Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Ever since a parishioner submitted a recipe for this "salad" (it's really a dessert) for my church cookbook I edited, I have been very curious to try it.  Her recipe was made with a bunch of convenience foods like Cool Whip and Jello.  Recently, it was featured in Cook's Country magazine a while ago using frozen strawberries, but their recipe used half of the cooking appliances in my kitchen, and made enough to feed an army, so I decided to simplify it and make it suitable for a small family.    I wanted to ditch the strawberry Jello and make my own fresh strawberry layer like their recipe featured.   I didn't see the need to press the strawberry puree through a fine mesh strainer.   Just using the puree as it is with the gelatin is fine.  It came out great!  Wonderful alternative to shortcake in strawberry season.     I've already made it twice so far and will probably make it again when I hit peak strawberry season in the UP next week.    

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

2 heaping measuring cups of pretzel sticks (not rods)

1 1/8 cups  sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2  cup heavy cream

2 quarts strawberries, washed and hulled

¼ teaspoon salt

1 1 oz package unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 8x8 baking pan with vegetable oil spray. In a blender, process pretzels and 1/8 c sugar until coarsely ground.  Add melted butter and pulse until combined.  Transfer pretzel mixture to prepared pan. Using bottom of measuring cup, press crumbs into bottom of pan. Bake until crust is fragrant and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Set aside crust, letting it cool slightly, about 20 minutes.

Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and, with mixer still running, slowly add cream in steady stream. Continue to whip until soft peaks form, scraping down bowl as needed, about 1 minute longer. Spread whipped cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled crust. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree 1 1/2 quarts of  strawberries in in the blender.   Pour into a saucepan. Add remaining 3/4 c sugar and salt and cook over medium high heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles begin to appear around sides of pan and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes; remove from heat.

Sprinkle gelatin over water in large bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Whisk strawberry puree into gelatin. Slice remaining strawberries and stir into strawberry-gelatin mixture. Refrigerate until gelatin thickens slightly and starts to cling to sides of bowl, about 30 minutes. Carefully pour gelatin mixture evenly over whipped cream cheese layer. Refrigerate salad until gelatin is fully set, at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. 

Chicken of the Woods and Asparagus Fettuccine

What a strange year 2020 has been!  Because of the corona virus, or as I like to call it the "Co-VEED", I hadn't seen my old neighbor Ann in a long time, but we went to church together and on a hike in Hudson Mills where I found this....

It's a Laetiporus sulfureus, aka a "chicken of the woods" mushroom.    And that is me with without dyeing my hair since the beginning of March.   I call it my "sexy grandma" look....actually, I color my own hair so I could have kept doing it but decided to use this time to see what my gray hair looks like.  It's one of the gifts of the "Co-VEED".   I'd love to quit having to dye my hair.  Of the two laetiporus mushrooms you can find in Michigan, this one and  L. cinncinatus, the later is considered a better tasting mushroom, but I like them both.    I have a soup recipe created at the lakehouse with a chicken my son found in the woods one fall day, but but it is springtime so I wanted something different.  I had some local asparagus so I decided on a pasta dish.  It came out delicious!  I just used the tender tips of this mushroom; the inner part was rather tough. 

Chicken of the Woods and Asparagus Fettuccine
serves 1

2 T olive oil
1 c. thinly sliced chicken of the woods mushroom (you can substitute oyster mushrooms or morels or even storebought portobellas)
4 stalks asparagus, sliced in 1/4 inch chunks
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. chicken stock
1/4 c. evaporated milk
2 T. flour
1/4 c water
3 T white wine

To serve:
1 c. cooked fettuccine
grated Parmesan cheese

In a medium skillet, heat oil.   Add mushrooms and asparagus and salt to taste and saute 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic.   Add stock and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add evaporated milk and stir on medium high heat until bubbling.   Make a slurry of flour and water and add to skillet, stirring until thickened.   Remove from heat and add wine.     Top pasta with sauce and Parmesan cheese .   Tastes just like spring!

Lakehouse Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

Because of the corona virus pandemic.I haven't been into the office since Thursday March 12.   Because my job can be done from anywhere, we have been spending time at the lakehouse, which actually makes for a great experience!  I never thought I'd be able to do this....it is awesome.     

my new office view

In addition to this great view and beach walks and hikes,  I've been making brownies as a treat in the evening.   I've been looking for recipes that aren't too fancy because I don't keep exotic ingredients in my lakehouse pantry.   I was looking for something I could make on hand with what is here.     After experimenting, I've developed a great brownie recipe from pantry staples.   Perfect for your cottage or camp.   

Lakehouse Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

Lakehouse Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

for brownie layer

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 cup sugar

2  eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

for peanut butter layer

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan with butter or cooking oil spray. Line with parchment paper.  (here's a good "how to") 

Melt butter in a medium bowl in the microwave until melted ant hot. Combine hot melted butter, oil and sugar together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk well for about a minute. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until lighter in color (another minute or so).  Add flour  cocoa powder and salt. and mix until just combined.   Pour half the bbatter into prepared pan, smoothing the top out evenly. 

In a small bowl, mix the peanut butter layer ingredients until well blended.    Spoon peanut butter layer on top of brownie layer in half teaspoon or so so blobs.    Top with remaining brownie batter, using a fork to marbleize the peanut butter layer with the brownie batter.  

Bake for 30 miunes, or until the center of the brownies in the pan no longer jiggles and is just set to the touch  Remove and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing into 16 brownies.