Norwegian Fruit Soup Recipe (Sut Suppe)

Becoming a working mom has been an adjustment in my life.  Since September, I have been teaching Title I Math and Reading, teaching a 3-4th grade Social Studies Class, and am now working on my artwork for sale.  This leaves much less time for the homemaking treats I enjoyed working on in my spare time.  Today Amy and I have the day off from school for Christmas Vacation!  After our shopping we decided to bake some more goodies for Christmas.  Amy mixed up a delicious Scandinavian Almond Cake recipe, and my project included boiling potatoes for lefse and mixing up some Christmas Sut Suppe (my husband's favorite Christmas treat).  I am recording the recipe for your enjoyment and for posterity's sake.

Cutting up Prunes for Sut Suppe recipe

Sut Suppe / Frukt Suppe Recipe
Dictated in the exact words of my father-in-law, Luther

1-2 lb. prunes
1 lb. raisins
dried fruit (apricots, apples, pears)
1.3 c. tapioca
red hots, opt.
red food coloring, opt.
cinnamon
nutmeg

"Cut dried fruit into smaller pieces and soak in water for a while before adding to the other stuff.  To the dried fruit mexture, add water enough to cover the fruit. Gradually heat so it comes to a boil (watch so it doesn't burn).  When it gets toward the boiling point add ⅓ cup tapioca.  This serves as a thickening agent.  Let it cook slowly for a while - perhaps 15 minutes.  Add some cinnamon and nutmeg to suit your taste.  If you have cinnamon candies, they can be used (provide red color and flavor).  Add red food coloring if you wish to give it a nicer color.  Keep stirring quite regularly as the tapioca will settle to bottom and burn if not watched.  The put in jars like for canning or otherwise store in fridge and enjoy!  A blob of true whipped cream on top is very becoming to this delectable dish that surely was developed in the kitchen of King Harold the Holy."

Old Recipe Redone

I took my Great-Aunt Maude's Rhubarb Cake recipe and modified it for muffins. These muffins are to die for!  We enjoyed them for snacks this afternoon.
(This dictation is for posterity sake, since I will probably forget what I did.)

Original Recipe for Rhubarb Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream together:
1 ½ c. brown sugar
½ c. butter
1 egg

Add:
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together, then add to wet ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 dash salt

Chop and fold in:
2 c. fresh or frozen rhubarb
Sprinkle 1 T. flour over it before folding in.

Grease pan. Pour batter into 9x13 inch pan. Bake 30-40 minutes. Test with toothpick after 30 minutes. Remove from oven when toothpick comes out clean.

After baked, sprinkle with:
cinnamon-sugar

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Rhubarb Muffins by Elysia
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream together:
2 c. brown sugar, packed
½ c. sugar
½ c. butter
½ c. canola oil
½ c. applesauce

Add:
1 ¾ c. buttermilk or milk with 1 T. vinegar mixed in
1 ½ tsp. vanilla

Mix together in a separate bowl, then add to wet ingredients:
3 ¼ c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt

Chop and fold in:
2 c. fresh or frozen rhubarb
Sprinkle 1 T. flour over it before folding in.

Grease muffin tins. Use ¼ c. measure and pour into tins. Bake 25 minutes. Test with toothpick. Remove from oven when toothpick comes out clean. Makes 38-40 muffins.

After baked, sprinkle with:
cinnamon-sugar
(To reduce sugar, sprinkle with plain cinnamon before baking.)

Let cool a few minutes before removing from tins with a fork.

Recipes for a Growing Boy (Manboy?)

OK, it is official! PJ is now taller than me.  Five feet nine and a half inches tall as of yesterday!  I need to kick up the calories in our meals.  So, my oldest daughter and I have been baking up a storm.  Yesterday, she made a lovely Day Cake with strawberries, and she made Monkey Bread also.  Today I am working on Grandma Blomberg's Excellent Rocks, a most excellent oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.

Here is the recipe, transcribed word for word from my sister, Kirsten:

Grandma Blomberg's Excellent Rocks
serves 4 dozen

1 c. sugar (brown is better)
1 c. shortening (butter is better)
1 c. raisins, cooked in ¾ c. water
2 c. flour
2 c. oats
2 eggs
5 Tbsp reserved raisin water + 1 tsp. soda
1 tsp salt (or less)
1 tsp vanilla (2 is better)

Mix oats, flour and salt.  Set aside.
Mix butter & sugar, add eggs, add vanilla & soda water.
Stir together wet and dry ingredients and drained raisins.
Cook 10 mins. in 350 degree oven.

I added an extra cup of rolled oats to the recipe (3 c. total) to make it a little healthier for afternoon snacks.  This made them more chewy and less cakey, too.  However, they are delicious with only 2 cups oats.

For dinner I plan to make a one-pot meal with barley, vegetables, tomato sauce, and a combination of ground beef and ground turkey.  Making enough food to fill these growing children's tummies is a challenge, because they can be picky eaters, too.  I enjoy making casseroles or one-pot meals made in the crock pot or on the stove.  I do not cook with a lot of meat because of the high cost of meat, so we must supplement with vegetables,  grains, and legumes.  My favorite cookbook for this is More With Less.  

This cookbook emphasizes conserving the world's resources, so it has been very helpful for me during lean years because the recipes are so inexpensive yet healthy to make.  

Recently I borrowed a book from the library called, How to Feed a Teenage Boy. 

The recipes were not earth shattering, by any means, but it did give me a few ideas.  These boys need lots of protein, carbohydrates, calcium, and vegetables.

How about you?  What are you feeding your son?  I need some SERIOUS RECIPE IDEAS and soon!  Feel free to leave a recipe or two in the comments or on Facebook.  Thanks!

Rhubarb Muffins

Since we have an abundance of rhubarb this time of year, I made up this recipe that was based loosely on a blueberry muffin recipe.

Rhubarb Muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 12-cup muffin pan with oil spray.

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 Tb. baking powder

6 Tb. margarine

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 - 2 c. rhubarb, chopped into 1/2 inch slices

2 Tb. sugar with 1 tsp. cinnamon mixed and sprinkled on top before baking

Combine dry ingredients.

Melt margarine and mix with eggs, milk, and vanilla.

Add wet ingredients and rhubarb to dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.

Bake 18-20 minutes at 400 F. until golden.

Baked Oatmeal Recipe

I have been making this recipe since this summer. I made it again today, so I thought I would share it here. I have modified the original recipe significantly, so I feel free to share it here as an original recipe:

Baked Oatmeal

3 cups rolled or quick oats (I use half of each)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

2 eggs

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

walnuts or another fruit may be added as an option

Spray a 9" x 13" pan with non-stick spray or any kind of oil. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour into pan and spread out evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes in a 375 degree Farenheit pre-heated oven. Top will be dryer and edges slightly brown when it is finished cooking. Serve warm in bowls. Pour milk on top and enjoy! Serves 6.