Hearthside Cooking

By Elaine Harder

Hearthside Cooking makes having meals at home seem simple. Regardless of your skill level in the kitchen, the ease of these recipes will encourage you. Grocery lists, culinary tips and person stories make this cookbook a valuable kitchen reference for generations to come. Seven Days of Homecooked Meals is presented to challenge people to eat well and live long "simply." From bakes apple pancakes to barbeque ribs, soups to entrées, there is something for everyone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elaine Harder
• Release date: Mar 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9780994095718

Elaine Harder

Elaine Harder was shown how to make great food from her mother who in turn was taught by her mother. She grew up on a farm in southern Manitoba where she learned how to cook from scratch using what was grown on the farm. Elaine has prepared meals for people from around the world. Her faith in God has enable her to walk through many challenges, the most recent being cancer. As a survivor, she realizes the importance of nutrition and balance as well as family and friends. It is her desire that her readers would enjoy good health and that all may go well with them—body, mind, and soul.

Book preview

DAY ONE MENUS

Jesus, as we look at today’s menu, I pray that You would anoint our hands to be holy hands here to do your bidding. I pray that our minds would be full of wholesome thoughts. I pray that the food we are preparing for ourselves, our loved ones and our friends would nourish them—spirit, soul and body. I pray for your presence in our kitchens as we cook—that we would see this as a privilege, not a chore. I pray for favour and that the works of our hands will bring pleasure, joy, and nourishment. Amen.

It is time for some fun. This is our first day of menus and it’s going to be awesome. Are you ready for it? When figuring out what to make for this first breakfast, I thought of what my kids would call one of their favourite comfort foods. Simple, basic, nutritious.

Breakfast

Breakfast is the beginning of the day and needs to be nourishing. According to many people, a bowl of oatmeal porridge is the best way to start your day. Speaking of oatmeal, I must tell you a story or two.

My husband, Herb, absolutely cannot bear oatmeal porridge. His wonderful German mother insisted that he and his siblings eat it every day of their lives while he was growing up. Every morning his porridge would land in his stomach like a rubber ball that seemed to bounce right back out! Complaining was of no avail because, It is good for you! When we were married he informed me that he would eat anything I made EXCEPT, Please don’t ever make me eat oatmeal porridge!

I agreed. However, shortly after we were married, we went to visit my Aunt Fran and Uncle John. Aunt Fran was head nurse in the local hospital and Uncle John was a dairy and grain farmer. He knew how to start the day off right! Yup, we had oatmeal porridge—and not just a little bit; we were each given a large bowl of it. I told Herb he did not have to eat it. Uncle John, however, was a big man and not to be messed with so, not knowing him very well, Herb dug in. He manfully ate his bowl full, his face blanching, but he pushed through. He was just about done when Uncle John got up from the table, retrieved the large pot off the stove and said, Herb, you need some more!

NO! Herb cried. I’m good, really, I have had enough—full up to here. He motioned with a hand across his throat.

Nonsense, Uncle John replied as he filled Herb’s bowl again. Aaagggghhhh. I once again told Herb that he didn’t have to eat it. Herb was now a pale green colour. But, as before, he bravely took up his spoon and began to eat his second bowl of slimy oatmeal porridge. I noticed that he had to swallow twice to get the mouthfuls down, but he bravely choked it down. That was over 35 years ago and I have kept my promise.

However, I have discovered a way of feeding him oatmeal for breakfast. Years ago, when cooking at a camp, I had a young man named Alvin helping me in the kitchen. Alvin had worked for a survey team in Northern Manitoba and lived in a bush tent through the cold winters, using a wood stove for both cooking and heating. He introduced me to Baked Oatmeal and it revolutionized Herb’s view of Oatmeal Porridge. Alvin’s recipe has become an all-time favorite. For twenty years, Herb and I were directors of year-round camp and conference centres. Our guests loved Baked Oatmeal and Herb loved to tell his oatmeal story. With Alvin’s permission I have passed this recipe on to thousands of guests and now I want to share it with you.

Here is the famous baked oatmeal recipe:

BAKED OATMEAL

2 eggs

½ cup (125 ml) oil

1 cup (250 ml) milk

¾ cup (175 ml) loosely packed brown sugar

3 cups (750 ml) quick oats

1 tsp. (5 ml) cinnamon

½ tsp. (2.5 ml)) salt

2 tsp. (10 ml) (10 ml) baking powder

2 cups (500 ml) mixed berries

1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream

In a small bowl, whip together eggs, oil, brown sugar and milk. Set aside.

In a larger bowl, stir together oatmeal, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.

Pour egg mixture over the oats and stir till moist.

Pour into a 9 x 9 inch pan. Bake at 350° F (180° C) for 25 minutes.

Thaw frozen berries or mix together assorted fresh berries.

Whip cream. When stiff, add 1 tbsp. icing sugar and a splash of vanilla.

When the baked oatmeal comes out of the oven, immediately scoop into bowls and top with berries and whipped cream and enjoy.

To finish this wonderful dish, you must add berries and whipped cream. According to Herb, that is the best. Some people like to pour syrup over it but that is not necessary. You can also use yogurt instead of whipped cream and sprinkle it with slivered almonds.

For those who may be a little more adventurous, you can enhance the flavour of the baked oatmeal by adding a grated apple and a handful of dried cranberries to the mixture before baking.

Now breakfast can be seen as complete. Some around your table may say, Is that all? On special occasions, you could add a few strips of bacon or some sausages. You might even want to fry up some potatoes and eggs. However, baked oatmeal can be a meal in itself.

Do you use leftovers? Fantastic. My kids eat it for a snack and, if there is any left after that, we eat it for breakfast the next morning. We had some staff over the years that would eat six or more bowls of baked oatmeal for breakfast and ask if there was any left for their night snack. We had guest groups that would ask that baked oatmeal be put on the menu every year. In fact, I started writing out recipe cards to hand out after breakfast because in every group someone would ask if I would share my secret recipe.

Lunch

I find sandwiches boring. When my children were young they loved my creative lunches. They were the envy of their friends and often kids asked to swap meals with them. The all-time favourite was cheese buns. Now, do not be overwhelmed! Baking with yeast is very easy. Let’s start with a very simple recipe that can be used in a variety of ways. Are you ready?

Get a big bowl, put on a smile and let’s begin. It really isn’t all that complicated.

BASIC BUN RECIPE

2 tsp. (10 ml) sugar

2 tsp. (10 ml) salt

2 tbsp. (30 ml) instant yeast

½ cup (125 ml) oil

2 cups (500 ml) warm water

5 cups (1250 ml) flour

Note: A mixture of sugar and warm water is what helps the yeast to rise. It will not rise in cold water, and hot water will kill the yeast. Sugar is what activates the yeast.

Place the water, sugar, salt and oil in a large bowl (use a mixer if you have one).

Stir yeast into a cup of the flour. Pour flour into liquids and whisk. Stir in the remaining flour, one cup at a time.

When you have