NUT CRACKING MEMORIES

Of all the trees growing here at Cricket Meadow, there’s one I treasure in particular. It’s a stately black walnut that my dad planted from a seed when we first bought this property almost 30 years ago. Dad was a nut-lover and was especially fond of black walnuts, so he felt anyone with any sense would want such a tree in their yard. This towering beauty is located near the edge of the woods and I never look at it without thinking of him and my son, who was only 3 at the time, harvesting and cracking all those black walnuts on the home place that fall. Dad died just a couple of months later.

Every day for an hour or so, when the crisp autumn days were getting shorter, Haakon would head to the garage with Grandpa Oliver. There they would dig into the pail of nuts Dad had harvested from his trees. Black walnuts, picked when they are a mottled greenish-brown, are then dried for a couple of weeks before they can be cracked. Haakon’s job was banging the dried, dark brown nuts with a hammer until the outer hull broke open. The two would then pick out the heart of the nut and set it aside to be cured for a couple of weeks in a cool, dry place. Their badly stained fingers were a sign they had worked hard to provide nuts for the pantry and we “womenfolk” lavished praise on them both and the diligence of sticking to such a tedious chore. And Mom and I would later reward them with cakes and cookies brimming with the rich, earthy flavor of this glorious nut.

I haven’t been part of a black walnut harvest since. Dad is gone, the little boy with the hammer is grown up, I look at the tree Dad planted here and the nuts ready to be picked and, for some reason, it always seems too painful to carry on alone. Dad was the real nut-lover. We’ve turned a corner here and the memory is just too precious to crack into.

BLACK WALNUT COOKIES

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped black walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in half the walnuts. Finely chop remaining nuts. Shape dough into two 15 inch rolls. Roll in remaining chopped nuts, pressing gently. Wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 2 hours. When ready to bake, unwrap dough. Cut into 1/4 inch slices. Dip in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees, on greased cookie sheets, for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

BLACK WALNUT RAISIN COOKIES

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup buttermilk

Pinch salt

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

4 cups flour

1 cup raisins

1 cup finely chopped black walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in baking soda.  Add buttermilk. Stir in spices and flour. Combine well. Add raisins and nuts. Refrigerate dough for 1 to 2 hours.  Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

BLACK WALNUT ANGEL FOOD CAKE

1-1/2 cups egg whites (about 16 eggs)

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 cups sugar

1 cup sifted cake flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup black walnuts, ground

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites, water, vanilla and salt until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat until stiff, but not dry. Beat in 1 cup of sugar gradually, 2 tablespoons at a time. Sift flour, remaining 1 cup sugar and cocoa together 3 times. Fold dry ingredients into egg white mixture with a rubber spatula. Pour about 1/3 of the batter into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan. Sprinkle with half the nuts. Cover with 1/3 more batter; add remaining nuts. Then cover with last 1/3 batter. Bake on rack in lower part of oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Invert to cool. Frost with chocolate glaze or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

BLACK WALNUT RAISIN PIE

9 inch pie crust

1 cup finely chopped black walnuts

1 cup raisins

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together nuts and raisins. Spread in bottom of prepared pie crust. In the bowl, cream brown sugar and butter together. Beat in corn syrup, eggs and vanilla. Pour this mixture over nuts and raisins. Bake until filling is firm, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

RASPBERRY REBEL

 The last days of summer are upon us and I am frantically searching out the last raspberries of the season. I remember a time (all my growing up years) when I took raspberries for granted. Our berry patch on the farm ran the length of the driveway and yielded hundreds of pints of Latham berries every season. I not only took the fruit for granted, I even went so far as to curse it at times. Every day there were red jewels glistening from the brambly bushes and, no matter if it was hot and humid and bugs and mosquitoes swarmed thick and vicious, we had to hit the slope with pails strapped around our waists and pick till the job was done. For one more day.

Now, with no more bushes at my fingertips, I scrounge them up wherever I can. Fortunately, I always find some. Life without raspberries is hard to imagine and all winter long, as I slather sweet raspberry jam on my toast, I remember the hot summer days and long to be picking once again.

RASPBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

2-2/3 cups coarsely chopped pretzels

2 tablespoons melted butter

12 ounces cream cheese

1-1/4 cups sugar

1 large package frozen raspberries

1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped

1 large package raspberry Jell-O

2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice

Mix pretzels with butter and press into a 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Spread over pretzels, then spread whipped cream over cheese. Chill. Dissolve Jell-O in hot pineapple juice. Add raspberries. Allow to thicken. Pour over top of whipped cream and refrigerate.

SUMMER RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE

8 whole honey graham crackers

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

2/3 cup lowfat cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup lowfat sour cream

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 pint fresh raspberries

1/4 cup raspberry jam

Crush graham crackers and stir in brown sugar. Add butter and mix well. Press into a pan with a removable bottom. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool. Beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Spread on cooled crust. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. Arrange berries in  a circular pattern over filling. Whisk jam until runny and drizzle over tart. Chill for 3 hours before serving.

 RASPBERRY PATCH CREAM PIE

32 chocolate wafer cookies, crushed finely

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

6 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup sugar

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

2-1/2 cups fresh raspberries

Place chocolate chips, butter and sugar in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave until melted, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate mixture to crushed cookies. Press into a 9 inch glass pie pan, but do not press firmly. Chill. In a bowl, whisk condensed milk, sour cream, lemon juice and lemon peel. Add half of raspberries. Stir until mixture turns pink as raspberries are crushed. Transfer filling to crust. Refrigerate about 2 hours. Scatter remaining berries over pie.

RASPBERRY FREEZER JAM

2 pounds (five 6 ounce containers) fresh raspberries, crushed

1-3/4 cups apple juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 package “no sugar needed” fruit pectin (1.75 ounces)

1 to 3 cups sugar

Place apple and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Continue stirring until completely dissolved. Place over medium high heat and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring often. Boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in berries. Stir for 1 minute. Stir in sugar to taste and stir until dissolved. Divide jam among six 8 ounce canning jars, leaving 1/2 an inch of space between the top of the jam and the top of jar to allow jam to expand as it freezes. Cover with lids and let jam stand at room temperature until set, about 24 hours. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. Freeze excess.

GOATS TO THE RESCUE

Here at Cricket Meadow, I swear by a method I like to call “Caprine Therapy” to rehabilitate alienated fowl. More specifically, when one of our prize chickens has been snubbed, winnowed out or brutally beaten by the rest of the flock, I simply remove the victim from the chicken coop and relocate him to the goat shed.

This past week, out of the blue, Rusty, the Kingpin, Head Rooster, Big Shot, one of the oldest chickens on the farm (12 years) and heretofore the Ruler of the Roost, was suddenly yanked from his throne and pummeled into submission. No warning, no visible reason (illness or injury), he simply tumbled from the top and was found huddled, trembling and subdued behind the feed barrel. I could see his fate had been decided and, instead of him being bloodied and defrocked, I whisked him away to the palace next door.  There the 5 goats, Nick, Nibs, Tucker, Melvin and Marcy, worked their magic and, within a few hours, the downtrodden was happily wandering around the goat’s domain, scratching for bugs and pecking at spilled grain. He is thriving, cocky, happy and, once again, in control. He can see his fellow fowl just across the path, and arrogantly struts the fact that he has access to unlimited supplies of new dirt, foliage and freedom. He’s a Bantam, he could fly right over the fence and is no longed encased in chicken wire. And don’t think he doesn’t crow about it.

I’m taking a chance with his life, I’ll admit, letting him be fair game for weasels, mink and hawks. But, I’ve tried this rescue method before and it seems that the goats hold predators at bay. No telling how quickly those horns could impale a critter. No ill has befallen other Caprine Therapy patients, they are sheltered and safe. Only old age has claimed the others and the goats, no youngsters themselves, have seen life and death on the farm and know they are powerless when it comes to setting a date with the Creator. 

BROWN EGG SCRAMBLE

1 pound new potatoes, cubed

6 large eggs

1/3 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup sliced green onions

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Heat 1 inch water to boiling in a 2 quart saucepan. Add potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper.  Melt butter in a 10 skillet. Cook potatoes 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in onions. And cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour egg mixture into skillet. When it begins to set, gently lift to allow uncooked egg to fill sides and bottom of pan. Cook 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle bacon over top and serve.

LITTLE RED HEN WHITE ROLLS

3 packets (6-3/4 teaspoons) dry yeast

4 cups lukewarm water

2 teaspoons sugar

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons salt

13 cups flour

2/3 cup butter, melted

3 eggs, beaten

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with 2 teaspoons sugar. In a very large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, salt and 2 cups of the flour. Add butter, beaten eggs and yeast that has proofed. Stir in remaining flour, 1 cup at a time. Knead 5 minutes. Cover and set in a warm place and let rise until doubled in size. Punch down and form into rolls. Place on greased baking sheets or in cake pans. Cover and let rise again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

GRAINY WHEAT BREAD

2 cups boiling water

2 cups bulgur wheat

1 cup brown sugar

1-1/2 tablespoons salt

1/2 cup oil

2 packets yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups lukewarm water

9 cups flour

In a medium bowl, stir together boiling water, bulgur, brown sugar, salt and oil. Let sit for 1/2 hour. Add yeast that has been proofed with 1/4 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir add 2 cups lukewarm water. Stir in 4 cups flour. Add more flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring after each cup. The dough should be slightly sticky and not all the flour may be necessary. Cover and let rise until doubled in size. Shape into 4 loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise again. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

RULE THE ROOST “STONED” FRUIT

2 pounds peaches or nectarines

1 pound plums

1 pint raspberries

1/4 cup peach schnapps

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped

Wash and dry stone fruit. Pit and cut into chunks. Place in a large bowl. Add schnapps and sugar. Toss. Add berries. Mix gently. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Toss mint and remaining sugar together. Pour onto parchment paper or waxes paper to dry. When ready to serve, garnish fruit with sugared mint.

GOODBYE, LILY

I’ve lost a lot of pets in my life, but none was harder to say goodbye to than our faithful 14-year-old Golden Retriever, Lily, who passed away this month. I guess she was just worn out. After a healthy yearly check-up in May, we were shocked that within six weeks time, she had dropped several pounds. She was active every day and running around with Ruger, our Black Lab and eating well. It is still shocking how fast she declined. We never had her in the house until her forever sidekick and brother, Buck, died in November, a year and a half ago. And she adjusted to living in our home and never had an accident or seemed out of her element. She aimed to please in all things and had the most kind and gentle nature.

When we were outside, she walked with us to the barn and faithfully waited while we made the rounds to all the other animals. She would bark and signal an incoming car and sit at our feet as we ate a meal or watched the news. She slept at the foot of our bed and gently nudged me when she needed to go outside.

It is hard to imagine how much Ruger had to adjust to in the loss of her fellow canine but, when Lily breathed her last, Ruger grieved for several days. She wouldn’t eat and moped around the house. She barely acknowledged our presence in the room and couldn’t care less about day-to-day affairs. It has been almost 3 weeks now, and she seems happier. We have taken her in the truck on outings, brought her to the lake, fed her juicy steak bones and spoiled her with homemade treats.

Suddenly, I’m having a hard time coming to grips with her aging, too. She is 11 this month. Now that Nelli, our other Lab is living in Montana with Haakon, Ruger is alone. The rest of our pets, chickens, goats and cats, were all about the same age so we are seeing what that means.

There will always be pets in our lives; I can’t imagine life without animals. And the day we get them, we know there will be a day in the not-to-distant future when we will have to say goodbye. The hours of joy and love we receive from them is worth the pain of the parting. But it never does get any easier…

MAN’S BEST FRIEND BISCUITS

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup corn meal

16 ounces low-sodium chicken broth

12 ounces natural peanut butter

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Knead dough until smooth and roll out flat. Using a cookie cutter, punch out shapes, or just cut into squares. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown. Store in tightly sealed container when cool.

FRIENDSHIP COOKIES

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup molasses

1 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup oil

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 eggs

1-1/2 cups flour

2 cups oatmeal

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup cocoa

1/2 cup coconut

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup  pecans, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

In a large bowl, blend butter and brown sugar. Mix until creamy then add eggs, peanut butter, oil, vanilla and molasses. Stir well.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, salt, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, coconut, chocolate chips, nuts and raisins. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Blend well. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

PICNIC BASKET MEMORIES

I was out in the potting shed the other day, looking for some gardening gloves when I spotted Mom’s old wicker picnic basket. I had forgotten all about it, until I saw it behind the tubs of birdseed. I took it out, dusted it off and dusted off a few memories, as well.

That old basket was used every time we went to the lake for an afternoon of play and, while it didn’t occur nearly often enough with a farm life schedule firmly in place, whenever she could, Mom corralled us for an afternoon in her favorite place on earth, the place of her childhood, the north shore of Green Lake. Only an 11- mile trip from our farm, the lake seemed like the end of the earth with how little time we really had to enjoy it. Once we got there, we opened the dark, musty cabin, changed into swimsuits, grabbed pails, shovels and inner tubes and flew down the hill to the sandy shore for a few hours of swimming and play on the beach.

If Dad came along, it was usually for an evening. In that case, chores were done early, and he’d go fishing while we played with Mom in the water. Then, at dusk, she’d fry up all the fish he caught and cleaned.

But first she unpacked the picnic basket she had filled at home. Lemonade, potato or bean salad, bread, pickles, Jell-o, rice and peanut butter bars or chocolate cake or raisin cookies or gingersnaps…accompanied our fish fry and, as usual, we never left the table hungry.

That old picnic basket hasn’t been filled for awhile. Maybe this summer would be a good one to pack up a few old memories and make some new ones.

MOM’S FISH FRY

Wash fish under cold water and pat dry. Dip in 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water. Then dip in cornmeal and flour combined in equal parts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Brown fish in 1/4 inch hot fat on one side. Turn and brown on the other side. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.

 SUMMER PICNIC BEAN SALAD

2 cups fresh green beans, blanched  (or 1 can, drained)

2 cups fresh wax beans, blanched (or 1 can, drained)

1 can dark kidney beans, drained

1/2 jar pimiento

1 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1 cup green pepper, chopped

Fresh dill and parsley, chopped

1 cup sugar

1 cup vinegar

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon paprika

1 clove garlic, pressed or minced

Mix together all vegetables with herbs. In a small bowl, stir together sugar, vinegar, oil, paprika and garlic. Toss over vegetables. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

PICNIC BASKET PEANUT BUTTER BARS

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup quick oats

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars. Beat in eggs. Stir in peanut butter. Add soda, vanilla, flour and oatmeal. Spread dough in a lightly greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

SWIRL FROSTING

1 package chocolate chips

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

2-4 tablespoons cream

While warm, spread with chocolate chips. In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, peanut butter and cream. Squeeze onto bars with a pastry bag in swirl design.