Author: madesimplybyjane

I have had a passion for cooking and eating healthy food for most of my life. My professional training includes a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Culinary Arts from Bastyr University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Home Economics and Secondary Education from Western Washington University. As a lifelong teacher of all ages, my focus is teaching people how to cook simple meals for their families. My belief is anyone, even children, can learn to prepare healthy, inexpensive, delicious meals for themselves and those they care for. I absolutely love to help unravel the mystery of bread making, combine whatever produce is on hand to prepare a delicious soup or stew, or create something new with whomever is interested in participating. As a former preschool teacher, I still enjoy playing in the kitchen with children. I am also an ovarian cancer survivor, and a team leader and fund raiser for a local organization funding ovarian cancer research. My home is in Lake Forest Park, Wa. where I live with my husband, Mark, and our cat, Gilbert. When not teaching, I like to garden, hike, kayak, and cook for friends and family.

Cardamom Shortbread

Shortbread is delicious. Shortbread with cardamom and a little chocolate is warm and heavenly!

½ cup butter, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup white unbleached flour

¼ cup stone ground whole wheat flour

1 ½ teaspoons fresh ground cardamom (pre-ground is fine)

1 quality chocolate bar, 3 oz. (I prefer Theo’s 85% dark chocolate)

In a mixing bowl of an electric mixer whip the butter for about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat until creamy.

Add the flours, and cardamom. Blend until the mixture crumbly. To get it all to combine, mix with your hands. Form it into a ball, seal it in a small container or plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm. If it is already firm, then go ahead and roll it out.

Preheat oven to 350^oF.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough ¼” thick. Cut in desired shapes. It is best to use cutters no larger than 2 to 3 inches across. Transfer the shapes to an ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are slightly brown.

When cookies are cool, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Dip the bottoms or one edge of the cookies in the chocolate. Lay them on a wax paper lined tray. To set the chocolate, place the tray in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Store in an air tight container. Do not freeze these once the chocolate is on them, as it will ruin the chocolate. The naked shortbread cookies can be stored in the freezer, and then dipped in chocolate when you are ready for them.

Recipe by Jane Blaisdell, 2020.

Sour Dough Bread

Delicious, fresh bread. There is great satisfaction in creating a beautiful loaf with your own nurtured starter. The aroma, flavor, and texture are amazing.

1/4 cup sour dough starter
1-1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup rolled oats (not cooked)
1 cup Einkorn flour, or whole wheat flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour, or whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour (unbleached)
2 teaspoons salt

The day before baking day, in the morning, measure 2 tablespoons of your happy, healthy sour dough starter. Add this amount to ½ cup flour and ½ cup water. Stir well, and allow this to sit all day.

In the evening, when the super fed starter is bubbly, proceed to creating the bread dough.

Mix together all of the ingredients from the above list – except the salt.

Allow the dough to sit for at least one hour, to let the flour and oats hydrate. Then, fold in the salt.

Cover the mixing bowl with a plastic bag, or vinyl topper and let the dough sit overnight.

In the morning, the dough should be bubbly and at least doubled in size. Give the dough a bit of kneading on a lightly floured surface. Line a medium bowl with a towel and dust well with flour. Or, if you want to bake the bread in a loaf pan, oil the pan. Either way, set the dough in the bowl or loaf pan. Allow this to sit for at least one hour.

If you are baking a round (boule) loaf, set a cast iron dutch oven, with lid into the oven. Preheat the oven to 450^oF. If using a loaf pan, preheat the oven to 400^oF Allow the dutch oven time to heat, even after the oven has heated.

Remove the dutch oven from the oven, remove the lid, and tip the loaf carefully into the dutch oven. Replace the lid, slide it back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

If baking in the loaf pan, bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

When the bake time is up, check the interior temperature of the loaf. It needs to be at least 190^oF. Return it to the oven for another 5 minutes if it isn’t done.

Allow the bread to cool before removing it from the pan

Enjoy.

Recipe by Jane Blaisdell, 2020. Inspired by Sandor Ellix Katz, Wild Fermentation, 2016.

Bean Burgers

These delicious, fairly simple to make burgers, make a wonderful earth friendly meal.

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ cup minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ cup cooked beans (black, cranberry, pinto…) drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
½ cup rolled oats, quick or regular
¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon paprika, or smoked paprika
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and allow them to slowly soften. When the onions appear cooked, add in the garlic and cook for an addition minute, stirring to prevent the garlic from burning.

Transfer the onion mixture to a medium bowl, and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well, and add salt and pepper to taste. If the beans you are using are firm, you may want to whirl the mixture briefly in a food processor. But be careful to not lose all of the bean texture.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, to allow the oats and flour to hydrate.

Form the bean mix into 4 to 5 patties, depending on your size preference.

Heat a skillet on medium heat, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the burger patties. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until crispy and browned.

Serve with a bun and any burger condiments you prefer.

Notes: Play around with the ingredients. You may like to add some other vegetables (finely chopped) or mushrooms. But not too much, or the burgers won’t hold together.

I served my burger with sautéed mushrooms, cheese, lettuce, and a little secret sauce (mayo, ketchup, sriracha, and sweet pickle relish)

Recipe adapted by Jane Blaisdell, 2020. Original recipe by Robin Robertson, 1,000 Vegan Recipes, 2009.

Rhubarb Almond Coffee Cake

Spring is the time for rhubarb! I love its delicious tartness and beautiful red hue. This simple cake is quick to mix, and can be baked the day before you want to serve it.

2 cups rhubarb, sliced thin
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour (white or whole wheat pastry or a gluten free blend)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup almonds, chopped or sliced

Preheat oven to 350^oF.

Grease an 8” x 8” baking pan.

In a medium size bowl, mix together the rhubarb and sugar. Allow this to sit while gathering the other ingredients.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, ginger, and nutmeg.

Now add the egg, butter and almonds to the rhubarb. Blend this well.

Add the flour mixture to the rhubarb mix. Stir just until the dry ingredients are mixed in.

Spread the batter into the baking pan.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned.

Allow this to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

Recipe by Jane Blaisdell, 2020.

Savory Dutch Baby

This quick simple dish is a delicious and easy way to get some healthy greens into your diet.

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup flour
½ cup milk
3 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 bunch of greens (collards, spinach, kale…) – cleaned and roughly chopped – divided
2 tablespoons chopped parsley – divided
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup shredded cheese – cheddar or other favorite
½ cup dried tomatoes – soaked in hot water, then coarsely chopped
Mushrooms – any variety – about 1 cup – roughly chopped
Balsamic vinegar – to taste

Pour olive oil into a medium cast iron skillet (9 inch). Place the skillet in a cold oven and preheat to 425^oF.

Whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir in ½ cup of the chopped greens, and 1 tablespoon of the chopped parsley. Set aside, while you get everything else chopped and the oven gets up to temperature.

Pour egg mixture into the hot skillet and set timer for 20 minutes.

After about 10 minutes, heat another skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the remainder of the greens and parsley. Stir the greens until they become wilted. Add a couple of tablespoons water, cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and allow the greens to braise for a few minutes.

When the timer rings, sprinkle the cheese on top of the dutch baby and return it to the oven for about 5 more minutes.

Remove the lid from the greens, add the tomatoes and mushrooms. Increase the heat to medium and allow the mushrooms and tomatoes to cook, stirring constantly. Splash about a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar on the greens, add some salt and taste. Check for salt and acid, and adjust as necessary.

Remove the dutch baby from the oven and distribute the greens mixture over the top.

Serve immediately!

Serves 4

Prep time – about 30 minutes

Recipe revised by Jane Blaisdell, 2020. Original recipe from Better Homes & Gardens, August 2018.

Granola

It’s so easy to create a batch of homemade granola, and you can customize it to your preferences; low or no sugar, no nuts, a lot of nuts and seeds, favorite spices…

4 cups rolled oats (rolled wheat or barley can be substituted)
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (allspice, ginger, or even cardamom can be used)
1 scant teaspoon salt
5 to 6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup honey – optional or can be reduced
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 1 1/2 cups of chopped nuts and seeds – almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, cinnamon and salt.

In a small bowl, mix together the butter, honey and vanilla.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and spread them onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, stir the granola, and add almonds.

Return the granola to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, stir and add the remainder of the seeds and nuts. Bake for 10 minutes.

Allow the granola to cool before placing in an air tight container. The granola will keep for several weeks.

Variations: Dried fruit can be added after the granola has cooled. Peanut butter (1/4 to 1/2 cup) can be added to the butter mixture, and shredded coconut can be added with the last nut addition.

Recipe by Jane Blaisdell, 2020.

Poached Apples

The perfect winter treat. These are simple to prepare, and delicious for breakfast or dessert.

Apple juice, 1 small can, 5.5 ounces (about ¾ cup)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 – 3 apples, cored and sliced, about ¼ inch thick

Combine the apple juice, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium size saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the apples. Stir gently, so the apples all have a turn in the hot liquid. When the apples appear to have heated through, (they should not be cooked enough that they lose their shape) remove them from the heat and scoop the apples out of the juice. Return the pan and the juice to the stove and reheat to boiling. Continue to boil until the juice is reduced (fairly thick). Pour the reduction over the apples. Serve the apples warm, with yogurt, crème fraiche, or sweetened sour cream. These can be made ahead of time and reheated.

Serves 6 to 8

Prep time: about 15 minutes

Recipe by Jane Blaisdell, 2019

Sauerkraut with Garlic and Onion

Fresh, delicious, with just enough zip from the garlic and onion. It can be a tasty side dish for any meal.

1 head; 2-pounds, green cabbage

4 teaspoons kosher salt (1 teaspoon per half-pound of cabbage)

1 medium white onion, or 4 small spring onions, sliced into thin half-moons

4 cloves garlic, minced

Weigh head of cabbage.

Cut cabbage head in half, cutting it north to south, so you are cutting through the core. Cut in quarters, cutting the same direction, through the core. Cut the core away from each quarter. Discard the core.

Slice each section into 1/8 inch ribbons, and place them into a large bowl.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt per ½ pound of the whole cabbage weight. Sprinkle salt over the shredded cabbage.

Prepare the onions and garlic, but don’t add them to the cabbage, yet.

The pre-salting of the cabbage will give it a chance to begin releasing water.

With clean hands, begin massaging the cabbage. Grab it hard, and move it around to massage each shred. Massage for at least 3 minutes (set a timer). The cabbage should reduce by about half in volume.

Add the onion and garlic. Mix well.

Place the mixture in a fermentation vessel. Half gallon canning jars are great for this, as are ceramic crocks. One quart, wide mouth canning jars will do also, but you will need 2 of them.

Add some cabbage to the container and compress after each scoop. Use your fist to press the mix into the bottom of the vessel, making sure the vegetables are tightly compacted. There should be enough liquid from the cabbage to cover the vegetables.

Place a weight on top of the mix to keep it covered with liquid. When using a canning jar, you can fill a thin glass (or ½ pint jam jar) with water and set this on top of the mix.

Cover the vessel with a cloth to keep the dust and un-savories from getting inside. Set the vessel in a dish to catch any liquid over-flow when the fermentation begins.

Leave the vessel on the counter. Visit if often the first day to make sure the weight is keeping the mixture submerged. After 3 days, taste it! It will probably need several more days to achieve proper sourness.

Once you are happy with the flavor, move the new sauerkraut to the refrigerator in a covered container. If you used a canning jar, just add a lid.

It will continue to ferment, but at a much slower pace.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Fermentation time: 3 days minimum

Yield: 1 ½ quarts

Note: the Sauerkraut may turn soft if your house temperature rises above 75^oF during the fermentation.

Recipe revised by Jane Blaisdell, 2019. Original recipe by Cynthia Lair, 2014.

Salmon Cakes

When life gives you excess salmon, make Salmon Cakes! It’s probably just a Pacific Northwest problem, but sometimes we cook too much salmon when friends come for dinner. This is one delicious option for the leftovers.

2 to 3 cups cooked salmon, flaked, bones removed
2 – 3 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
½ teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil, I prefer avocado oil

In a medium bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Mix well.

Shape into small patties, about 2 inches wide and ½ inch thick.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and oil, giving it time to get hot.

Place the cakes in the hot oil and cook for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until they are brown and crispy on the outside, and hot on the inside. Serve immediately!

These can be served with tartar sauce.

Optional, 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs can be added to the mix: parsley or dill would be tasty.

Idea: make them burger size, and serve on a bun.

Makes about 8 cakes – 4 servings.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Recipe by Jane Blaisdell, 2019.

Blueberry Tart

Cinnamon spiced berries in a lemony pastry, topped with sweetened sour cream. Need I say more?

Pastry

6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 small egg, lightly beaten (about 2 tablespoons)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup, plus 2 tablespoons white flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 to 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest

Beat the butter and sugar together, until pale and fluffy. Beat the egg into the mixture. Add vanilla and beat it well. Add the flour, salt and zest, and mix in at a low speed, just until the mixture forms a dough.

Form the dough into a 5 to 6 inch disc. Seal the dough into an airtight container, and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Roll the dough out between two pieces of wax paper, until it is large enough to fit your baking pan (I used an 11 inch tart pan). Remove the top sheet of paper, and carefully fit the dough into the baking pan. Remove the other piece of paper, and work the dough into the corners of the pan. Trim the excess dough level with the pan. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork to keep it from puffing, and bake for about 15 minutes, at 375^oF, or until lightly brown. Allow it to cool.

Filling

4 cups fresh blueberries, divided
¾ cups sugar
2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Fill the baked tart shell with 2 cups of berries.

In a medium sauce pan, mix together the sugar and starch. Add the water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and remaining 2 cups of berries.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Spread the cooked berries over the fresh berries, and chill the tart for at least 1 hour.

Topping

16 ounces sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar

Mix together the sour cream and sugar. Carefully spread the mixture over the cooled tart. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, at 350^oF, or until slightly set.

Cool and serve. This can be garnished with additional berries.

Recipe by Jane Blaisdell, 2019.