Quick and easy recipes for the family

This past week was so much nicer than the week before. We finally got around to mowing our yard which was more of a hay field then a yard. With that it makes it all the more difficult to find time to cook and enjoy the family. The end of the school year is a few weeks away which means the kiddos will be home more and they will be eating more so look for an easy snack recipes to come out soon. If you have something you would like to add to the recipe section, please submit it to the Firelands Farmer at 43 East Main Street, New London, OH 44851.

Our National Days this week are: May 17– Cherry Cobbler Day and Walnut Day, May 18– Cheese Souffle Day, May 19– Devil’s Food Cake Day and Juice Slush Day, May 20– Quiche Lorraine Day, May 21- Strawberries and Cream Day, May 22Vanilla Pudding Day and May 23 is National Taffy Day.

DID YOU KNOW: Devil’s Food Cake differs from a regular chocolate cake by its darker color and tends to be moister and airier. Devil’s Food cake recipes use hot or boiling water as the primary liquid and cocoa is typically used in the batter, as opposed to chocolate. Coffee can be added for a distinctive flavor. A delicious chocolate frosting usually accompanies the cake. Devil’s Food cakes recipes often appeared alongside recipes for Angel Food cakes. One of the earliest recipes appeared in the August 10, 1898, edition of the Hagerstown Exponent of Hagerstown, Indiana. While earlier chocolate cake recipes existed before this one, Devil’s Food Cake is uniquely different for other chocolate cakes.

Slushies: Royal courts from ages past used to bring down freshly fallen snow from mountain tops and spread crushed berries and mashed fruit on top.

Sunrise Slush

Prep Time: 25

Makes 24 servings Ingredients

2 cans of frozen orange juice concentrate

1 can frozen lemonade 46 fl. oz can of pineapple juice

4 c sugar (You can decrease the amount of sugar if you’d prefer)

6 c water

2 L Lemon-lime soda Instructions

In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat.

Add the frozen orange juice concentrate, frozen lemonade and can of pineapple juice. Mix well.

In a large container (e.g. ice cream bucket), pour in the slush mixture. Freeze overnight, stirring occasionally.

Put one or two scoops into a glass.

Pour lemon-lime soda to the top of the glass.

Strawberries and Cream Ingredients

4 cups of strawberries 1 cup of whipping cream or half and half

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract

Instructions

Wash strawberries and de-stem.

Slice strawberries and sprinkle sugar over the top and let them sit for 5 minutes.

Gently strawberries.

Add and mix the whipping cream or half and half and vanilla with the strawberries and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

toss

Quiche Lorraine Time: 45 mins

the

Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino:

Blend recipe above, add a handful of ice, about 5-6 cubes to create a puree.

Pour half of puree into a glass then add a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Pour remaining puree over ice cream then top with whipped cream.

Savory Cheese Soufflé Active time: 30 mins

Total: 1 hour

Serves 2 as a main course

Ingredients 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the dish

Grated Parmigianoreggiano or Grana Padano cheese, for dusting the dish

3 1/2 tablespoons allpurpose flour (see note) 1 cup whole milk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional; see note)

1 pinch cayenne pepper or two dashes hot sauce (optional; see note)

4 large egg yolks

5 large cold egg whites 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional; see note)

3 ounces freshly grated Gruyère or other semi firm cheese, such as cheddar Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F for a more browned soufflé with a slightly looser center or 375°F for a more gently cooked soufflé that sets all the way through. Set oven rack in lowest position. Grease interior of 48-ounce ramekin with softened butter. Add some grated Parmigianoreggiano, rotating ramekin all around so cheese sticks to every part of buttered surface; add more cheese if you don’t have enough or discard any excess. Wipe rim of soufflé dish and transfer prepared ramekin to the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a small saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat (do not allow it to brown). Add flour and whisk to form paste. Continue to cook, stirring, until raw flour scent is gone, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk in thin, steady stream, or in increments of a couple of tablespoons at a time, whisking thoroughly and getting into all corners of pan to maintain lump-free texture. Sauce will initially become very thick, then get thin once all the milk is added.

Heat, stirring, until sauce comes to simmer and begins to thicken slightly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring and scraping the sides and bottom of pan, until sauce is nicely thickened, about 3 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer béchamel sauce to large heatproof mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Whisk Dijon mustard and/or cayenne/hot sauce (if using) into béchamel. Then, while whisking constantly, work in egg yolks one at a time until thoroughly blended. Set soufflé base aside.

In large mixing bowl, using a French whisk, electric hand blender, or stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine egg whites with cream of tartar (if using) and beat until firm, glossy peaks form.

Add 1/3 of beaten egg whites to béchamel base and stir well until whites are thoroughly combined and soufflé base has a looser consistency. Mix in Gruyère and then add remaining beaten whites. Using a silicon spatula, gently fold them into soufflé base just until well combined.

Remove soufflé dish from refrigerator and set on rimmed baking sheet. Scrape soufflé batter into prepared baking dish, filling it up to the inner ridge, not to the top (discard any excess). If desired, using an offset or other spatula, gently smooth and level surface of the soufflé batter.

Transfer soufflé to oven and bake until well risen and very nicely browned on top, about 30 minutes at 400°F for less set and 35 mins at 400°F for more set, and 35-40 minutes at 375°F for fully set.

Immediately transfer soufflé to table and serve before it deflates too much, scooping out portions onto each diner’s plate.