. Cut into shapes. Dust liberally with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

-Norma Gail

About Norma Gail:

Norma Gail’s debut novel, Land of My Dreams, won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. Within Golden Bands releases May 19^th. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals have appeared in several publications. She lives in New Mexico with her husband of 44 years.

Book Blurb for Within Golden Bands:

Newlyweds Bonny and Kieran MacDonell grieve the loss of her miracle pregnancy while struggling to discover the identity of the man who left Kieran beaten and unconscious. Reeling from the threat to her husband and loss of their child, Bonny fights to hold her marriage together as danger destroys the peace of their sheep farm on the banks of Loch Garry, Scotland. Will they choose to trust God when his ways are impossible to fathom?

Buy Link: Amazon

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 / sandramervillehart

My daughter and son-in-law caught a bad cold about a month ago. They both missed two days of work. I watched my toddler grandchildren while they recuperated. I asked my daughter if there was anything she needed from the store and one of the main items was chicken noodle soup. She wanted something warm and soothing on her throat.

I was surprised that only three small cans were left at the grocery store. (This was right before the virus-rush binge shopping.) She appreciated the soup.

A few days ago, a local pantry reported an urgent need for food. One of the specific items requested was chicken noodle soup. My sister was headed to one of the grocery stores that sell in large quantities.

She told me, “Yeah, good luck finding soup.” Yet she found a 12-pack of chicken soup. I asked her to buy it for me for the pantry.

With soups like this in short supply, I thought I’d share my chicken noodle soup recipe.

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

1/2 to 1 cup chicken

4 cups chicken stock or chicken broth

2 cups water

2 cups egg noodles

2 carrots

1 bay leaf

Pepper

Cook desired amount of chicken in chicken stock or chicken broth if you have it on hand. (I used broth.) If not, you can use water and add 2 chicken bouillon cubes to enhance the flavor. I also added 2 cups of water to increase the amount of soup broth.

Cook chicken, covered, on medium heat for a simmering boil until done. Larger pieces take longer to cook. I cooked tenderloin-sized chicken for 40-45 minutes.

Slice the carrots and set aside.

Remove the chicken from the broth with tongs. Add carrots to the simmering broth along with a bay leaf.

Shred the chicken once it cools a bit—maybe 5 minutes. Then add it to the broth. Stir in the egg noodles and cover. Cook about 10 minutes or until the noodles are desired texture. Pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

This makes 4 servings.

My husband loves meaty soups so I used 1 cup of chicken. A half cup of meat is plenty for me. He’s a plain eater, so I keep the ingredients simple. Add more egg noodles, broth, or water to stretch the number of servings.

You can sauté onion in butter and cook this in the soup. Celery and garlic are also flavorful additions. Modify it to your taste—that’s the great thing about soup!

If the shelves continue to be empty of soup, here are some other soup recipes: Chicken Gumbo Soup, Meatless Tomato Soup, Mulligan Stew, Cream of Cucumber Soup, Cream of Asparagus Soup, and Cream of Carrot Soup.

Enjoy!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Traditional New Mexican Red Chile Enchiladas

April 6, 2020April 6, 2020 / sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

Today’s recipe has been written by Norma Gail, fellow author and friend. She shares a recipe from her upcoming release. I can’t wait to try it. Welcome back to Historical Nibbles, Norma!

Bonny Bryant, the main character in my novels, Land of My Dreams and Within Golden Bands, is a New Mexico native transplanted to Scotland. She introduces handsome Scottish sheep farmer, Kieran MacDonell, to New Mexican food and he is soon hooked. Bonny loves to cook, and her friends in the mountains outside Albuquerque keep her supplied with the chile she craves. New Mexican food is a great way to warm up on a dreich and drookit day in Scotland or anywhere else. One of my favorites and Bonny’s are traditional red chile enchiladas.

Enchiladas originated in old Mexico. New Mexico was part of the land ceded to the U.S. by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 following the Mexican-American War. One of the rich traditions that has endured is the food. New Mexico chilies were first grown by the Pueblo Indians and have a rich, piquant aroma, varying in sweetness and heat. Both red and green varieties were quickly adapted as a sauce for enchiladas by Spanish explorers seeking the fabled Seven Cities of Gold, including Hernán Cortés.

Enchiladas, a combination of corn tortillas, chile sauce, and meat, are either rolled or served flat and filled. They can be topped with cheese, onion, lettuce, and tomatoes.

1 lb. of hamburger

Diced onion

Minced garlic

Corn tortillas (about 3 per person)

2 tbsp. butter, melted

2 tbsp. flour

2 – 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce

Red chile powder

Grated cheddar cheese

Fried eggs

Brown 1 lb. of hamburger or shredded chicken with diced onion and garlic.

Fry tortillas until almost crisp.

Make a sauce by melting 2 tbsp. of butter and whisking in 2 tbsp of flour, 2 – 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce, red chile powder to taste, and enough water to make it the desired consistency. Bring to a boil while stirring.

Stack tortillas, filling between with meat mixture and chile sauce. Top with a fried egg, grated cheese, and serve with a side of lettuce and tomato.

Makes 3-4 servings.

About Norma Gail:

Book Blurb for Within Golden Bands

Amazon

Written on His Hand

March 31, 2020March 31, 2020 / sandramervillehart

“See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” Isaiah 49:16a

“Mom, do you know what this word says?” my teenaged daughter asked me, revealing a Hebrew word on her upturned palm.

I shook my head.

“It’s God’s name. He wrote my name on His hand, so I wrote His name on mine.” She explained that while on a retreat, she and the other girls put Yahweh on their hands using a henna, a kind of temporary tattoo.

My daughter inspired me. I thought about God’s huge hand that measured the waters of the earth (Isaiah 40: 12). Surely the hand that marked off the Heavens could hold a vast number of names–that includes yours and mine!

Just like my daughter, it gives me a special feeling to know that my Heavenly Father thinks so highly of me that He etched my name on the palm of His hand. It’s a constant reminder of how greatly God cherishes His children.

If we could grasp how precious we are to God, I think it would alter the way we view ourselves forever. We are of great worth to God.

My daughter definitely understood that having her name engraved on God’s Hand makes her special in His eyes. As I watch her faith grow, my own faith deepens. As precious as she is to me, she is even more precious to God.

The current craze of tattoos has people placing symbols on themselves that are meaningful to them. It seems God thought of this first. His loved ones are written on the palm of His hand.

-Sandra Merville Hart

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