Mennonite Girls Can Cook (6 page)

............................................... Yields 5 deep style Belgian waffles

• 1½ cup / 375 ml flour
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml salt
  
• 1 tablespoon / 15 ml baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml baking soda
  
• 1 egg
  
• 2 egg whites (save yolks for sauce)
  
• 1¾ cup / 425 ml buttermilk
  
• 5 tablespoons / 75 ml oil
  

1. Preheat waffle iron. If you wipe the non-stick surface with an oily paper towel before cooking the first waffle, it should be fine for many subsequent uses.
   
2. Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
   
3. Add buttermilk, oil and eggs; mix until smooth using a hand mixer. Let rest for a minute; do not stir before or between scooping batter.
   
4. Spread a rounded ½ cup / 125 ml batter onto hot waffle iron, leaving room around the edges for the batter to spread.
   
5. When the waffles are cooked, place them on a wire rack in the oven at 175° F / 80° C to keep warm.
   

• 2½ cups / 625 ml milk, divided
  
• 4 tablespoons / 60 ml flour
  
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml sugar
  
• teaspoon / .5 ml vanilla powder or 1 tsp. / 5 ml vanilla extract
  
• 2 egg yolks
  

1. In a small pot, heat 2 cups / 500 ml milk over medium heat until it begins to boil.
   
2. In the meantime, in a small bowl, mix dry ingredients with ¼ cup / 60 ml milk. Blend in the egg yolks, and then the remaining milk.
   
3. When skin begins to form on the milk, stir in the sauce using a whisk. Continue to stir until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
   
4. Serve warm with waffles.
   

—Anneliese

Anneliese says

...............................................Serves 8

• 3 eggs
  
• 1 cup / 250 ml milk
  
• “ cup / 75 ml butter
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon / 2 ml salt
  
• ¼ cup / 60 ml lukewarm water
  
• 1 tablespoon / 15 ml instant yeast
  
• 4½ cups / 1000 ml flour, approximately
  

1. In a large-sized bowl beat eggs well.
   
2. Scald milk; then add butter, sugar, salt, and water. Let cool to lukewarm.
   
3. Add liquids to well-beaten eggs.
   
4. Add the yeast and just enough flour to make a very stiff batter. It will be sticky.
   
5. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Punch down and let rise again.
   

• ¾ cup / 175 ml sugar, white or brown
  
• 3 teaspoons / 15 ml cinnamon
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
  
• ¼ cup / 60 ml butter
  

1. While dough is rising, mix sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Set aside.
   
2. Melt butter. Set aside.
   

1. When dough has risen the second time, gently punch down. Grease your hands with butter, then pluck and roll or squeeze walnut-sized pieces of dough into balls
   
2. Dip the balls in melted butter and then roll in the sugar/cinnamon mixture.
   
3. Pile loosely in an ungreased 1 piece angel food or bundt cake pan. Put any leftover dipping mixture on top of the pluckets. Let the dough rise again for 25-30 minutes.
   
4. Bake at 350° F / 175° C for 35 minutes. Immediately flip pan upside down onto a plate. Wait a few moments before removing the pan.
   
5. Serve warm.
   

Tip:
You could use any sweet or plain bun dough for pluckets. I prefer the light texture of this dough.

—Betty

Betty says

...............................................Yields 12 cups

• 5 cups / 1125 ml quick oats
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml sesame seeds
  
• ½ cup / 125 ml pumpkin seeds
  
• 1 cup / 250 ml unsweetened medium coconut
  
• 1 cup / 250 ml sunflower seeds
  
• 1 cup / 250 ml almonds, coarsely chopped
  
• 1 cup / 250 ml cashews, coarsely chopped
  
• 2 teaspoons / 10 ml almond flavor
  
• ¼ cup / 60 ml water
  
• ¼ cup / 60 ml vegetable oil
  
• ¾ cup / 175 ml honey
  

1. Mix first 7 ingredients in a large stainless steel bowl. You may substitute walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts for the almonds and cashews.
   
2. In a small bowl, mix the next 4 ingredients, stirring to a smooth consistency.
   
3. Mix together the wet and dry ingredients, stirring until moistened.
   
4. Bake in a 9 x 13-inch / 22 x 33-cm baking pan at 350° F / 175° C for 30 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes while it bakes.
   
5. When cool, put in bags and freeze. Serve over yogurt and fresh berries.
   

Tip:
Stir up a bowl of yogurt, top with some fresh raspberries and a scoop of granola; then enjoy a quick snack filled with nutritious fiber.

—Marg

Marg says

I
knew it was the most important moment of my life as I reached for the baton being passed to me. This was no ordinary race; it was the race of my life. Tears pooled in my eyes as my mom looked on, knowing the simplicity of her gift. I was to carry this baton for her as her race neared its end. I felt the cold wood in my hand, and as I slowly turned it over, the words I found engraved on it stopped me in my tracks: “Marg, keep on running with your eyes fixed on Jesus. Mom.”

This was her legacy, which would guide me throughout my life’s journey. As a young girl, I remember waking up, getting dressed for school, and chasing the cows down the long gravel road to my grandparents’ farm. I would sit at the breakfast table eating a large bowl of porridge sprinkled with brown sugar. Grandma would braid my hair, read a Bible verse, and send me off to school. At the end of the day, I would return to Grandma’s, eat my snack of fresh fruit or homemade cookies, and chase the cows back home. As a young girl, I saw where my mother’s legacy had developed, a legacy that valued the family table, nutrition, hard work, and Bible reading.

In 1973, I married the love of my life. I enjoyed helping my husband pursue his dreams in agriculture. Much of my energy and passion went into giving my three children opportunities to work and play outdoors. Thirty-seven years later, our family is still hiking, cycling, skiing, swimming, and camping together.

Over the years, I have learned the value of running the race. My mother engraved on her baton a clear call to make exercise and diet a priority: “Keep on running
…” My father’s words still echo the old hymn: “Work, for the night is coming.” When our daily work was completed, we welcomed the darkness, for this was our time to play sports: baseball in summer, football in fall, and basketball in the hayloft throughout the winter months. I love driving past my homestead looking at the basketball hoop still hanging loosely on the barn wall.

I am passionate about balancing my love for fine foods with consistent exercise and activities. Staying fit does not mean joining the gym; there are many ways to increase your levels of physical activity and integrate them into your life. Even better, choose to do physical activities with your family and friends. They can help you stay motivated.

The baton, which now accompanies me on my journey of life, exemplifies my passions for fitness, food, relationships, and above all, Jesus Christ. It’s my prayer that, as I chase my little grandchildren around and watch my adult children on their own journeys, I will be able to hand a baton off to them, leaving them with a legacy, just like my mom did.