Jan's Copycat Pasta Salad

It just isn't summer without a good pasta salad, is it?

Or maybe I feel that way because my husband and I set up housekeeping in the 80's...and that's so last century!

We remember the 80's, right? When everyone was talking about Princess Di and Prince William instead of Kate Middleton and Prince George? When we thought men looked good in pink shirts? When we were so happy those 70's fashions were behind us? When every restaurant, including KFC, had a salad bar?

And when no one even thought of showing up at a family or church get-together without a pasta salad!

Pasta salads are still pretty popular, especially on restaurant salad bars. There's one restaurant that still has a huge salad bar - Ruby Tuesday - and I adore it! And my favorite salad on their spread? Their famous pasta salad, of course!

For some reason, my husband doesn't want to head off to the restaurant every time I get a craving for their pasta salad, so I've come up with my own version.

It's perfect for family and church get-togethers all summer long.

Jan's Copycat Pasta Salad

ingredients:

1 lb box rotini pasta (or your favorite pasta shape)
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons horseradish sauce (or 1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 green pepper, diced (optional if you're like me and green peppers don't agree with you)
2 Tablespoons diced red onion
2 cups ham, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (the kind in the green can)

At this point, I realized that I had forgotten to take pictures of this recipe! You'll just have to let your imagination illustrate the process!

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse the pasta in cold water - you want to chill it down as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ranch dressing, mayo, horseradish sauce, salt, and pepper. Add the green pepper, onion, ham and peas, and stir to combine.

Add the cooled and drained pasta, and stir again.

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Just before serving, stir in the 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

All that's left is to enjoy your throwback to the 80's!


Meanwhile, we're still enjoying spring here in the Black Hills.

Because this happened:

We planted this cherry tree a few years ago. The first year it bloomed beautifully, but I let the birds eat all the cherries (aka, I didn't get them protected in time). Last year we had a late freeze...no cherries. But this year, well, we'll see if the birds get all the fruit again. I can't really complain. We planted it mainly to attract birds to our yard!

And then this happened:

The Holt Medallion Contest finalists were announced over the weekend, and Mattie is on the list!!! I'm so happy for this favorite heroine of mine. :)

And our own Cate Nolan shared a picture of Mattie at her local Barnes & Noble! She sure is traveling!

Don't forget that the e-book versions of both Hannah's Choice and Mattie's Pledge are on sale, just in time to catch up with the series before Naomi's Hope releases on June 6th! Go to my website, www.JanDrexler.com, for links to your favorite on-line retailer.


So, let's chat! It's throwback time! What is your favorite memory from the 80's?

Apple Dumplings with Caramel Sauce

Jan here, with a bit of a hodge-podge post. But don't worry! We'll get to the apple dumplings!

First of all, don't miss the fun over on the Amish Wisdom blog! Mattie's Pledge is part of a fourteen book giveaway!

And next....

...Autumn has arrived in the Black Hills in all her glory!

On Saturday we explored a part of the Black Hills we've rarely visited. Formally, the area is called the "Central Hills," but people generally say, "We went up by Mystic today." Or, "We went hiking west of Rochford." Or, "We went camping up by Castle Creek."

But whatever we call it, the area is beautiful. It was also one of the earliest settled areas of the Black Hills (1876), which means that gold was found there.

At one time, gold drove everything in the Black Hills. But today we're lured there by the golden leaves of the aspens.

And now, finally! We get to the apple dumplings! We bought some apples and pears over the weekend. I'll tackle the pears another week (if there are any left!), and share one of my favorite apple delicacies with you.

Apple Dumplings with Caramel Sauce

Don't let the caramel sauce part of the name scare you - it practically makes itself!

For each dumpling, you need:

1/2 apple (any kind, but Macintosh or Golden Delicious bake well)
Pastry - more on this below
1 generous teaspoon butter
2 Tablespoons - heaping - brown sugar
a sprinkle of ground cloves
4 or 5 dashes...or more...ground cinnamon

Pastry:
I used Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry sheets.

I try to keep a box of these in my freezer for last minute baking urges.

But for this recipe, you can also use pie crust or biscuit dough.

Assembly:

Thaw the puff pastry sheet according to the package directions. Then cut the sheet into four squares. Roll one square out until it's about 7" x 7".

Cut an apple in half and remove the core.

Place one half in the center of your pastry square and pile on the butter, brown sugar, cloves, and cinnamon.

Don't worry if the goodies spill onto the pastry!

Bring the corners of the pastry together at the top and give them a nice twist to hold them there. You can fold the edges together to close them, but don't worry about sealing them. As the dumplings bake, you want the delicious butter/sugar/spice/apple juice to drip into the pan and make your caramel sauce. :)

Place the dumplings in a greased baking dish and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350° for about an hour, or until the apple is baked through.

To serve, put the hot dumplings in bowls and top with the caramel sauce in the baking dish. A scoop of vanilla ice cream would be great on top if you have it!

And I guarantee that your kitchen will smell delicious!

Jan Drexler loves her family, her home, cooking and just about anything made by hand. But she loves her Lord most of all.

Stop by Jan's website to learn more about her books: www.JanDrexler.com

Revisiting a Favorite: Tuscan Style Soup and Italian Bread

I think we all have special dates that mark turning points in our lives. Our anniversaries. Our children's birthdays. The day we moved into our new house. The day we said our last goodbye to a loved one.

September 13 is one of those dates for me. And years ago, on September 13, 1979, I marked that important anniversary by starting my whirlwind European Grand Tour.

Okay, it wasn't so grand. But it was life-changing. And every September 13 since then, I've relived that trip. In this post from a few years ago, I shared a few memories from those two months in Europe. Enjoy!

Tuscan Style Soup and Italian Bread

Many, many years ago I spent a couple months traveling in Europe.

This was me back in the '70s. I always had
my guitar with me back then.

Yup. It was the '70s. Think backpack, Youth Hostel Card, Eurail Pass, and a three-in-one edition of The Lord of the Rings to pass the time on the trains.

I learned a lot of things.

Things like how a woman traveling alone is much safer north of Florence than south...and don't even think about going too far into France, and definitely NOT behind the Iron Curtain (yes, it was still in existence back then - I said it was many years ago).

And like how the pictures just don't do justice to the Alps, or castles, or the Rhine, or the Danube....

And when I visited our ancestral home in Sumiswald, Switzerland, I learned just how desperate my ancestors must have been to leave such an absolutely beautiful place. (Read up on the Anabaptist persecution in Switzerland during the Reformation here to find out why they left).

I wish I had pictures to share with you, but mine are all on slides. So go to your search engine and type in "Emmental Switzerland images." Or just click on the link I've provided. You'll love what you see!

Another less important (but much more tasty) discovery was that not all Italian food is tomato sauce and pasta! Who'd a thunk?

I stayed in a Youth Hostel in the Tuscany region that served a chicken dish that was divine, with a side of pasta (and no tomato sauce - just butter, garlic, and cheese), and bread. It was a revelation for me. Suddenly I loved Italian food!

(This was a WHOLE lot better than Chef-Boy-ar-Dee!)

One day, long after I returned home, I went to Olive Garden for the first time, and I fell in love with their Zuppa Toscana.

Imagine my delight when I found a copy-cat recipe that claimed it was just as good as Olive Garden's! But let me tell you, when I made a few modifications, the soup turned out to be much better than the restaurant version. I don't even order it there anymore....

Tuscan Style Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound spicy Italian sausage
1/2 pound bacon - chopped
1 quart water
1 quart chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 garlic cloves - crushed
1 medium onion - finely chopped
2 cups kale, torn into dime-sized pieces
1 cup heavy whipping cream OR 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste

First, brown the sausage and bacon. I like to use the Italian sausage you find tucked away with the bratwurst in the grocer's meat cooler, but you can use your favorite. If you use links, like I do, be sure to remove the outer casing.

I use my kitchen scissors to cut the bacon into pieces before cooking it - saves so much time.

And here's how the meat looks after cooking it to crispy goodness!

When you drain the meat, reserve a few tablespoons of drippings to use later - you'll love why.

While the meat is cooking, start cooking the potatoes in a large pot with the water and chicken broth.

And after the meat is done, cook your onion and garlic in a tablespoon of your reserved drippings (not all of it - just one tablespoon!) until the onion is transparent, and then add it to the potatoes.

The soup is almost done!

After the onions/garlic are done, add the rest of your reserved drippings (think of it as flavorful oil) to the frying pan, and saute your kale pieces. You want to stir those puppies enough to coat them with the oily drippings, and then turn the heat way down, stick a lid on the pan, and let the kale steam for about five minutes.

Once the kale is steamy and tender, add the meat and kale to the pot.

Add the cream or evaporated milk, and then stir it until it's heated through. Taste it and add salt and pepper as needed.

Serve it with a loaf or two of Italian bread, (and a bit of Ruthy's bread dip) and you'll be transported to the old country!

**************

We had this soup on Friday night. Partly to celebrate our lovely autumn weather, but mostly because I was feeling nostalgic. Those September 13 memories were as strong as if four years had passed by instead of nearly forty.

Do you have a special date you remember every year? Share it with us if you like!

In other news...are you ready for it?....Mattie's Pledge releases tomorrow!!!!

It will be available at all of the major online retailers - Barnes&Noble, Amazon, Christianbook.com - and at your local book store.

Do me a favor? If you don't see it at your local store, would you ask them to order it? Thanks bunches!

You can also request it at your library. I know those librarians love to get suggestions from patrons - they want to buy the books that people will read!

Jan Drexler loves her family, her home, cooking and just about anything made by hand. But she loves her Lord most of all.

Stop by Jan's website to learn more about her books: www.JanDrexler.com

Jan's Best Molasses Cookies

To say my husband likes molasses cookies is an understatement. He LOVES molasses cookies.

But they have to be just right.

When we first got married (back in the stone-age), I tried all of the recipes I could find for molasses cookies. Not one of them satisfied his (and my) deep longings for that perfect blend of crispy outside and chewy inside. The tantalizing marriage of molasses sweetness and ginger spiciness.

Until this recipe:

Paula was a woman my husband worked with back in the day. Look at that recipe card! Graphics like that haven't been around since the early '80s!

Anyway, one day at work my husband mentioned his craving for just the right molasses cookie, and Paula gave him her recipe.

The first time I made them, they passed inspection...even though they weren't quite right, they satisfied the cravings.

But then in the late '80s/early '90s, we stopped using vegetable oil and corn oil. When I switched to olive oil for my cooking, this recipe got shoved to the back of the file.

(Just a hint - don't use olive oil for this recipe! The flavor is...well...less than desirable.)

Then came the early 2000's and I started using coconut oil in my cooking. I'm sure you know about my love affair with coconut oil! I only use three fats when I cook - it's either going to be butter, olive oil, or coconut oil.

Anyway, my husband had one of those cravings last week, and I realized I hadn't tried this recipe with coconut oil.

It is a winner! And just in time for fall. :)

Jan's Best Molasses Cookies

ingredients:

3/4 cup coconut oil (warm it to above 76° so it's liquid before you measure)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg, then add oil, sugar and molasses and stir until mostly blended. Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Form into balls - about the size of an English walnut - and roll in sugar. Put them on a cookie sheet. I line mine with parchment paper.

Ignore that "ball" on the lower right. I don't know what
happened!

Flatten each ball slightly with the back of a spoon.

Bake the cookies at 375° for 8-12 minutes. At my higher altitude, I need to bake them closer to 14 minutes.

The key thing is that you don't want to over bake them - you don't want them hard and crispy.

(Unless you like gingersnaps! I learned that if you forget to take them out of the oven soon enough, you have the perfect hard, crunchy gingersnap texture!)

But you don't want to under bake them, either!

Follow your gut instinct. Channel your inner Gibbs. :)

When they are baked just right, they are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and oh! so delicious!

Definitely husband approved!


In other news, look what the UPS man brought on Friday!

Opening a box of books with my name on the cover never gets old!

And then my cousin shared this picture on Facebook to celebrate Grandparents Day:

This is a picture of nears and dears, but I want you to look at the woman on the left. That is my great-grandmother, Bessie Ellen Schrock Sherck.

Yes, George Sherck courted one of the Schrock girls and won her.

She is the woman I dedicated Mattie's Pledge to:

Bessie didn't have an easy life, but who did in the decades surrounding the turn of the century...the last century? Born in 1883, she raised five daughters and moved several times as her husband traveled between Michigan and Indiana, planting churches wherever he was called. She was ill much of the time with bouts of malaria, measles, mumps, whooping cough - all contracted as an adult. When the flu epidemic of 1918 swept the nation, she was sick for weeks. At the same time she was quietly fighting rheumatoid arthritis. There was no treatment for the disease then - the victims slowly watched their joints become weaker, more swollen, and more painful with every year.

But I never heard her complain. I remember her beautiful roses planted in a hedge at the edge of her yard. I remember her huge garden. I remember her lovely white hair and bright brown eyes.

I remember her dedication to her church and her faith...the dedication she has passed on to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and great-great-great grandchildren.

I don't know what dreams Bessie put away when she dedicated her life to her Lord, but I know that her deepest heart's desire has been achieved as she has joined the "great cloud of witnesses."

As the character of Mattie Schrock was forming in my mind, I thought often of Bessie and her life. I am thankful for the example she set for me, and that I can pass on to my family.

Don't you think that is worth a book dedication?

Do you have someone in your life who has been an example of faith and service? Tell us about them!

Jan Drexler loves her family, her home, cooking and just about anything made by hand. But she loves her Lord most of all.

Stop by Jan's website to learn more about her books: www.JanDrexler.com