• 2 cups fresh, ripe crushed, strawberries
• 4 cups sugar (use the correct amount of sugar or jam may not set)
• 1 Tbl lemon juice
• 1 pouch liquid fruit pectin like Certo or Ball
• 5 small canning jars with lids

Then-
1) Rinse and hull berries. Cut out and discard any white pulp from inside the berry. Slice berries into quarters in large mixing bowl.
2) Crush berries with a potato masher in a large glass or Pyrex mixing bowl, not metal
3) Measure 2 cups into a medium mixing bowl. Reserve any remaining berries for another batch

4) Use a wooden spoon to stir in sugar, adding slowly, a little at a time.
5) Continue to stir until all sugar is dissolved. Skim away any foam and discard.
To dissolve sugar completely try leaving the bowl on the kitchen counter and stir a wherever you walk by. Scrape down sugar from sides of bowl often.

If the sugar won’t dissolve, cover and leave overnight. In the morning stir until all sugar dissolves.
6) In a small bowl mix lemon juice and liquid pectin well.
7) Add liquid to berries stirring continuously until completely blended.
8) Ladle into sterilized jars and set lids on lightly.
Allow jam to set 24 hours on the counter then check that the jam has set before sealing and freezing. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Defrost jam in refrigerator and refrigerate after each use

Home made stew with beef, carrots, potatoes, onions, celery

Today I had the urge to create a satisfying dish complete with meat and veggies, but without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. I love my kitchen and I feel creative there, but today I felt like I needed a change, so I decided to spend the Spring day, with its lovely mild temperatures – entirely outside the house enjoying the sun with my family.  I wanted to cook, too, though, that was my dilemma. I looked to my cookbook, “Miss Vickie’s Kitchen”,  for inspiration and found it on page 46 – my recipe “Irish Canadian Beef Stew,”  pictured below. It was featured in Entertaining and Lifestyle in March 2015 issue of Hello Canada!

Thank you, Hello Canada!

I turned on my slow cooker, browned the beef, chopped the veggies, placed it all in the pot and covered it with water, wine and beef stock. I set it to 6 hrs on low heat and then drove to the park to play with my granddaughter.

Vera’s just a year old and a novice toddler who loves touching and tasting sand and is curious about everything and everyone. She’s become an expert at waving her tiny, dimpled hand, greeting stranger and friend alike. Recently, she added Hi to her vocabulary. She talks! “hi!”
Watching her smile on the swing while my daughter pushed her, brought back memories of me pushing my little ones on swings many years ago in a playground miles away, in small town Ontario, Canada.

It was a sweet moment to cherish because it reminded me that life is a circle and, although we sometimes think our lives will never change, they will change and they DO change. Change can come in an instant. Sometimes change takes a slower, more subtle course. But life is about change. The more years that pass, the more we should welcome and embrace change.

When I look back I can truly treasure the moments spent playing with our children when they were small or sharing a tender moment with a loved one.

I held my giggling granddaughter’s tiny hands as she slid down the slide, I remembered that only a year ago she was a newborn infant. Change comes whether we are ready or not!

I suddenly realized it was almost suppertime, so we gathered our things and headed home, tired and hungry but mentally and emotionally reconnected, renewed and refreshed.

We had changed.

Now back in my kitchen, the slow cooker had been doing all the work while I played the afternoon away and the beef stew was ready and waiting…6 hours later.

“A change is as good as a rest”, was one of my Bill’s favourite sayings. Maybe there’s a lot of truth in that.

Preparation:

• Dredge 1 1/2 lb stewing beef in flour
• Cook beef in pan on medium in olive oil until all sides are brown
• Remove beef to a hot slow cooker
• Add:
• 1/4 c wine
• 1/2 c water
• 1 tsp Worcestershire
• 3 cups beef stock
• 4 medium potatoes, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• stalk of celery, chopped
• onion,chopped
• Add dash or thyme, salt & pepper
• Set slow cooker to low heat for 6 hours.

This Easter Sunday my family will celebrate the joy of the season by coming together at my home to share brunch.
We are all looking forward to welcoming two of my cousins and their wives from England and Canada who will join us!
My daughter and I planned the menu all week. She will prepare her signature guacamole dish, (recipe on page 7 in my cookbook) and a new favourite drink, Sangria Punch- Arizona style.

My eldest son and his wife plan to make the Crepes Suzettes, my personal favourite. My middle son is handing all the crucial Canadian bacon-related details.  My youngest son will make sure we have Grand Marnier on hand for the crepes as well as guarantee lots of fresh picked pink grapefruit for the juicer. Fresh squeezed juice for 14 guests! Delicious..

A pint of Quebec Maple Syrup stands ready for the pancakes!
I remember when I used to handle all the planning and cooking details for every family get- together,  but I discovered that it’s more fun when the entire family gets involved working together and creating in the kitchen and I can take a step back. It’s such a joy to share my little kitchen with all the accomplished “cooks” in my loving family.

Oh..I almost forgot…Yes I’m planning to make a little something, too. The Quiche recipe I prepared for Vera’s Birthday party was well received – so I’ll make it again! This time I’ll prepare it the night before and serve it warmed up or cold for brunch the next day.

My Quiche Recipe is below. Questions? Reach out to me via Face Book: Vickie Kerr, Real Miss Vickie

Have a Happy Easter!

Ingredients

Line an unbaked 9 inch pie shell (pastry recipe Page 104 0f Miss Vickie’s Kitchen) with pie weights or tin foil so it doesn’t bubble. Bake shell at 425F until almost golden, about 15-18 minutes while you are preparing the filling.  Remove tin foil after 10-12 minutes and continue baking until the pastry looks almost cooked. The pastry should be warm when you fill it with the egg mixture.

FILLING

Steam the broccoli and set aside.

Cook the bacon until almost crispy. Set aside on paper towel to drain.

Sautee the onions  in the bacon fat.

Crumble bacon when cool and transfer to bottom of the baked warm pie shell.

Add the onions and the fat to the bacon. Add broccoli and mushroom slices.

Sprinkle cheese over the bacon, broccoli and onion. Add salt or pepper here to taste.

In a medium bowl beat eggs, cream and seasonings.

Pour over the bacon & cheese.

Dot with butter

Bake immediately in a 425 degree F oven for 15 minutes

Reduce heat to 325 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes more, or until a knife inserted comes out clean. The center of the quiche should still look a bit wobbly, but it will continue to cook for after it’s removed from the oven. Cool ten minutes before cutting into pie shaped wedges.

I love to cook and bake, so when my daughter planned a BIG birthday party for my firstborn granddaughter in March I offered to help with the menu for brunch. Vera turned one year old and the theme of her party was to be owls. I always prepare Deviled Eggs (recipe on page 8 in my cookbook) for family get togethers, but this time my daughter requested I make the eggs look like owls!

Here’s how to make them:
Cook the eggs until hard-boiled.(10-12 minutes)
Slice each egg in half and remove yolks and mash well in a bowl, adding enough salad dressing (like Miracle Whip) to make a thick paste.
Season yolks with dry mustard, salt, pepper.
The next step requires stuffing a pastry/piping bag with the yolk mixture. (use can use plastic bag )
Fill the egg white halves with yolk using a pastry tip to resemble feathers.
Slice drained black olives for the round eyes (a small bit for inside the eye)
A tiny triangular carrot slice creates the beak!

Awesome pineapple owl!

The children and adults loved it!

                             Roast Rib of Beef Au Jus

If you’ve had enough of munching down fatty chicken wings watching the game, try a Super Bowl Sunday gourmet recipe made from scratch that’s easy and foolproof! Serve as a roast or make French Dip sandwiches everyone in your family will rave about!

At our home we usually reserve this recipe for very special occasions because of the price of prime rib beef, but we’ve found that any standing rib cut of beef cooks to perfection if you follow these simple steps. You will need an accurate meat thermometer to do it just right!

1. Bring a 6-8 lb standing rib roast  (2-3 bones) to room temperature.
2. Rub all over with salt, pepper
3. Place the roast bone-side down in a roasting pan.
4. Roast in preheated 500 degrees F oven for 30 minutes (there may be some splattering)
5. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F for about 1 1/2 hours
6. Roast only until internal meat temperature reaches 120 degrees F  (place thermometer in the deepest part of the roast for an accurate reading)
7. Remove roast from pan and cover completely with foil. Allow roast to rest for 15 minutes while preparing au jus. The roast will continue to cook.
8. Skim fat off pan drippings and discard (chill drippings in fridge and the fat will rise to the top)

Au Jus

To the drippings add

• 1 1/2 cups red wine
• 2 cups beef stock (not broth)
• 1 teaspoon creamy horseradish
• Sea salt, pepper

Simmer over low heat, whisking occasionally. Reduce to 1/2 original volume.

Add horseradish and salt, pepper to taste

Thinly slice the beef and serve with individual servings of au jus for dipping.

This recipe appears on page 60  in my family cookbook

Miss Vickie’s Kitchen

Leftover roast beef ? Use for making French Dip Sandwiches!

Fresh baked scones are a warm welcome every morning!

Make this double batch recipe to bake some today and save some basic mix for a quick treat another day. Use cranberries for one batch (3 cups scone mix makes 16 scones) and chocolate chips, currants or raisins for a second batch. Or store unused basic scone mix in a tightly covered container and refrigerate for up a week or until ready to use.{ingredients}

STEP ONEBasic Scone Recipe

• 6 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup + 3 tbsp cold butter, cut into small cubes

   In a large mixing bowl cut butter into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter to make small crumbs

STEP TWO

     Measure 3 cups basic scone mix into mixing bowl

Add:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups  cold, heavy cream + 1 tbsp for topping
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1 tbsp orange zest

Mix gently and thoroughly with a wooden spoon

1. The dough will be sticky. Stir until dough thickens and pulls away from edge of mixing bowl slightly , sprinkling in a little more flour  if needed.
2. Transfer sticky dough to a well floured surface
3. With lots of flour on your hands knead gently until
4. it becomes easy to handle but is still very delicate.
5. Divide in half, patting gently to form two circles.

STEP THREE

1. Cut with knife into 8 wedges.
2. Use flour on knife if it’s too sticky to cut!

STEP FOUR

1. Arrange wedges on an un-greased baking sheet 1″-2″ apart.
2. Brush with remaining cream and sprinkle with sugar
3. Bake at 425 F for 15-18 minutes or until golden

 Revised, Miss Vickie’s Kitchen, page 94

These are signature cookies in the Kerr households around the holidays. Grandma always made them with a tiny cherry on top, so I do, too.

Ingredients

1 lb unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup icing (confectioner’s sugar) sifted

1/2 cup cornstarch

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter, icing sugar, and cornstarch

3. Add flour gradually, besting with a spoon after each addition. Beat until the mixture is light and looks like whipped cream.

4. Cover and chill for 20 minutes

5. Roll out the dough on a floured board until it is 1/2 inch thick. Cut small round shapes with a cookie cutter or use the rim of a small drinking glass.

6. Arrange the cut cookie dough on an ungreased baking sheet.

7. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes or until golden around the edges. Do not over bake.

8. Cook on the baking sheet for 1 minutes, and them remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 2 months.

TIP for thicker cookies roll the dough into small balls by hand and arrange on an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten with a fork.

To decorate the cookies use a sliver of candied maraschino cherry or a pecan gently pushed into the center of the dough very gently before baking. Or, for a festive look, sprinkle colored candy pieces, gently pressing into unbaked cookies before baking.