Try something new

Irene Walters

We can go through life doing the same things in the same way and
not trying new things. Then, soon we are in a rut and become bored
and have to try something new.

As you may know or have figured out, I try a lot of new recipes.
I make two to three new recipes a week. Some are repeaters and some
are “I’ll do it differently next time.”

This was the case with blueberry pies. I bought a big box of
fresh blueberries from King Soopers. The first pie I made was for a
dinner we were invited to at a neighbor’s cabin. I used cornstarch
and flour as required by the recipe I tried. It turned out soupy
and was very difficult to get out of the pie dish.

The next day we invited our friends, Irene and George, over for
dinner and I decided to make the pie differently. George’s favorite
dessert is blueberry pie. I first made a blueberry sauce and
flavored it with lemon zest and lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg
along with sugar and cornstarch to thicken it. I let the sauce cool
and then added fresh blueberries and more sugar to the mixture.
This pie turned out good and I was able to cut perfect pieces. It
held together.

Another recipe I tried recently was a Spaghetti Salad recipe. I
have made spaghetti salad many times, but this one called for fresh
basil and fresh flat leaf parsley which I have in my window sill
herb garden. It made the salad fresh and delicious. I added cooked
chicken pieces to it. Hard-boiled eggs can also be used if you
desire. Doing an old recipe in a new way made this salad refreshing
and Simply Tasteful.

Bill and I were playing golf at our regular 10:06 a.m. tee time.
We were paired up with another twosome couple, the Hoovers. We
introduced ourselves and Bobbie Hoover told us they were
celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary. They were married and
had honeymooned in Leadville and golfed at this course 17 years
ago. They came to re-live their honeymoon weekend.

As we played golf, we found out we were both from Michigan and
Bobbie’s cousin graduated from high school with my husband Bill and
lived two blocks away from his childhood home. Her cousin and Bill
went to the same grade school.

The more we talked, the more we had in common. They were camping
in a nearby park. Bill and I asked them if they had special
anniversary plans for the evening. They didn’t. So we decided to
invite Bobbie and her husband, Jerry, over to dinner that night to
celebrate their wedding anniversary. We told them we were having
shishkabobs on the grill. We gave them directions and told them to
come casual.

We had the best time meeting this new couple. Bobbie sings with
the Sweet Adeline’s in Colorado Springs and was performing at the
Pikes Peak Center in a few days.

I made beef tenderloin shishkabobs with fresh vegetables, corn
on cob, tomato salad, watermelon and fresh blueberry pie. Bobbie
brought pre-agreed-to potato salad. Along with appetizers and good
wine, the evening went by too quickly and we had a lot of fun.

It was fun to open ourselves and home to meet new people and try
new recipes.

Spaghetti Salad with Chicken

This recipe is a new twist to an old recipe. The fresh basil and
parsley made it refreshing and Simply Tasteful! Add whatever you
like to this salad. It would be good with apples and walnuts too.
Be creative. I have had it with pepperoni or other Italian meats,
olives and tomatoes.

1/2 pound spaghetti noodles, cooked al dente, drained and
rinsed

1 – 2 tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup flat-leafed parsley

1/4 cup basil leaves

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 Tablespoon McCormick’s salad seasonings

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

2 cups chicken, cooked and diced (optional)

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped (optional)

Cook the spaghetti noodles. Rinse. Drain. Add other ingredients
to warm noodles. Let marinate for at least 4 hours or
overnight.

Serves: 8

Country Blueberry Pie

You can use the following pastry recipe or use store-bought
pastry dough for your convenience. This is a different way to make
a perfect slice of blueberry pie. Serve with ice cream.

Pastry:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup shortening

1 egg

2 Tablespoons ice cold water

1/2 Tablespoon vinegar

Flour, for dusting

Sugar, for sprinkling on top

Combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening. Whisk together
egg, water and vinegar. Add to flour mixture, one tablespoon at a
time, tossing lightly with a fork until it comes together into a
ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured cutting board and using your
hands combine dough. Separate into two single crusts. Refrigerate
until ready to use or for at least one hour. Roll out dough between
two pieces of waxed paper. Remove waxed paper from top of dough.
Put bottom crust in pie dish. Remove remaining waxed paper. Roll
out top crust between two pieces of waxed paper. Remove waxed paper
and prepare filling.

Filling:

4 – 5 cups fresh blueberries, divided

1 Tablespoon lemon zest

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 – 1/2 cup water

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 – 1 cup sugar, divided plus 1 teaspoon

2 Tablespoons corn starch

1 Tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In saucepan, bring to boil, 2 cups fresh blueberries, 1/2 cup
sugar, water, lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and corn
starch. Cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Let cool.

Add remaining blueberries and sugar to cooled blueberry mixture.
Stir gently. Put in bottom crust. Top mixture with pieces of butter
dotted on top of filling. Top with remaining crust (removing waxed
paper). Adjust top crust, cut vents and flute rim. Lightly sprinkle
sugar on top.

Put pie on lined sheet pan to catch any juices that may run
over. This makes for easy cleanup. Place pie into the oven for 20
minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 20
to 25 minutes. Allow to cool, cut and enjoy!

Refrigerate leftovers.

Serves 8 – 10

Butter Lettuce Salad with Apples, Grapes, Candied Spiced Walnuts
and Cider Dressing

My friend Judy Maestrelli made a salad similar to this and it
was Simply Tasteful.

4 ounces blue cheese crumbled

1/2 cup walnut pieces

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 medium sweet apples, such as McIntosh or Fuji, cored and
thinly sliced, with the peel on

1 head Butter Lettuce or Boston Lettuce

1 cup red grapes, cut in half

1/4 pound prosciutto or Serrano ham, thinly sliced then
shredded

DRESSING:

5 Tablespoons soft apple cider or apple juice

1 Tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup canola oil

1 Tablespoon minced shallots

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of ground black pepper

In a skillet, melt one tablespoon of the butter over medium-high
heat. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring, until fragrant and
lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sugar and cayenne pepper,
and cook, stirring, until the sugar is caramelized and the nuts are
evenly coated, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and spread on waxed
paper lined plate. Separate with a fork and cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider, vinegar, and
mustard. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly until it
emulsifies. Add the shallots, salt, and pepper, and adjust the
seasoning, to taste.

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, bleu cheese and
prosciutto. Toss with enough dressing to lightly coat. Adjust the
seasoning, to taste. Place the apples and grapes in a small bowl
and add enough dressing to coat.

Divide the lettuce among six salad plates and arrange the apple
slices and grapes on top. Sprinkle the walnuts and remaining bleu
cheese over the apples. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper
and serve.

Serves: 6 servings