Raspberries

Mixed Berry Shortcake
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Mixed Berry Shortcake

When midsummer rolls in just before the birds and chipmunks decide that their buffet is ready we grab what we can and make one of our old time favorite’s deserts, snack sometimes even breakfast. This has been one of our staples since 1991 the good thing is you choose the berries to change it up. I have tried nets and sprays but nothing really helps so with the berries, as with my garden the year before, I decided to share. If only they understood the concept. This year I only did a deck garden leaving the ground level for my herbs.

You can make this shortcake with any combination of fresh berries.  Use 8 cups of your favorite mixture.  10 servings

 

Ingredients

  • 2 pints strawberries
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 pint raspberries
  • 1 pint blackberries
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 Tbsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • grated zest of 1 orange
  • 10 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream

How

1.  Wash and hull strawberries.  Mash 1/4 of them with 3/4 cup of the sugar.  Cut the rest in half or quarters.  Combine mashed and cut up strawberries with raspberries and blackberries.  Set aside.

2.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter and flour baking two 9″ cake pans.  Combine flour, baking powder, salt, 1/4 cup sugar and orange zest.  Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal.

3.  Stir in milk.  Divide dough in half and put into pans with floured fingers.

4.  Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.  Turn out onto racks.

5.  Whip the cream with the remaining 2 Tbsp sugar until it holds soft peaks.

6.  Just before serving put one shortcake layer on a serving plate.  Top with about 3/4 of the fruit mixture, letting juice trickle down sides.  Spread with about 3/4 of the whipped cream.  Top with second layer.  Spoon remaining

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Rib eye Steaks with Rasberry Sauce
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Rib eye Steaks with Rasberry Sauce

Arbie turned me on to Rib Eye steaks way back when, not sure if he even remembers. A few of us got together at the Silver Lounge

and he ordered a Rib Eye, I never had so tired I could not believe the flavor and it has been one of my “eat out” favorites for many years. A few weeks ago Whole Foods had Rib Eye on sale so we bought a bunch and froze. So we have been trying different things with them and try use things in season.

Lyn, once dub the catalog queen of Milford by the postman, found this in Country living. She now subscribes to all her catalogs and magazine online saving trees whenever she can.

Ingredients

  •  1 bottle(s) red Zinfandel
  • 2 cups raspberries
  • 1 cups ketchup
  • 3/4 cups seedless raspberry jam
  • 3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsps. sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsps. ground cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 4 (1 pound each) bone-in rib-eye steaks

How

In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring wine to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Add raspberries, ketchup, jam, vinegar, paprika, and cinnamon; simmer, stirring, for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Heat grill to medium-high.

Something that I read and have been doing when grilling steaks is to place the meat in freezer for about 20 minutes before grilling. This has been giving me great steaks grilled on outside yet juicy and cooked just right on the inside with really good flavor. I know I was brought up never cook meat right out of the frig let alone partially frozen but I tried and it is now my way.

Pat steaks dry, Season steaks with salt and pepper place in freezer for about 20 minutes.

Grill for medium-rare, grill for 6 minutes per side. Brush steaks with sauce, flip, and grill for 2 minutes. Repeat on other side. Serve sliced, drizzled with sauce.

Thiers had bone in I cut my grilling time to about 4 minutes instead of 6 per side since mine did not have the bone in.

You can use the ball of thumb method I posted or a meat thermometer to test for doneness.

Raspberries

What’s New and Beneficial About Raspberries

  • One of the most fascinating new areas of raspberry research involves the potential for raspberries to improve management of obesity. Although this research is in its early stages, scientists now know that metabolism in our fat cells can be increased by phytonutrients found in raspberries, especially rheosmin (also called raspberry ketone). By increasing enzyme activity, oxygen consumption, and heat production in certain types of fat cells, raspberry phytonutrients like rheosmin may be able to decrease risk of obesity as well as risk of fatty liver. In addition to these benefits, rheosmin can decrease activity of a fat-digesting enzyme released by our pancreas called pancreatic lipase. This decrease in enzyme activity may result in less digestion and absorption of fat.