This past week I found a few books that make for interesting history and reading. One was a novel using Sioux
Falls as the setting. Easy read and three books in one with the characters and story continuing in a different setting in each. It’s fun to see what really was the mystery of the quilt and the part it played in the life of the characters. The second book is about the Swedes coming to America and settling in North Dakota. So much of the story was similar to my growing up in a large family and sharing bedrooms with sisters, the coming of electricity, and indoor plumbing. I remember always having electricity but it was generated with a gas generator that almost took our lives one day as the ice compacted around the vent and the gas fumes came back into the house.
The story goes that my mother thought I was acting rather different from my food as I sat in the high chair. Shortly the neighbor just happened to come across the road and as soon as he opened the door he smelled the fumes and was quick to help us find the frozen vent and air out the house. I could relate very well with farmers of that time and sharing bedrooms with my sisters and sometimes even a bed in the boys’ room. We had to give up our playroom for a bathroom and the closet for our clothes was out in the hall. The author even called the Montgomery Catalog Monkies catalog just like we did. Oh, it was fun to get the new one each fall and then to bring the old one to the outhouse. By the way, we liked peach season as the wrappers for the peaches were much softer for you know what. The girls in the story had to help their father with many of the chores and fieldwork. I did some of it but my job was more cooking and Frances and Mary did the outside chores if necessary. Reading the book brought back many memories and we didn’t have it so bad as everyone else was doing the same things. We had to learn a lot about sharing and that is a good thing to think about.
Pizza Roll-Ups
1/2 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 jar (28 ounces) pasta sauce with mushrooms, divided
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded 6 cheese Italian cheese, divided
8 long (6 ounces) lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
Brown ground beef and onion in large skillet. Pour off drippings. Sprinkle meat mixture with garlic salt and pepper flakes. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup pasta sauce and 1-1/2 cups cheese.
Spoon 1 cup pasta sauce into 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Spoon 1/4 cup meat mixture down center of each lasagna noodle; roll up and place, seam-side down in baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce over roll-ups.
Cover with foil; bake in preheated 375º oven for 35 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven; uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let stand 5 minutes before serving Makes 8 servings
Herb Focaccia Rolls
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (1/4 oz.) quick-rise yeast
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 cups warm water
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Combine flour, yeast, 1 tablespoon thyme, 1 tablespoon rosemary, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add water and 2 tablespoons oil; beat 1 minute (dough will be very sticky).
Divide the dough into 18 greased muffin cups. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375). In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir the remaining seasonings and oil just until herbs are fragrant and oil is hot about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool. Gently spoon the cooled herb mixture over each roll. Bake until golden brown. 20-25 minutes. Make 1 1/2 dozen.
Dough may be spread in a greased 13×9 inch pan. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Top with herb mixture; bake at 375º until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
Frosted Pumpkin Bars
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 eggs
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
30 pumpkin-shaped candies
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin, and oil; stir into dry ingredients. Spread into a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake at 350º for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar; mix well. Spread over top. Cut into 30 bars. Top each bar with a pumpkin candy. Makes: 2 1/2 dozen
