blueberry cherry jam.

this last weekend my mom i spent a lovely day near lake pepin, wisconsin, enjoying the summer sun, noodling around local art galleries and, of course, picking blueberries! the farm we visited was absolutely gorgeous – dozens of hummingbirds swarmed around large hollyhocks, picture perfect berries and vegetables in neat little rows and a view that would take your breath away!

while we could have stayed the whole day marveling at all the amazing produce and colors, we spent the morning filling up our baskets with beautiful summer blueberries! after two hours, we were proud to take home about 25 pounds of these little beauties. luckily, momma packed a cooler so they were easy to bring home.

blueberries are fantastic to eat on their own. they are rich in antioxidants and are a anti-inflammatory so they are really good for you! while, i would have been content to eat them straight out of a bowl, we decided to freeze a whole bunch and make jam with the rest!

i’m not an expert canner, in fact this was my first time making jam this way. however, i found this recipe to be really easy and fun! i ended up making 3 batches (about 15 jars). the blueberries i used in this recipe were from our excursion to lake pepin and the cherries were picked by my mom and i and frozen the summer before! the jam doesn’t take that long to make – however, be patient with the process. between sterilizing the jars, filling them, cleaning them and sealing them in a hot water bath, it will take a little time. but come winter, you’ll be so happy you have a little taste of summer!

what you’ll need:

• 2 cups fully ripe blueberries (frozen is fine)
• 1 1/2 cups tart cherries (frozen is fine)
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 box sure-jell powdered fruit pectin

to begin, measure berries. crush; pit and chop cherries.  if they are already frozen or already pitted, just chop them up. i like the leave mine on the chunky side because they will smooth out as the jam cooks down. next, mix fruit into 8 quart pot. i like to slightly mash them with a potato masher! it’s fun and helps you take out any aggression you may have inside. it’s food therapy, really.

add the pectin to the fruit in the pot. stir together and bring to a boil over high heat. let bubble for one minute. then, add the sugar and stir to combine. return to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. it will thicken. and look delicious.

remove from heat, skim off any foam and ladle into hot, sterilized jars. wipe jar rims and threads, top with two piece lids and tighten. process the jars for 10 minutes in hot water bath.

you’re done! now you have jam all year! this jam would be tasty on toast, scones or even vanilla ice cream. however, i prefer just a spoon

nostalgic hot dog sandwich

so, i’ve been on kind of a sweets rampage lately. but i’ve been under a lot of stress and sleep deprivation, so you can’t blame a girl, can ya? to shake things up a little bit, i’m sharing with you a childhood favorite. while this sandwich might seem second rate, and far from gourmet, it’s really tasty, and more importantly, brings back a lot of really wonderful memories.

as kids, my sister and i would spend our spring and summer breaks in sacramento, california with my grandparents. one of our favorite places to stop for lunch or a treat was burr’s, off folsom. it is an old-school, family-owned ice cream fountain. this place was an eight year-old’s dream! they had a soda bar with red-topped stools, small booths and tables, free samples of Vic’s ice cream and every topping under the sun. this was a special place to our family and i can’t even count the number of times we’ve been there.

when my grandpa was a practicing attorney in sacramento, he used to come down to burr’s on his lunch breaks for his “usual” : a hot dog sandwich and a scoop of chocolate ice cream with a dollop of marshmallow fluff. even though he passed away almost 15 years ago, every time i make a hot dog sandwich, i think of him and the time we spent together. this one’s for you, papa nibs!

this makes one, really delish sandwich:

• two pieces of bread
• two hot dogs, cut in half and sliced down the middle
• slice of cheese
• mayo
• mustard
• lettuce

for this sandwich, i use an electric griddle, although you could make this in a shallow skillet, as well.

i melt a little butter on one side of the griddle and place the pieces of bread face down to toast. meanwhile, add your pieces of hot dog to begin cooking.  while they sizzle away, turn the bread over and toast the other side.

when the bread is done toasting, i spread a layer of mayo and mustard on one side and then add the lettuce. when the hot dogs are browned, i add them on top with a slice of cheese and finish with the last piece of bread. (you can add ketchup if you’d like, or any other condiment of your choice, i just like mustard).

cut in half and let the kid in you enjoy!

THE best chocolate chip cookies. ever.

chocolate chip cookies are such a staple. they are fun to make with friends and make any home cozy and smell inviting. and everyone likes them. now, there are a bazillion recipes out there for chocolate chip cookies, and i must admit that i am a connesuer of the perfect cookie! some are cake-like and soft, others are hard and crumbly. i like mine somewhere in the middle – a soft chewy center, and a little crust around the edges, served with a glass of cold milk. so after much blood, sweat and tears, i have decided upon the best recipe. i will not tell you where it came from (because i bet you can figure it out), but i will show you how to make them.

to begin!

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup softened butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or whatever you like)

aren’t you excited?!

preheat the oven the 375 and let the fun begin!

combine together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. beat butter, granulated and brown sugar and vanilla in a large mixer bowl until creamy. add eggs, one at a time, beating together after each addition. gradually add the flour mixture. once combined, add the chocolate chips. now, get a spoon and enjoy!

just kidding. although cookie dough is fantastic.

drop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (no sticking, please!) and bake for 10 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ten minutes has elapsed …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

place on a cooling rack and try to restrain yourself for as long as possible. it’s a fun game of patience! i promise you won’t last longer than 2 minutes. pour a glass of milk and go crazy. eating 4 cookies in 5 minutes is nothing to be ashamed of.

a minnesotan’s take on bananas foster

i know what you’re thinking – what does a silly scandanavian gal from the artic know about a new  orleans’ specialty? the answer, haters, can be answered in two parts: 1, i know its delicious, and 2, i know its easy to make. so take that. hmph.

for those of you unfamiliar with the world of bananas foster, i am truly sad for you. this dessert was first made in 1951 at Brennan’s in the french quarter of new orleans. it consists of warm bananas that have been cooked in a caramely-rum sauce, flambe’d and served over vanilla ice cream.

here’s how i make it:

• 1/2 stick of butter (get over it)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of orange juice *
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 4 bananas cut in half and then lengthwise (or in little rounds, whatever)
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• vanilla ice cream

* the classic recipe calls for banana liquer, but i opt for orange juice because i don’t care for the stuff.

this dessert is quick to make, but also equally impressive to do in front of guests since you get to light things on fire.

i start by melting the butter and brown sugar together in a skillet over medium heat. you don’t want to the butter to brown or burn, so keep it low ‘n slow people! stir in the vanilla and orange juice and stir to combine. the sauce should start to bubble and thicken. add the bananas. when the bananas begin to soften and turn brown …

pick the pan UP OFF THE STOVE. this is very important. i don’t want you to lose your eyebrows or your house. add the rum. ignite with a match (or if you’re like me and your handy boyfriend has a blow torch available, use that) and set back on the burner and let cook until the flames subside.

(don’t act like you’re not impressed …)

spoon bananas and the yummy sauce over vanilla ice cream and serve immediately. i don’t know why you wouldn’t anyway. mine got a little melty, but who cares! now you’re a flambe ninja!

lemon pudding cakes

i know, friends, i know. i have been bad about posting lately, and for that i apologize. so, to make up for it, i am sharing with you a recipe i made this last weekend when i went to visit my LT.  it is light, and soft and low in fat and calories – i kid you not! it is the perfect summertime dessert and i want you to make it. tonight. (and, while i wish this was my own recipe,  i must admit, i stole this recipe from my beloved food & wine magazine.) the cakes turn out fluffy on top, almost like a souffle, but the bottom is the consistency of custard or pudding and when served warm … it’s heavenly.

this recipe makes 6, which is enough for me for one sitting.

the stars:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup skim milk
• 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• fresh berries, for serving

the game plan:

preheat your oevn to 350. spray six 6 oz ramekins with vegetable oil spray.

in one bowl, whisk the sugar and the flour. in another bowl,  whisk the egg yolks with the butter until blended. add the lemon juice, milk and zest. now, there may be some small lumps in the mixture, but do not fret my pretties! it will all work out in the oven. let’s continue. pour the lemon mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.

in another bowl (i know, this is not a one-bowl-wonder recipe), beat the egg whites with the salt until firm peaks form. this means, beat the eggs until they can stand up on their own. it should look like merangue. gently fold the egg whites into the lemon mixture. this may take a few minutes and a little finess, but the results are worth it. so hang in there, and fold baby, fold!

pour the batter into the oiled ramekins and transfer them to a small roasting pan. place the pan in the oven and pour enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. this cooking technique is called a “bain marie.” the hot water allows for an even cooking temperature and keeps a crust from forming on the outside of the custard before the interior is fully cooked. now, don’t you feel smart!

bake the little cakes for about 35 minutes or until they are puffy and golden. like this:

transfer them to a cooling rack and let sit for 15 minutes, while you drool in anticipation. serve these little beauties warm or room temperature with berries. tada!