Corn Chowder

Many years ago, I started making corn chowder on cold wintery days when we were housebound. I always made a loaf of oatbread to go along with it. The two recipes go hand in hand. My family loves this combination and I've made it virtually unchanged all these years.

3 small potatoes peeled and cut in pieces
1 medium onion diced
2 stalks of celery chopped with leaves
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 cups milk
1 tin cream style corn
1 cup frozen corn or tinned corn
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped fine

In a large, heavy saucepan melt butter and add onion and celery. Stir and fry gently over medium heat. Add 1/2 cups boiling water and bouillon cube. Add diced potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook uncovered until potatoes appear done by piercing with fork. Add 2 cups milk mixed with flour. Blend soup to ive it a refined texture. Serve hot. Garnish with fresh minced parsley.

Cinnabon Buns

I have been trying to perfect my cinnamon bun recipe for quite some time. This is the best recipe I've used and it's my family's favourite.

Dough

1 cup warm milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Filling

2 cups brown sugar
5 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup butter

Cream cheese icing

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Place the dough ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle and press start.

After the dough has doubled in sie, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes in a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into a 16 x 21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with filling. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake rolls until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, make the icing spread on warm rolls before serving.

Pasta with Peas and Ham

This is one recipe that I make often. No matter what changes I make to it or what I add to it, it always tastes great.

1 medium chopped onion
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Ham
Peas
14 cup butter
1 cup broth
Pasta

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil and butter
Add ham, peas, and broth. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pasta finishes cooking. Toss onto cooked pasta.

Oat Bread

There's nothing more satisfying or hearty than oat bread. I found this recipe years ago in a decades old cookbook that is no longer in my inventory of cookbooks. Thank goodness I had written it down and kept it. I make this bread whenever I make corn chowder. A taste of the old west in my own kitchen!

1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/4 cup cup oats (steel cut works best but quick oats are fine too)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons yeast

Place oats in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over them. Let set 30 minutes or until water is absorbed and oats are lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Place all of the ingredients in the pan of your bread machine in the order suggested by manufacturer.

Worms in the Dirt

There are a ton of variations on this children's dessert. This particular recipe seems to be my family's favourite. It's up to you how or what you want to make and serve it in. Depending on the circumstance, sometimes I make it in individual cups or as a cake. If you're serving lots of really young children, I'd make it in the cups.

Oreo cookies - 20 ounce package
2 3 ounce bars of dark chocolate chopped
1/2 cup butter
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 packages chocolate pudding (I often make my own chocolate mouse)
3 cups milk
1 cup whip cream
Gummy worms
Pieces of broken candy

Crush cookies in a food processor or blender, a few at a time to allow them to crush fine for the dirt. Add candy pieces - these are the rocks. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the pudding and milk until they thicken, about 2 minutes. Fold in the Cool Whip. Then fold in the cream cheese mixture.

In a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan, layer as follows:

Sprinkle 1/3 of the cookie mix in the bottom
Add a few worms
Spread half the pudding mix on top
Sprinkle more cookie mix
Add a few more worms
Add remaining pudding mix
Top with cookie mix to give this the appearance of dirt

Cover the pudding as best as possible and don't flatten. Just sprinkle cookie mix. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Toothpicks can be used to keep topping from being smashed by the plastic wrap.