Blog - Fresh From Oregon

Krusteaz Honey Cornbread Poppers…

October 6, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

I met so many great food vendors at the IFBC 2014 in Seattle. One of my favorite sessions was presented by Krusteaz . Krusteaz’s Culinary Specialist Malia Hasegawa and event stylist and entertaining personality Jennifer Sbranti of Hostess with the Mostess had a fun filled session where they gave us “out-of-box” recipes and some great tips on table setting and entertaining ideas. This is a local family business started here in the Northwest. I learned from the founders grandson that it all started back in 1932 with one man, a group of woman from a Seattle bridge club and a pie! The first product that Krusteaz (a cleaver combination of “crust” and “ease”) made was a boxed pie crust. Since then they added pancake mix, biscuits, muffins, brownies, breads, desserts and more. One of their newest mixes are three different Krusteaz Flatbreads but we will save that for another post. During the presentation Malia and Jennifer gave us so many ideas I wanted to go home and start creating myself. With the cool weather upon us and football tailgating I decided to make an easy pop in your mouth treat using the Krusteaz Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix. The recipe is easy and quick to make but you need to have some “Cowboy Candy” around to make this sweet and spicy little popper.

Krusteaz Honey Cornbread Poppers
Makes 36
1 box Krusteaz Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz jar of Cowboy Candy, drained, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare mini muffin pans by spraying 36 mini muffin cups with a non stick spray.

In medium bowl combine the Krusteaz Honey Cornbread mix, milk, oil and egg until moistened, do not over mix. Scoop into mini muffin pans and bake for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Combine in the bowl of a stand mixer the cream cheese and cowboy candy. Mix until combined and soft, about 1 minute. Place in a icing bag that has been fitted with a large tip and pipe onto cooled muffins. These are ready to serve or refrigerate for later.

Aneto Natural … 100% Fresh

September 23, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

Wow is this really an apron with my blog name on it “Fresh From Oregon”. After checking in Friday evening at the IFBC this weekend I saw this whole table filled with beautiful yellow and white checked aprons and thought “am I going to get one of those?” To my surprise not only was there one for me there was one for every person who attended the conference with their blog name on it as well. These aprons were hand stitched in Spain and all brought over in suitcases by the wonderful people of Aneto Natural chicken broth. They make 100% natural broths using fresh ingredients which they simmer for 3 hours just like you would make at home. They make 20 varieties of 100% Natural Broths and had boxes of their 100% Natural Chicken broth at the conference for us to have and try. I knew the perfect fall recipe I was going to use it in, my Turkey Chili. The first thing I did when I got back to Oregon was stop by and buy some ground turkey for my chili. Now if I had a Ninja like Devin Alexander demonstrated at the lunch on Saturday I could have used some Butterball Turkey and ground it in seconds in a Ninja. During the Pre-Gourmet fair reception Butterball spokesperson and Dad Blogger RJ Jaramillo prepared and served us Mini BBQ Turkey Burgers with the help of Butterball’s new recipe app, Butterball Cookbook Plus. They have a 2014 Butterball Cookbook Plus Blogger Contest and this Turkey Chili using Aneto Natural Chicken Broth will be perfect to enter and maybe I will win!

Turkey Chili Recipe

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Heading for Seattle… IFBC

September 18, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

I am pointing the car north and heading for Seattle in the morning for the IFBC. I will be one of over 400 food bloggers gathering for three great days of food, education and the SWAG. This is my second food blogger conference and excited to see new products and meet new people. There are so many great sponsors and can not wait to meet them all. Watch for some great recipes when I return back to Oregon next week…check out the awesome sponsors below!

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Jalapeno Dip is it Sweet or is it Hot …

September 1, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

It’s a jalapeno dip that is “Sweet” & “Hot” and you just can not stop eating it. There are only two ingredients in the dip but you need to have a jar of homemade “Cowboy Candy” on hand to make this dip. Cowboy candy is easy to make and you can just store the jars in your refrigerator. I use so many jars of this that I get jalapeno peppers in season Fresh From Oregon and process them in a hot water bath and store them on my shelf. Jars of “Cowboy Candy” are great to give as a gift or perfect to have on hand for guests that just stop over. These sweet & hot jalapeno slices also can be added to many other things like sandwiches, chili or just enjoy eating them from the jar!

Jalapeno Sweet & Hot Dip

1 – 4 oz. jar Cowboy Candy, chopped

8 oz cream cheese, softened

Mix together and serve with nacho chips or crackers.

Cowboy Candy ~ Pickled Jalapenos

1 lb fresh jalapenos

2/3 cup cider vinegar

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons mustard seed

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Slice jalapenos. Mix cider vinegar, sugar, turmeric, celery and mustard seed, garlic, and cayenne to boil. Reduce for 5 minutes to a simmer. Add jalapenos at the simmer for 20 minutes more. Cool to lukewarm and place in glass canning jars (I use the 4oz size it is perfect for the recipe above) or one big glass jar or container. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. If you would like to can some follow recipe below.

If you want to can them you need to simmer the jalapenos for 5 minutes once you add them to the liquid. Load sterilized jars with jalapenos first and add liquid filling the jars leaving a 1/4 head space. Process in a water bath for 15 minutes. Makes 8 (4 oz) jars.

Rustic Peach Pie

August 19, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

Rustic Peach Pie made from fresh Red Haven peaches.

Peaches are at the peak of their season here in Oregon. Here is a quick and easy Rustic Peach Pie that you can make in no time. My favorite peach pie variety is “Red Haven” and I picked up some nice ripe ones at my local farm market Schedeens in Gresham, Oregon. Look for ripe peaches at your local market and change varieties as they come into season and then go out.

Rustic Peach Pie
Makes 2 pies

Crust:
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups shortening
1 egg
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
5 tablespoons cold water

Filling:
6 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
½ cups sugar
3 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl combine the flour and salt. Add shortening
and cut into flour until it resemble coarse meal. In small bowl combine the egg, vinegar,
and water and quickly mix into mixture until combined. Divide dough in half and flatten
into a disk, wrap in plastic and let set for 30 minutes in refrigerator.
Filling: In medium size bowl combine peaches, sugar, flour, cinnamon, vanilla and
melted butter. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Once dough is ready take one piece and roll out to a 12” circle. Place ½ the peach
mixture around in a circular pattern staying 2” from the edge. Carefully fold the 2” border
of dough just up over the peaches. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake in
425 degree oven for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 30 minutes or
until crust is slightly brown and peaches are soft. Set on rack to cool.
Once cooled sprinkle the pie crust edge with powdered sugar.

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Bob’s Red Mill Bread Contest ~ Swirled Pumpkin Bread

August 17, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

It has been a great year for me this year at the 2014 Clackamas County Fair in Canby, Oregon. I won 120 ribbons and was named “Queen of the Kitchen” and “Queen of the Fair”. One of the best awards was winning the Bob’s Red Mill Bread Contest at the fair. This pumpkin bread is made with Bob’s Red Mill white flour, whole wheat flour, rolled oats, dried cranberries and topped of with some of his raw pumpkin seeds. The swirl of cinnamon and sugar make this bread great for the dinner table or for making French toast for breakfast. I am also going to use it next time I make some bread pudding….yum!

Swirled Pumpkin Bread
5 cups Bob’s Red Mill flour
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour
2 cups Bob’s Red Mill quick cooking rolled oats
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1-1/2 cups warm water (120° to 130°)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill dried cranberries

FILLING:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

TOPPING:
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon water
2 tablespoon Bob’s Red Mill quick cooking rolled oats
2 tablespoon Bob’s Red Mill raw pumpkin seeds
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, pumpkin pie
spice, salt, sugar and yeast. Beat in the warm water, pumpkin, applesauce and oil just until moistened.
Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining all-purpose flour to form a firm dough. Add
cranberries. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough in half. Roll each dough into an 18-in. x 9-in. rectangle; brush with butter to within 1/2 in. of edges. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over dough. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down in two greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. In small bowl mix egg and water. Brush on loaves and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon oats and 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until golden brown and internal temperature is 190 degrees. Check bread after 25 minutes if getting really brown tent a piece of aluminum foil over each loaf for the remainder of the baking time. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

In addition to this Swirled Pumpkin Bread you can also try my 2012 Winning Recipe “Blue Ribbon Honey Wheat Oat Bread”

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Homemade Pop Tarts with Jam

April 1, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

I recently did a presentation at Bauman’s Farm and Garden in Gervais, Oregon on unique jam and jelly recipes. As I was preparing for the presentation and deciding what I would talk about I started to realize that jams and jellies are not just for toast and biscuits anymore. I use them in many different ways in my home, like blackberry pepper jam for glaze on chicken or pineapple mint jam with ham and cream cheese on grilled rustic bread. But breakfast is still a great time to enjoy your homemade jam like my family’s favorite strawberry lemonade jam mixed with cream cheese for stuffed french toast. Try using jam as a topping for pancakes or waffles. You just mix 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 teaspoon powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of your favorite jam and watch it melt down over your pancakes. But the best way to enjoy the different flavors of jam in the morning are homemade pop tarts. I found this is a great way to use up partial jars of jam you may have in the refrigerator. The following recipe is easy to make using my pie dough recipe or store bought pie dough and just some jars of homemade jam. Kids will enjoy helping you make and eat them.

Homemade Pop Tarts
Store bought Pie crust or
Homemade Pie Crust:
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups shortening
1 egg
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
5 Tablespoons Cold Water
Assorted jars of Jam*
To make the homemade pie crust mix flour and salt together. With pastry blender cut in shortening until it resembles small peas. In a cup, mix egg, cider vinegar and water. Mix into flour mixture until just blended. Divide dough in half and wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Can keep for two days in a refrigerator.

To make the pop tarts you first need to make an egg wash: Combine 1 egg and 2 tablespoon water, set aside. Remove one piece of dough and roll out on a floured surface about 1/8” thick. Or if you are using store bought crust just open up and lay flat on your counter. Cut out 3”x4” rectangles or you can use different shaped cookie cutters like a heart or circle. Take one piece and spread about 2 tablespoons of jam, be carefully not to over fill. Spread out to about ¼ inch from the edge. With egg wash brush the edge of the dough around the jam. Place a second piece on top and crimp the sides with a fork. You will need to cut a few slits in the top dough or use a fork and poke some holes. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack and they will be ready to glaze and add some sprinkles!

Glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons milk
drop of vanilla extract
Mix above and glaze pop tarts after they are cool. Leave plain or sprinkle with colored sugars.

Some of my favorite jam combinations for homemade pop tarts:
~ Cherry Vanilla Jam ~ Blueberry Lemon Jam ~ Strawberry Lemonade Jam ~ Peach Red Raspberry Jam ~ Blackberry Fig Jam ~ Apple Pie Jam ~ Blueberry Cinnamon Jam

New Year’s Traditions … Bake some Good Luck!

December 30, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Sweet New Year’s Pretzel with walnuts

Even though I live here in Oregon (8 years) I am originally from a town just south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We had many great food traditions that I have not seen here in the Pacific Northwest. I grew up on Pork & Sauerkraut on New Year’s Day, Isaly’s chipped ham made into BBQ sandwiches, Holuski (cabbage & noodles), Pierogies, Golabki (Stuffed Cabbage) and many more. One of the traditions I brought with me is making a New Year’s Pretzel. This is a large pretzel made with a sweet bread dough and glazed with a confectioners sugar icing. It is said you need to eat a piece at midnight New Year’s Eve or before breakfast on New Year’s day to bring you good luck for the coming year. The recipe below makes two pretzels so I decided to make one the traditional way and to start a new tradition by making the second one with Fresh From Oregon flavors and I added cranberries and hazelnuts! Once you make these pretzels and taste them you will be making them each year and starting your own family tradition.

Divide dough in half

Shape into a horseshoe shape with
open ends towards you

Cross right side over left and
create a circle on the top

New Year’s Sweet Pretzel
1 1/2 cups milk, scalded and skimmed
1/2 cup sugar
4 ounces (1 stick) butter
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
6 to 7 cups Bob’s Red Mill flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 eggs
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
5-6 Tablespoons water
1/4 cup ground walnuts

Cross left side over right

Put the scalded milk, sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and let stir until the butter and sugar are dissolved. In another small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water with a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. It should begin to foam in about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of salt, the yeast mixture and the 2 eggs to the milk mixture. Use a dough hook to mix until it is a soft, even batter. Add more flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Continue to knead until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Take the dough out on a lightly floured board and give it a few turns to form a smooth ball. Put it into a greased bowl and cover. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Turn the dough out onto the board and divide in half. Roll each half into a long rope (36″ long) and shape into a pretzel. Lay the pretzel onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and allow to rise for another hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes until dark golden-brown. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Make a frosting by mixing the confectioner’s sugar with the almond extract (or vanilla if you prefer) and enough water to make a spreadable icing. Pour the icing over the bread and sprinkle with the walnuts. I have seen these also decorate with the toasted almond slices and candied cherries.

Shaping a Pretzel
1. Roll into a 36″ rope
2. Shape into a horseshoe shape with open ends towards you
3. Cross right side over left and create a circle on the top
4. Cross left side over right
5. Bring ends up to the top and press into the dough

Bring ends up to the top and press into the dough

Fresh From Oregon New Year’s Pretzel
To add the Pacific Northwest to this pretzel add about 1/2 cup of dried cranberries and 1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts to dough when you divide it in half and before you roll it into a rope. After you glazed the pretzel sprinkle with with dried cranberries and hazelnuts.

Recipe from: Pittsburgh Magazine

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds ~ 2 ways

November 25, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

If you cooked a fresh pumpkin this year for Thanksgiving I hope you saved the seeds. Check out my blog on how to cook a pumpkin. I roasted our seeds two ways this year, Salt & Pepper Pumpkin Seeds and Caramelized Pumpkin Seeds. The Salt & Pepper pumpkin seeds are very addicting and you can not stop at just a few. The caramelized pumpkin seeds are sweet and savory at the same time and are great sprinkled over a salad!

Salt & Pepper Pumpkin Seeds
3 cups pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Clean, rinse and dry pumpkin seeds. Place pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Spread onto a large baking sheet in a single layer. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until lightly brown. Stir the pumpkin seeds about every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Place in a bag or container to keep fresh.

Caramelized Pumpkin Seeds
2 cups pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Clean, rinse and dry pumpkin seeds. Place pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the brown sugar, salt and olive oil and toss to combine. Spread onto a large baking sheet in a single layer. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until lightly brown. Stir the pumpkin seeds about every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Place in a bag or container to keep fresh.

Nana Trax’s Homemade Pumpkin Pie

November 23, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

This is the recipe I have been using to make homemade pumpkin pie for the last 30 years. The recipe came from my husband’s grandmother “Nana Trax”. She is also the one who taught me to make homemade white bread. As she got older and could not knead the bread dough any more I would go to her house almost every Saturday morning to help make the 5 loaves of bread she would bake. During those Saturday mornings she would share other recipes and gossip and this pumpkin pie always reminds me of those times. I have fancied the pie up by adding some cutout leaf shapes but the taste of this rich and smooth pie is still the same recipe passed from one generation to the next.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie / Blue Hubbard Pie ~ Makes 2 pies
2 cups Pumpkin or Blue Hubbard squash puree
2 cups evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 unbaked pie shells ~ homemade (see recipe below) or store bought

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place pumpkin or Hubbard squash puree in large bowl. Add evaporated milk, sugar and eggs. With a hand whisk mix until combined. Add the salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. Mix until all the ingredients are combined and mixed well. Divide mixture between the two unbaked pie shells. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. It is that easy!

Homemade Pie Crust
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups shortening
1 egg
5 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
In large bowl combine the flour and salt. Add shortening and with pastry blender combine until the flour mixture resembles small crumbs. In small bowl combine egg, water and cider vinegar. Add all at once to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate 30 minutes. When ready roll out one piece at a time to fit your pie pan. Remove any extra dough around the edge and roll the dough under and crimp the edges. Do not crimp the edge if you plan on adding a leaf border. Repeat with the second dough ball. With the extra dough roll out and cut out shapes with small cookie cutters. I used a new set of pie dough cutters that I bought at Williams-Sonoma. They cut out the shape and if you push harder they emboss the shape as well. If adding a leaf cutout to the pie’s outer crust you need to wet the dough with a little water and then lay down the leaf cutouts around the pie before adding the filling. For the cutouts in the center of the pie you will need to place them separately on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Add to the pumpkin pie once it has cooled to a warm temperature.