Blog - Fresh From Oregon

Strawberry Jamming

June 30, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Just before the strawberry season ends here in Oregon I wanted to get a few jars of jam done that I can enjoy throughout the year. I always make my family’s favorite Strawberry Lemonade Jam, with every bite you get that fresh strawberry taste with pieces of lemon peel. But this year I decided to add a new flavor to my canning shelves, Strawberry Rhubarb Jam. I really have never attempted to use Rhubarb in any of my baking or canning. I always see the overflowing displays at the farmers markets but always thought of it as bitter. So with my stalks of rhubarb in hand I was on my way to a new adventure. I have to tell you 16 jars of jam and 1 strawberry rhubarb crumb top pie later I am a changed person. Rhubarb is great and easy to work with and to me brings out the flavors in the strawberries. If you have never cooked or baked with Rhubarb this is the year to give it a try too!

Strawberry Orange Rhubarb Jam
1/4 cup thinly sliced orange peel
water
2 cups strawberries, crushed
2 cups rhubarb, chopped (about 4 stalks)
1 package powdered pectin
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter (it helps reduce foaming, really)

In small saucepan combine orange peel and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Drain and discard water.
Combine strawberries, rhubarb, orange peel, pectin and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Whisk until the pectin is dissolved. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Add sugar and butter, stirring until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off foam if necessary. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the rim of the jar to remove any jam that may have fallen on it. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.
Recipe adapted from ~ Ball Blue Book ~ This is my canning bible!

Strawberry Lemonade Jam
1/4 cup thinly sliced lemon peel
water
4 cups strawberries, crushed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
6 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter (it helps reduce foaming, really)

In small saucepan combine lemon peel and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Drain and discard water.
Combine strawberries, lemon peel, lemon juice and pectin in large saucepan. Whisk until the pectin is dissolved. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar stirring until dissolved and bring back to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam if necessary. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the rim of the jar to remove any jam that may have fallen on it. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pie

June 21, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

What a strawberry season we had this year in Oregon. With the warm weather they started two weeks early and with the cool weather in June the strawberries are still great! Fresh strawberry pie is a traditional dessert during the strawberry season and I added some extra goodies to make it a Fresh From Oregon mouth watering pie. Chocolate + Hazelnuts gives this pie a rich and delicious flavor that will have everyone coming back for seconds!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pie
1 quart (about 2 pounds) fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
juice 1/2 lemon
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
1/2# chocolate wafers
1 cup toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pie crust in a 9″ pie plate and flute the edges. Prick with fork over the bottom and the sides, about 40 times. Place piece of foil inside pie crust, lightly pressing around bottom edges of crust. Fill with dried beans to help keep the crust’s shape. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and remove beans and foil. Return to oven and bake another 5 minutes until edges are golden brown. Place on wire rack and cool.

Wash strawberries and remove the green tops and core. Sort the strawberries to get about 1/2 of them close to the same size, set aside. Chop the remaining 1/2 of the strawberry in a food processor. Place the chopped strawberries in a sauce pan and begin to cook over medium heat. Mix sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl; add to the sauce pan of strawberries. Add lemon juice and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Set aside and cool.

In a bowl over simmering water melt the chocolate. Dip the remaining whole strawberries about 3/4 of the way and roll in the chopped hazelnuts. Place on baking sheet to allow the chocolate to set.

To assemble the pie pour the fresh strawberry filling in the bottom of the baked pie shell. Add the chocolate/hazelnut dipped strawberries chocolate side up until the pie is filled. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 2 hours.

In bowl of a mixer place the whipping cream and confectioner sugar and beat with a wire whisk until whipped. When you are ready to serve top each piece of pie with a large spoonful of the whip topping!

Baked Oatmeal with Fresh Strawberries

June 10, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

My favorite morning meal this time of year when the strawberries are Fresh From Oregon is Baked Oatmeal. This is not the typical oatmeal you may be used to, it is a fluffy brown bowl of oatmeal that tastes like you are eating an oatmeal cookie. The only oats I use in my oatmeal is Bob’s Red Mill and they are made right here in Oregon. Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store and Visitors Center is located just 15 minutes from Portland, Oregon. As you arrive at the store you will see it is a big red barn with a large water wheel out front. When you enter the store you will see rows of Bob’s Red Mill products, bulk foods, kitchen essentials and more. You will also get the great aroma of fresh baked bread and more coming from their kitchen. So if you are not from Oregon and ever come for a visit this is a must see stop you need to add to your list. If you can not get to the store you can get everything online and shipped right to your house or check their store locator to find a store near you that carries their product.

Baked Oatmeal with Strawberries
3/4 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
4 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill quick cooking rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In large bowl beat together the oil and sugar with a hand whisk. Mix in eggs and milk until combined. With a large spoon add the oats, salt and baking powder, mix well. Spray 4 small casseroles dishes with baking spray and divide oatmeal mixture evenly between dishes. Divide the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over top of each oatmeal. Cover each with foil and place in refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. This is a must the oatmeal needs time to absorb the liquid.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Baked covered for 20 minutes, remove foil and bake another 15 minutes and remove from the oven. Let set 5 minutes and with a fork mix the outer part of the oatmeal with the center part. Top with your strawberries or any fresh fruit and enjoy!

This also freezers well, I portion it into small freezer containers and place in the freezer for up to 3 months (If it lasts that long.) The night before I place it in my refrigerator to thaw. The next morning put the oatmeal in a microwave safe bowl add just a little milk to moisten and cover with some plastic wrap. Heat for 30 seconds, give it a stir and heat for another 30 seconds. Fluff with a fork and it is ready to enjoy.

Strawberries ~ ~ Fresh From Oregon!

May 31, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Wow what a May we had here in Oregon this year and a busy one for me. So I am back to share more of my Fresh From Oregon recipes. Strawberries have been at the Farmers Markets here in Oregon since the first week of May. With all the sunshine and warm weather they were about 2 weeks early this year. The early varieties were good but this week the Hood Strawberries are showing up at all the farmers markets and farm stands. If you are not from the Pacific Northwest you may not know this variety but when you say “Hoods” are in season people from around here get excited. They are sweet and delicious and melt in your mouth. They are great in just about anything like homemade jams, syrups, pies, ice-cream and perfect on top of strawberry shortcake. I like mine dipped in chocolate and rolled in toasted hazelnuts.

So lets take a peek at what’s in my recipe box for Fresh From Oregon strawberries. Since chocolate is already on my mind let’s make the Vanilla & Chocolate Angel Food Cake.

Vanilla & Chocolate Angel Food Cake
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
11 large egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
3 Tablespoons Dutch powdered chocolate
Fresh From Oregon Strawberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Using a stand mixer and wire attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on low for one minute. Add salt and increase speed to medium-high and mix until egg whites are thick. With mixer running on low, pour in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar slowly. Continue to beat until the egg whites are glossy and a soft peak. Add extracts and mix for a few seconds.
Using a large rubber spatula carefully fold 1/2 cup of the flour mixture into the egg whites. This should be done slowly, continuing adding a 1/2 cup of flour at a time until it is all folded in. Gently spoon half the batter into an un-greased angel food pan with removable bottom. Carefully fold the cocoa powder into remaining batter and gently spoon over the vanilla batter smoothing out gently.
Bake 50-55 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately turn over to cool for several hours. Loosen the sides of the cake by running a knife around the edge of the pan and with a firm hand tap to release. It is ready to be served. Top with some sliced fresh strawberries and whipped cream!

Honey Pretzel Peanut Butter Buckeyes

May 7, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Here is another great recipe I made using Oregon made Wild Friends Honey Pretzel Peanut Butter. I used my traditional Peanut Butter Buckeye recipes and gave it a Fresh From Oregon twist. I transformed their Honey Pretzel Peanut Butter into melt in your mouth little bits of heaven. Buckeyes are a peanut butter confection crafted to look like the fruit of the Buckeye tree. In my family these were always in tins at Christmas and on trays at weddings on the cookie table, that’s another blog.

2 cups Wild Friends Honey Pretzel Peanut Butter
5 cups confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup butter, room temperature
Chocolate wafers
2 cups pretzels, crushed

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine peanut butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla and butter. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on a lined baking sheet. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over simmering water. Using a toothpick dip peanut butter ball half way and then roll in the crushed pretzels. Place on foil lined baking sheet until the chocolate is set. Store in airtight containers.

Lemon-Chile Pickled Asparagus

April 24, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Here’s another great recipe from The Mile End Cookbook by Noah and Rae Bernamoff, that I made with Fresh From Oregon Asparagus. This was an easy refrigerated pickled asparagus recipe and it took no time at all to turn my jars into a work of art. With asparagus still in season here in Oregon you can start filling your empty glass jars with this awesome recipe. Noah and Rae also shared in their cookbook how to use them in a Russian dressing, see below. There are many more recipes I will be making from this cookbook and I would highly recommend getting it. It will take you on a trip to a culture of food you will not want to come back from!

Lemon-Chile Pickled Asparagus
1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup distilled white vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup Kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 shallots, thinly sliced
zest of 3 lemons, in wide strips
30 black peppercorns
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 Bay leaves
3 pounds asparagus
Trim the tough base part off the asparagus and set aside. In large nonreactive pot combine all ingredients except asparagus. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside. In a separate large pot bring water to a boil and blanch the asparagus, 1 minute for pencil size and and 3 minutes for large ones. Remove from water and place into the vinegar mixture. Once cooled transfer to your glass canning jars and put on a lid. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks before using. They will keep up to 6 month in the refrigerator.

Russian Dressing: In medium bowl combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup ketchup and 1/2 cup pickled asparagus that has been minced. Cover and refrigerate. Will keep refrigerated for up to a week.

This pickled asparagus is also great substituted in your tarter sauce in place of the relish!

Crunchy Hazelnut French Toast

April 23, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

So here is one of the BEST French Toast recipes I have ever made and so easy to make. I made a custard type French Toast and to give it a crunch I used crushed cornflakes with the Fresh From Oregon taste of ground hazelnuts. The outside has a sweet crunchy taste with a soft and smooth center. Great for your next weekend brunch…

Crunchy Hazelnut French Toast
6 thick slices Challah bread
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash nutmeg
3 cups cornflakes
2 tablespoons Oregon hazelnuts, ground
Butter for cooking

In a medium bowl whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, salt and nutmeg. Place bread slices in shallow baking dish and pour egg mixture over the bread making sure both sides are covered with the egg mixture. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. In plastic bag place the cornflakes and ground hazelnuts and with your hands crush to small pieces. Pour into a shallow bowl. Preheat a griddle* on medium-high temperature and add the butter right before you cook the french toast. Also preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Dip the pieces of egg soaked bread into the cornflakes pressing into both sides and place on the buttered griddle. Fry until golden brown on both sides and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once you have them all brown place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Serve immediately with some maple syrup and butter. I also like to sprinkle on some powdered sugar.

* If you do not have a griddle a cast iron skillet works great and it gives it that golden crisp taste.

Challah Bread

April 22, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Here is another recipe I made from “The Mile End Cookbook”, the traditional Jewish Challah Bread. The cookbook tells you how to make the traditional braid or how to make a Pullman loaf. I wanted a bread that would be better for sandwiches and French toast so I made the Pullman loaf. This bread has a sweet taste and is great not only for sandwiches but can be used for French toast, bread pudding and is great in an overnight egg bake. If you want to have a more yellow colored bread add a few drops of yellow food coloring. I chose to keep it just like the recipe in the cookbook and even though the bread has a white color it tastes just perfect. Watch for tomorrow’s post to see the Fresh From Oregon taste I give my extra pieces of Challah bread.

Challah Bread
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 large egg, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine water, egg, egg yolk, yeast, oil and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk for a few seconds until combined. Place the dough hook on and add the flour and salt, mix on medium speed until dough comes together about 4 minutes. Let dough rest in the bowl for 5 minutes, add a little flour if dough seems sticky (1 tablespoon at a time) mix for 5 minutes. On floured surface place dough and shape into a ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and towel. Let dough rest in a warm place until doubled in size about 2 hours. I did not make the traditional braid but made a Pullman loaf shape. Place the dough on a well-floured surface and press and stretch into a 10×8-inch rectangle. With the short end start rolling the dough into a cylinder. Tuck the ends under and place in a greased standard-size loaf pan. Lightly grease the top of the bread and cover with plastic wrap and towel, let rise in a warm place until it is slightly above the pan’s rim, about 1 1/2 hours.
Bake the bread in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 25 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway through baking. Bake until brown on top and bottom, remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before removing from the pan then cool on wire rack.

What is Challah Bread?
Challah is a loaf of yeast-risen egg bread that is traditionally eaten by the Jewish community on Shabbat, on ceremonial occasions and during festival holidays. The word “challah” is also used to refer to the portion of dough that is traditionally separated from the rest of the dough before baking. The plural of “challah” is “challot.”

Tri-Color Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

April 17, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

The first of the year I started cooking along with the “Cook the Books” Challenge, started by two bloggers Grow & Resist and oh, Briggsy. They choose a cookbook each month and then you select recipes and cook and share your experience with the cookbook on your blog. The April’s “Cook the Books” Challenge is The Mile End Cookbook by Noah and Rae Bernamoff. Read more about their story… This cookbook is full of modern Jewish comfort food recipes like pickled items, smoked meats, and delicious deli foods. As I started through the cookbook marking the recipes I wanted to make (I think I marked up over 1/2 the recipes) it brought back memories. Even though I am not Jewish most of the recipes in this cookbook made me think of the comfort food from my own heritage .
Of course I always want to add a Fresh From Oregon taste to each of the recipes I make. I had just returned from the Portland Farmers Market located on the PSU campus in Portland, Oregon. I gathered up some beautiful and colorful yellow, orange and purple carrots. The first recipe I wanted to try was the Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Traditionally carrot cake is made with walnuts but I added hazelnuts for that Fresh From Oregon taste. But if all you have are walnuts that will work just as well but make sure you toast them which brings out the oils giving any nut a better flavor.

Tri-Color Carrot Cake
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1# carrots, yellow, orange and purple, peeled & grated
1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
2 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9-inch cake pans. Cut two round pieces of parchment paper and place in the bottom of each cake pan and spray with cooking oil, set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer add eggs and both sugars and mix on low until sugar dissolves, about 20 seconds. Add the canola oil slowly with the mixer on low speed. Add the carrots and hazelnuts and mix until combined, about 15 seconds. In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. With a rubber spatula fold flour mixture into the egg mixture until no streaks of flour appear. Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway through baking, until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Flip cakes out of the pans and cool on wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 1/2# cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Combine all the frosting ingredients, except the hazelnuts, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Mix on medium-high speed until light about 4-5 minutes.
Place one cake on plate and spread with about 1 cup of frosting over top of cake. Place second cake on top and frost the sides and top of the cake. Press hazelnuts into the side of the cake and around the top edge.

Recipe from The Mile End Cookbook by Noah & Rae Bernamoff

Spring Lettuce ~ Fresh From Oregon Salad

April 14, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Among the spring greens at the farmers market was some fresh picked lettuce. I got the most beautiful bag that had 2 bunches of romaine lettuce from one of the local farmers. Today was a day I wanted to put together an easy and quick meal and this Fresh From Oregon lettuce was on the menu tonight. This salad is great for a quick meal, family gathering and parties. It is important not to add the dressing until just before serving. The dressing has a sweet and tangy taste and is perfect with my combination of Fresh From Oregon lettuce, hazelnuts and cranberries. Enjoy a spring day with this refreshing salad.

Fresh From Oregon Salad
1 bunch Romaine lettuce
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
1/2 cup Oregon Hazelnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Oregon dried Cranberries
1 cup chow mein noodles

Dressing
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cut the romaine lettuce into bite-size pieces and divide between two plates. Evenly divide the chicken, hazelnuts, cranberries and chow mein noodles between the two plates.
In a pint jar combine all the dressing ingredients and give a few good shakes until it is thoroughly mixed. Pour over salads and serve.
Makes two large salads or can serve 6 people with smaller portions.

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