Picnic food

Pound Cake | EvinOK

My Grandma’s Classic Pound Cake

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This week marks what would have been my grandma’s 104th birthday. She is remembered for many things from her stubbornness to her cooking -- I am proud to have inherited both those attributes. Just as there is no way I can forget the warmth of her hugs, it is impossible to forget the comfort her cooking offered. She made even the simplest foods special. I have shared her recipes in previous columns, most notably her corn pudding. Now, I am sharing her coveted baking recipes! Mary’s Pound Cake spares no calories to bring the true taste of pound cake to your kitchen. Grandma’s Brownies pays tribute to our family’s addiction to chocolate. Aunt Mary’s Bread Pudding is the essential comfort food that goes well as a fancy dessert or a get well soon snack. I named it “Aunt Mary” because this is a favorite of my cousins’. These are almost verbatim from her recipe cards and much simpler than my own writing style. Since she only wrote them for herself she didn’t feel the need to include step-by-step instructions. I’ve supplied more detailed instructions to help you make these same delicious baked goods! Continue reading →
Strawberry Salad | EvinOK

So Berry Good! Strawberry Adventures in Your Kitchen

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Today marks the start of the 64th Annual West Virginia Strawberry Festival. So, when you are not having strawberry adventures on “Strawberry Lane” you can have them in your very own kitchen. After all, the festival only lasts for five sweet days, but the berries can be enjoyed for much longer. Conor (my fiancé) and I grow strawberries in our garden, which makes us choosy about how we use our berries. Provided, we grow two different kinds so some are small and others are like those in the grocery market. The smaller ones don’t lend as much visual punch to recipes, but work well if you use enough of them. The three recipes for this week have larger berries in mind. Each of these recipes is a good addition to any dinner, but they also transport well so spoil yourself and include them in your brown bag lunch next time you need something fun in the middle of the work day. Maureen’s Strawberry Green Salad has the unique distinction of being as quick to prepare as it is to devour. It brings new simplicity to making your own fresh salad dressing. You can almost picture high tea when you taste the Creamy Strawberry Pecan Spread on a warm biscuit. This recipe also works with frozen strawberries in a pinch. I couldn’t be happier with the Mascarpone & Strawberry Tart. This recipe is the result of my desire to combine the delicate texture of a tart with the comforting nature of pie. The result is perfection – or so Conor exclaimed after tasting a bite. I hope that you agree when you try these recipes when you have your own strawberry adventure. Continue reading →
Corn Pudding | EvinOK

Three Recipes to Enjoy Corn with a Spoon

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Summer has officially arrived when ears of corn are piled high at your local market. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been able to eat just one ear of corn. The summer before my orthodontist gave me braces, I ate corn on the cob like a girl on a mission. My Aunt Ruth made an amazing dinner one night and boasted that the farmers’ market had fresh corn so she bought “too many ears for just us”. As it turned out, she bought just enough. My father and I each ate at least six ears at each sitting, much to my aunt’s delight. To this day, I associate corn with the sound of a screen door slamming shut and the feel of plastic-covered furniture. As much as I love buttery corn on the cob, it can be a bit messy. With that in mind, I am suggesting three ways to enjoy corn without the mess. The sweetness of corn is ideal for a variety of dishes, from breads and puddings to chowders and casseroles. Mary’s Corn Pudding is my grandmother’s own recipe that tastes the same when I make it today as it did when she made it fifty years ago. The only drawback seems to be that every time I make it, my dad shows up at the stove with a spoon! For a refreshing side dish, try Tomato & Corn Salad. It is tangy and cool, which is ideal for a summer meal. When in a plastic container, it travels well so it can also be invited along on picnics or fishing trips. With hundreds of corn soup and chowder recipes in cookbooks worldwide, it is often nice to return to the basics. This column’s Corn Chowder is simple and comforting. It goes well with a glass of iced tea and a BLT sandwich, a recipe that will be featured in an upcoming column. Just because the best corn is available in summer and early fall doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy these dishes year-round. Each recipe includes the corresponding amount of canned corn as a substitute for kernels fresh from the ear. Continue reading →