Food and Furthermore XI: Rhubarb Streusel Coffee Cake

Home again, home again, jiggety jig....Well, actually, we're not quite all the way home yet. We are back in the States and having picked up the children (who seem to have barely noticed that we were gone) at Aunt Heidi's house, we are making the four hour drive home this morning. I'm plotting ways to get back to the Canadian Rockies with the whole family, this time with tent and sleeping bags in tow. It seems almost sacrilegious to stay in a hotel with this kind of beauty outside, doesn't it? Furthermore, we're raising our kids to love good ol' cheap tent camping.

Although, I'm not sure I could relax on the Columbia icefield with my two charges running around. I can just imagine my little cowboy starting an avalanche.

Or canoing on Lake Louise, icy glacial water awaiting anyone who rocks the boat, and what five year old boy would not rock the boat? But I'm pretty sure that I could safely take them to the cucumber farm without fearing death-although there are reports of a wandering black bear in the area....can you spot him? And while visiting the cucumber farm, the owners Mr. and Mrs. Charest, would hopefully share their rhubarb streusel coffee cake again. What a way to greet visitors! If you want to garner my loyalty, feed me a generous square of moist and delicious coffee cake, bejeweled with little pieces of rhubarb and topped with a hearty sprinkling of brown sugar streusel. Mrs. Charest was kind enough to share this recipe, plus the four big servings that Quiet Man and I greedily gobbled up. Give it a try and taste for yourself the remarkable flavor of Canadian Hospitality. I can't wait to get some more. Rhubarb Streusel Coffee Cake

Estimated Cost: $3.00

Notes: Use whatever fruit you've got on hand in place of the rhubarb. The obvious choice would be blueberries, but chopped plums, apricots or peaches would be lovely for a summer coffee cake.

1/2 cup salted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups chopped rhubarb, or other fruit

For Streusel:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir in flour and soda, stirring just until blended. Add rhubarb and pour into greased 9 by 13. Combine all streusel ingredients and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until springy in the center.

Coming Tomorrow:

Tuesdays With Dorie-Blackberry Peach Cobbler

Food and Furthermore IX: Blog Award and Meme Assignments

HolyToledo-we had almost 4000 visitors last week to Prudence Pennywise! Keep coming and don't forget to tell your rabbi, pastor, bishop, and non-denominational religious advisor. Share the love.
Quiet down class. I'm assigning some meme work. That's right-assigning. Tagging sounds way too easy to get out of, like a school yard game that you can dodge with a quick sashay to the right. I love memes because I'm really nosy. I eavesdrop at ball games, peek in people's carts at the market, and read the notes that people write in the margins of books. I love (most) people and find them infinitely fascinating, with the exception of my undergrad Spanish poetry professor, quite possibly the most boring individual on planet earth. I really believe he could force a clock to move backwards just by the droning of his voice. But other than him, I'm fascinated and enthralled by my fellow members of the human race. So I'm assigning my memes to four of my favorite people, who also happen to be my sisters. (I'd assign memes to all my sisters, but they don't all have blogs.) Maybe I already know their answers, but I doubt it, since they are exciting and unpredictable foxy ladies. I just said "foxy"for the first time since 1978.Plus, they are ever so much more smart and clever, much more fun, and much much prettier than me and they wear much smaller jeans, just to rub it all in. If I weren't so busy trying to be like them, I'd probably hate them.

So Leslie at Little Rieta

Heidi at The Renouf Family

Catherine at Living the Good Life (closed blog so maybe she could post on Heidi's?)

Mary Kate at Telles A Story

and one extra...my seven year old sunshine daughter at Little Girl on the Go

***To complete your meme assignment, copy the questions HERE, erase my answers and plug in your responses. No cheating and this test is timed.

Furthermore, I'm passing on the Yum Yum Blog award to the following five dee-lish foodie blogs. If all goes well, they'll post the award and pass it on to five more. If all goes poorly, I'll need you to contact my attorney.

Kahakai Kitchen makes you wish you could move to Hawaii, then move in with Deb and beg her to make you all her good food. Although she's so nice, you probably wouldn't even have to beg.

Meet Me in the Kitchen has all kinds of yummy food that's comfy enough to feed your family and elegant enough to impress the neighbors.

A Year at Oak Cottage serves up daily inspiration, gorgeous photos, and life's lessons along with yummy recipes.

My Sister's Cucina showcases just the kind of food you wish you could eat with your sister, late at night in the kitchen.

Smoky Mountain Cafe shares generously a plethora of exciting recipes-check out all of her many marinades.

Coming Tomorrow:

Lightened up Whole Wheat Zucchini Pineapple Bread

Food and Furthermore VIII

I'm postponing my 4th of July menu till tomorrow, so come on back.

An Edible Souvenir from the French Quarter.... I love the excitement of travel, the rush of finding yourself in a new city full of new possibilities, new architecture, new art, new restaurants, new people... But I also love to come to familiar home and share what I've found and what I've learned with my family. A lot of what I learned will not interest them, like the better governance policies for charter schools and guidelines for teacher merit pay. But other things, like how to make sweet and powdery beignets , how to lose yourself in the quest for the perfect balcony in the French Quarter, and how to dress yourself up for Mardi Gras are vastly interesting to my children. My mother used to make a list of everything she ate during her travels and then come home and recreate it for the family. Like minded, after a visit to the famous Cafe Du Monde, I bought a beignet mix. I'm almost exclusively a from scratch kind of girl, but I thought it might be fun to let my kids have a crack at the mix version of a New Orleans classic. You can buy it here. So now it is Saturday morning and we've had a lovely sleep in, late exercise, and hot french donut kind of morning. The kids were able to manage everything but the frying.

And while not perfect, they were pretty darn good, hot and fresh and covered with powdered sugar.Quiet Man is notably absent, catching up on his doctorate work that he missed while he did the stay at home routine this week. We meant to save him a beignet, but we'll just have to make another batch.

Coming Tomorrow:

Strawberry Cream Cheese Danish Braid, Blackberry Danish Pinwheels

Fourth of July Menu

Food and Furthermore VII

We're getting to be a hefty group of penny pinchers. Last week we had about 3,000 readers. Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell your dog walkers, hair dressers, and aroma therapists. Scroll down for the Family Reunion Report and this yummy dip recipe.....Greetings from New Orleans! I had every intention of continuing with daily posts. I cooked through our family reunion, I posted through out Salt Lake City vacation, and I planned to forge ahead through my current business trip. Alas, the hotel offered wireless Internet at a whopping $15 a day. To be worthy of the appelation "Prudence Pennywise," I felt I should decline, and I missed you deeply and terribly. But now, with the conference beginning, I've got free wireless at the conference center. I'm back, and I'm cheaper than ever, dear readers....
Furthermore....last week was the gimungous, hugantic family reunion for my side of the family. 40 plus cousins, 10 siblings and spouses, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews all converged in my town for a whopping good time. Let me give you a couple of snippets of our activities. We saw the Sound of Music at an outdoor theatre....
We had daily family breakfasts and devotionals. My sisters have a flair for food presentation. I could learn alot.

My clever sister Laurie posted the day's activities on her handy bulletin board.
We had a Western Party, complete with a square dance caller. Yee Haw! It's funner than you think, this square dancing stuff. I could have do si doed all night. And then promenaded some more.

Big Stuff likes watching better than dancing, but we let him be since he pays for all the parties. Thanks, Dad!

We rented out a burger joint and had a 50's party. Think hula hoops, burgers, fries, shakes, and
dancing! I won't mention the sleepless night making that pink poodle skirt. But my little girl is smiling and happy and so am I. Yawn.
Now for the food....We can't have a family party without our slightly odd but very famous "R" family dip. It might sound strange, but don't be put off. It's easy, fast, and totally addictive-so be warned. You can use veggies, or baked chips but the best dipper is a Ruffles potato chip, hands down. Put some out for your 4th of July BBQ.

R Family Cottage Cheese Dip

Estimated Cost: $4.00

16 ounces small curd cottage cheese, preferrably Knudson

1/2 cup mayonnaise (double this amount if you are making it for my dad)

3/4 cup chopped green onions, plus more for garnish

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Garnish with extra green onions and black pepper. Serve with Ruffles. Eat at every family party.

Coming Tomorrow:

Tuesdays with Dorie

Cherry, Raspberry and Blueberry Cobbler

Food and Furthermore VI

Forgive the unusual layout today-I can't seem to make my pictures stay in the right places....
This weekend marks the beginning of our super colossal Family Reunion. My parents, the progenitors of our tremendously huge group, live right across the street from me. They've got a leviathan house with a resort quality backyard, and I've got a medium-ish house (with an un resort-ish dead grass backyard), and there are some lovely vacation condos up the road. That's how we're squeezing in 10 of my siblings and spouses, 40 plus nieces and nephew(lost count long ago), and about 20 more Great nieces and nephews (Is that what they are called? The children of my sibling's children???? Anyone?) I have no claim to superior math skills, but there are about 80 of us here. Of course, we've picked up some friends and inlaws along the way that we claim as blood family, too.

We will sleep too little, eat too much, and talk through it all.

We've got daily theme parties planned, but so far we've only made it through the Surf Party/Birthday Party.

Check out the cupcakes my sister made. I piped the candy surfboards from vanilla candy melts, available at most craft stores. Many more parties to come for next week....

Furthermore.....I'm passing on the "E for Excellent" blog award to 10 of my favorite reads. You know I really love them because it's 4:30 AM and I'm willing to go through the tedious linking process. Go forth and read!

Food Blogs

1.Culinary Adventures of a New Bride

2. Honeyed Hashette

3. Anne Strawberry

4. Randomosity and the Girl

5. Ezra Pound Cake

Furthermore Blogs

6. LeeLou Headers (my blog designer)

7. Ice Cream Diary

8. Relishing Motherhood

9. The Meanest Mom

10. One More Moore

Coming Tomorrow: A Paradise Bakery Knock-Off
Baby Greens with Cranberry, Blue Cheese, and Sunflower Seeds
with Creamy Red Wine Dressing

Food and Furthermore: V

Hey Folks! Last week we had about 2,000 readers on Prudence Pennywise. Keep a comin' and tell your kin! Leave a comment once in while, too. And call your mother.

PRESSING, BURNING, ITCHING QUESTION....read on
I've been on a work/family vacation trip this past week. Maybe you didn't notice because I've been a posting-obsessed food blogger through it all. Excuse me, is my mania showing? Thank goodness for hotel Internet and digital cameras. We visited three museums, various restaurants, a candy store, an ice cream parlor, and did some shopping (2 dresses-good thing I pinch food pennies). I squeezed in an early morning run each day, a couple times on a beautiful riverside trail. Usually when I go on vacation, I'm an incompatible mix of exercise sloth and food hound. Maybe I should reward my tenacity with some cheesecake.

Furthermore, we were also able to visit some family members that lived nearby, like Aunt Marilyn. If you recall from the Garlic Chive Fettucini post, Aunt Marilyn is a queen gardener and she sent me home with bags of fragrant fresh herbs. Before we left, she asked about making mint syrup, and I promised to post a recipe. (Scroll down, Aunt Marilyn)

And furthermore, I've got a new E is for Excellent blog award from my cooking contest buddy, Tracy over at RahCha Chow. Aw, shucks! Blog Awards are the best-they're not breakable and require no dusting and they make me look good without having to put on any mascara.

Which brings me to my PRESSING QUESTION... If your speakers are on, the minute you arrive at Prudence Pennywise, you can hear the cheery and smooth retro voice of Gracie Fields, singing her little heart out, day in and day out. Originally, I thought the music would make a great theme song for my blog; it captures the feeling of an optimistic, yet thrifty, time in modern history with lyrics that are dedicated to food. Not just any food, but food that you prepare for whomever happens to come on by. What could be better? Except...

After a few days of good spirits, mild irritation set in, so I reached over and shut off my speakers. But someone kept turning them back on (kids-the repetition lovers). At 5:30 AM when I'd come to make a new post, bubbly music would blast into my grouchy ears. At midnight, when I'd sneak out of bed to do a little editing, there was Gracie again, offering me that same old cake again. I love her, but maybe we need to start seeing other people.

So here's the Pressing Question: What should we do about the music?

A) Keep the music. I pull out my old tap dancing outfits and sing along.

B) I'll keep my speakers off, so do whatever you want. Peace. Love.

C) Get if off now, you young whippersnapper. All that optimism is bringing me down.

D) What music? I'm stone cold deaf and here for the grub.

Leave your opinion in the comment section. Now here's the food:

Mint Syrup

Estimated Cost: $3.00-cheaper if you can get your herbs from Aunt Marilyn's backyard.

Notes: Any variety of mint will work here, but for the traditional, strong, cool flavor, stick with peppermint.

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 and 1/2 cups peppermint leaves

a drop of green food coloring, if desired

Boil all ingredients for five minutes in a small saucepan. Strain, cool and transfer to a jar. Store in the refrigerator.

Now here's what you can do with your syrup

Drizzle it over Fresh Fruit

Make Mint Lemonade

Add a couple tablespoons to hot fudge

Whip up some Minted whip Cream

Grind ice for a mint snow cone

Crank out some homemade mint chip ice cream

Coming Tomorrow

Father's Day Menu and Shopping List

Food and Furthermore IV

Refrigerator Dill Pickles and more.... With such cute, wee cucumbers at our local farmer's market, and with a bit of leftover dill Memorial Day's potato salad, I was compelled to produce pickles... Refrigerator pickles are ever so much better than heat processed pickles. CRUNCH! That's the big difference, in a word. You'll also appreciate how easy and inexpensive it is to make quarts and quarts. (Scroll down to the bottom for the recipe.) I make as many as we'll need for a couple of months, and a few extra jars to share.

In fact, I just gave my pesty little brother a jar of pickles and a jar of strawberry jam. He deadpanned, "Do you think my wife is pregnant?" Although the thought was far from my mind, he does have five children and the "baby" is turning three this month. You just never know when pickles and jam might come in handy, Roy. Here are three of his girls plus one of mine. His oldest girl (top right) just cut off her braid to donate to "Locks of Love." What a gal! Furthermore, we had loads of company this weekend. We live across the street from my parents, so whoever visits them, visits us, too. (That's mostly a good thing!) I'm crazy about my nieces and nephews. Just look at that face!And furthermore, we celebrated my superhero Dad's 67th birthday. I still think he could be the President of the US, or an FBI agent, or at the very least John Wayne. Plus, he put up with me when I was a teenager. The least I can do is make his favorite chocolate mayonnaise cake. My British great grandma used to make it for him when he was a boy, chock full of dates and walnuts. (I'll pass on the recipe-if anyone wants it. Leave a request in the comment section.) It's surprisingly delicious to grown-ups, but I divide the batter in half and make some plain chocolate mayonnaise cupcakes, too-with a cute candy initial piped from vanilla melts. Actually, I don't even admit to the kids that there is mayonnaise in the cake at all. See how fun my Dad is? You've got to have a sense of humor to raise 10 kids. Especially if 8 of them are girls. And at least one of the boys (Roy) is excessively pesty.
Here's what the ex-basketball star got for his birthday. I wonder if he'll still be willing to help me practice my right hook....
Now on to those little pickles....

Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Estimated cost: $5.00

Notes: The price will vary depending on the cost of your local cucumbers, but it's still going to be lots cheaper than purchasing pickles.

about 10 Kirby cucumbers, sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

fresh dill, about 10 sprigs

6 cups water

2 cups vinegar

1/4 cup salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon black pepper
Layer cucumbers, onion, and garlic in clean glass bottles. In a medium saucepan, boil water, vinegar, salt and sugar. Let cool for five minutes. Pour over cucumbers in jars to cover and refrigerate. (If you run out of liquid, just add equal parts water and vinegar.) Cucumbers will be best after one week-but I can never wait that long. Good luck!

Coming Tomorrow: Using your Root Beer Barbecue Sauce on Grilled Chicken-plus a leftover bonus

Food and Furthermore III

Coming Tomorrow....Memorial Day Menu and Shopping List
Years ago, a little baby girl was born. Pink, pretty, and sugary sweet. But as of last week, she is seven. Pink, pretty, and sugary sweet-with a little bit of independent spice. We're just crazy about her. Even though she made that big mess on the counter.
Because we bake almost everything from scratch, for an extra special birthday treat, she USED to ask for a boxed cake mix. It practically killed me. She wanted a colorful funfetti cake, just like all the other kids (and grown-up, kid-at-heart Uncle Jack). But now she is seven and she knows better. For the first time this year she asked pretty please for homemade chocolate cupcakes with homemade chocolate frosting. It was a proud moment. I used the Devil's Food Cake recipe from The New Joy of Cooking. Make them only if you have more than an hour and you don't mind washing numerous bowls and dishes AND you love seriously, seriously good cupcakes.

Notice the tennis themed cupcakes for the party. We used the colored vanilla melts and piped the shapes onto waxed paper. These ones were for the grown ups.

This is what my little girl wanted for her birthday.

A Hawaiian, Don Ho, pearly shells, pineapple princess, purple ukulele. Now I can't keep my hands off of the darn thing. It's so fun and so easy to play and I can pretend I'm at a luau. Why am I paying money for violin and piano lessons? Forget it kids! Take up the ukulele and let's all be beach bums together.

Furthermore and speaking of expensive lessons, both of my children had a violin performance at an old folk's home.

During the performance, one of the spunky elderly gentleman shouted out, "Is that little boy for sale?" Nope. He's mine and you should have heard him play "Orange Blossom Special." On second thought, I think I really am getting my money's worth.
Furthermore...

It's time to pass the baton for the Arte y Pico Award

Leah at A Corner of My Kitchen. I don't just envy her kitchen. I also want dinner at her house every night. I could even bring my kids! The food is fabulous and family friendly.

Veronica at Supermarket Serenade. Take a look at her blog before you buy something new at the market. She'll let you know what's best to buy and what to do with it when you get home.

Lisa at Jersey Girl Cooks. Lisa shares thoughts, insights, tips, and recipes in her creative cooking adventures.

Jenny at Picky Palate creates yummy and easy original recipes guaranteed to please even the pickiest eaters
Camilla at Enlightened Cooking. Her brilliant ideas for healthy cooking are bright, fresh, and original. You'll be making mousse, ganache, cheesecake, and cookies-and you're still going to fit in your jeans.