Whole Wheat Date Bars

When I read this recipe in Martha Stewart's Cookie cookbook, I thought it would make a good breakfast bar for Raven and it did. I love dates and eat them by the handful but was not sure if Raven would like them. She said they were great but Ransome did not care for them, he is not into "health food." This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
for the filling:
2 1/4 cups dates
1/4 apple cider

for the dough:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat bran
1/4 t course salt
1/4 t baking soda
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 t finely grated lemon zest
10 T room temperature butter
1 egg
1/4 applesauce

1. Make filling: Bring dates and cider to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until dates are soft and almost all of the liquid has reduced, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely and then transfer to a food processor. Puree date mixture until smooth.

2. Make dough: Whisk together both flours, bran, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Put brown sugar and zest in a bowl of your Kitchen Aid mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until combined, about 1 minute. Add egg and mix until fluffy. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with 2 batches of applesauce. Now divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic; shape into a rectangle. Refrigerate until firm, about two hours.

3. Preheat oven to 375'. Roll out one piece of dough between two pieces of floured parchment paper and place into a 9x13 pan. This is what I did because it was much easier. Now place date mixture on top of dough and place in the fridge until very firm. Now roll out the rest of the dough and place on top of date layer. I had to use flour dusted on parchment when I rolled the dough out. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Side note... Martha says the dough is a sticky one and this is true. She also says to fold the dough over on itself with the filling inside but I thought this was just too hard for me. This why I say a layer of dough, then dates, then dough in a 9x13 pan. To me, this method just worked better.

Baby Beets and Beet Greens

Until last year I had never eaten beet greens. In fact, I had just cut them off and thrown them away. I am ashamed to say that, because they are soo GOOD!! I was thinning my beet rows the other day and was quite surprised to see beets the size of quarters on the end of my greens. It will not be long before the pickling begins... But until then we will eat these tiny beets with the greens. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

Beets with the tops or greens still attached
Water
Oil
Salt to taste
Butter

I like my beets boiled, not roasted, but that is up to you. Wash your beets very well and remove the greens. You will wash the greens very well and then wash them again. They are like spinach and can get very sandy. Cover beets with water in a pot and cook until fork tender. I honestly cannot tell you how long that is because it depends how big your beets are. I boiled the ones pictured for about 20 minutes. Once boiled, peel with your hands under cool water. NOTE:Beets stain your hands!! So use gloves if you don't want purple hands. I place my greens in a cast iron skillet and add about a half inch of water to the skillet. Salt and pepper now and cook over a medium high heat until most of the water is gone, now add a little oil and saute for a couple of minutes. These greens are like any other green you have cooked before. I don't like my greens soggy, I like them with a little bite left in them. I serve the greens with the baby beets.

A Spring Roast

I decided to roast some veggies that were fresh from my garden last night. I had chicken quarters laid out and added them to the roasting pan too. I am glad that I did because everyone loved the dinner! This is definitely going to be a repeat dinner. I love roasted veggies but with the chicken on top they tasted even better, if that is possible. My tomatoes are starting to bloom so home grown tomatoes are not far off. Oh the things I will make with those tomatoes.... This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:

6 chicken leg quarters
5 Roma tomatoes-sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 purple onion-sliced in 1/4 inch rings
1 head of cauliflower-fresh from my garden-broken into florets
2 pounds broccoli-fresh from my garden
3 T chives-fresh from my garden-chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves-minced

Preheat oven to 450'. While oven is heating up mix veggies with oil, salt and pepper, chives, and garlic and spread in a large roasting pan. Now add your chicken quarters on top and salt and pepper the heck out of them. Place in hot oven and roast for 40 minutes. Just make sure the juices from the chicken run clear. I served our dinner with quinoa and everyone loved it.

Chocolate Cupcakes

I cannot wait for Martha's new Cupcake Cookbook to come out. Yes, I love Martha Stewart and for the most part all of her recipes turn out well. This is a bonus when making something you have never made before. Back to this recipe, Ransome has been wanting cupcakes this week and I have just been too busy, sad to say that I have not made him any until today. June is coming up and we have 4 birthdays in our family in June, the idea of cake in any form is not appealing right now. I will be baking CAKES next month for Ransome on the 8th, Raven and the 21st, Mom on the 25th , and Raine on the 27th. That is a lot of baking but I do love making decorated cakes!! This is practice for Raven's cake, she loves chocolate cake and I had to try this recipe before then anyway. The icing on the cupcakes is a butter cream and is really good on chocolate cupcakes. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek this Memorial Day!

Needed:

1 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 butter flavored Crisco
1/2 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream together in your Kitchen Aide Mixer the following, Crisco and sugar, once creamy add the eggs one at a time, applesauce, and sour cream. When all of this is mixed well add sifted mixture a little at a time until well mixed. Now place 1/3 cup of mixture into a lined muffin pan, this will make 12 cupcakes. Bake at 350' for 20 minutes. Cool completely and then ice with butter cream frosting!

Grilled Corn-on-the-Cob

I love corn and I love it grilled then smothered with mayo, dusted with cayenne pepper and parmesan cheese. Soo good... Anyway, grilling corn is easy and the kids think using the husks as handles is cool. This is What's Cookin this weekend on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:
7 ears of corn-silks removed but husks left
sink full of water
grill

Soak corn in water for 1 hour, this helps steam the corn and keeps husks from burning up. Cook over medium coals for 10-15 minutes. This is so good with anything else grilled.

The Softest Oatmeal Cookies You Have Ever Eaten

I have been busy canning preserves and have not been a good blogger, bad Stacey, bad Stacey. I made these cookies yesterday and all are gone. Sean and Ransome love oatmeal cookies and these are favorites. I think the softness comes from the applesauce, of course I used home canned apple sauce but any will do. This is What's Cookin again today on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:
5 T softened butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 egg-beaten
1 cup applesauce
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together and set aside. Mix in your Kitchen Aid Mixer, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and egg, until fluffy, now add your applesauce and mix well. I add 1/2 of flour mixture and then add 1/2 of the oats and then repeat the process, the raisins are last to go in. Drop by the tablespoon on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350' for 12 minutes. I keep checking to make sure I don't over bake them. 12 minutes cooks them the way we like them but you might cook yours anywhere from 12-15 minutes but all ovens are different. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk!

Stilwell Strawberry Preserves

Yes, you betcha it is time for Stilwell, Oklahoma strawberries!!! Can you tell I am excited?? Stilwell strawberries are the best I have ever eaten. When I buy them I eat way more than one person should. They are so sweet right out of the box and even better as preserves. This is my tried and true recipe. If you've never made your own preserves, try this recipe and you will never eat store bought again! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

8 pints of Stilwell strawberries(you can use other strawberries, at least I think you can)-cleaned
21 cups sugar
2 boxes pectin

I clean and cut my strawberries in half and place them in a huge heavy bottom soup pot. Now add your sugar and smash berries as they heat up and stir, stir, stir. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 5 minutes,stirring constantly, now stir in pectin. Stir and skim off foam for 5 more minutes, now ladle into sterilized pint jars and seal with flat and ring. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from hot water bath and let cool completely. If jar does not seal place in fridge and use within a couple of weeks.