Cookbook From a Canadian Farm Family Review

This review features the cookbook titled Our Favorite Recipes which 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 grown in their organic certified pastures that also produce pigs, chickens, and cows.

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. Like this first recipe which includes a vegetable that my family is fond of... cabbage.

Ingredients:

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

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

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

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head cauliflower
• 2 c. water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash Original Blend seasoning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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