Canadian Farm Cooking: 5 Recipes and Cookbook Review

Thelma Raker Coffone is a former field editor for "Taste of Home" magazine and editor of "Homemaker Headlines" recipe newsletter.

Our Favorite Recipes, by Jeffrey and Joy Weir

The cookbook titled Our Favorite Recipes includes 130 basic, down-home recipes shared with you by the Weir family of Northampton, New Brunswick, Canada.

The dishes showcased in the book use mainly food they produce on their farm and very few processed foods. These are recipes Joy and her family use every day with ingredients like cheese and milk from their herd of Brown Swiss dairy cows, eggs from the farm's chickens, and home-grown fruits and vegetables from their organic certified pastures that also produce pigs, chickens, and cows.

Sharing Some of the Recipes

You may not have the advantage of access to fresh foods like Joy and Jeffrey, but all of the ingredients in these recipes can also be found in your local grocery store.

1. Hearty Hamburger Supper

This recipe includes a vegetable that my family is fond of: cabbage.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cups diced cabbage
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 2 cups milk

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, cook the beef and onion until the beef is browned and onion is tender; drain.
2. Add cabbage; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with flour, salt, and paprika; mix well.
4. Gradually add milk.
5. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes.
6. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cabbage is tender.
7. Serve over mashed potatoes.

2. Cheddar Topped Cauliflower

This dish makes a tasty vegetable to accompany just about any main dish.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized head cauliflower
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash Original Blend seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash cauliflower; remove leaves and trim stems.
3. Cut into bite-size pieces. Note: 4 c. frozen cauliflower can be used if you do not have fresh.
4. Add water to a large saucepan; place cauliflower in pan.
5. Cook, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes; drain.
6. Spray a medium baking dish with cooking spray.
7. Layer cauliflower in dish.
8. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top.
9. Combine mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl; mix well.
10. Spread over cauliflower.
11. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese and seasoning on top.
12. Bake until bubbly, about 10 minutes.

3. Cocoa Almond Pudding Treat

This dessert treat was recommended by Joy to share with you. It is a perfect dessert to enjoy after a family meal or to take to a church supper.

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
3. Combine 2/3 c. sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
4. Add oil, milk, vanilla, and almond extract to flour mixture; mix well.
5. Spread batter in prepared baking dish.
6. Combine cocoa and remaining sugar in a small bowl.
7. Sprinkle over batter.
8. Pour boiling water over batter. Do not stir.
9. Bake until top looks crisp, about 30 minutes.
10. Let cool slightly; serve warm.

4. Joy's Meatloaf

This dish caught my eye because it takes a basic meatloaf recipe and adds something unexpected... shredded carrots. What a great way to get the kids to eat veggies!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients together well.
3. Press into a greased 8-inch square baking pan.
4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
5. If desired, spread ketchup on top for the last 10 minutes of baking.

5. Fudgy Buttons

While reading through Our Favorite Recipes, I came across this easy candy recipe I thought your family would enjoy. Don't you just love quick and easy when it comes to making candy?

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tsp. milk
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan; remove from heat.
2. Add cocoa and mix well.
3. Stir in sugar.
4. Add milk and stir until smooth.
5. Add peanut butter and mix well.
6. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper; flatten tops and shape into 1-inch patties.

© 2016 Thelma Raker Coffone