Great-Grand Baby Blessing & Gluten Free Muffins

Wendy is great about keeping records of events on their family blog - you can read her post HERE. It was Sunday, January 22 when the 6th Westra great-grandchild was blessed. Eli Dean Jensen. As Jase and Ellen live in Herriman, the Jensen's traveled from St. George and stayed with Shane and Alicia in Highland before the blessing. It was a snowy day for travel!

After the blessing at the church, there was a luncheon at Jase and Ellen's basement apartment after. Rick's mom brought some muffins (made gluten-free)  to Eli's baby blessing. As they were a hit, the recipe was shared via email afterward: 

Prize Winning Muffins from Michigan State Fair

3 eggs

1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 8¼ can drained crushed pineapple
3 cups flour (brown rice flour when making them gluten-free)
2 tsp soda
1 scant tsp salt
½ tsp baking power
¾ tsp nutmeg
1½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Beat eggs. Add oil, sugar, and vanilla. Continue beating until mixture is thick and foamy. Stir in pineapple and zucchini. Combine sifted flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder and stir into the mixture. Gently add nuts and raisins. Pour into lined cupcake tins. Bake at 35 degrees for 15-20 minutes. If making into a loaf, bake for about one hour.          

Zada's Chocolates

This is NOT a picture of Zada's chocolates ...

As far as I know, we don't have a photo of Grandma Zada's candies. Back in the day before digital photos, when pictures required film and developing, photos were fewer and further between, and I'm thinking Grandma didn't think to take a picture of her candies. After all, they were for eating, not for looking at.

Grandma made a wide variety of candies. I can remember divinity, an assortment of dipped chocolates, and recently uncovered in the Westra archives, is a recipe (in Grandma Zada's handwriting) for English Toffee. 

I don't know if Grandma has the instructions (in addition to the ingredients) written somewhere, or if she just knew the steps well enough that she didn't write them down. Toffee can be tricky. You need to combine and heat the butter, sugar, water, syrup and salt to "hard crack" (295°-305° on a candy thermometer) add the vanilla, and pour into a prepared pan. Melt the chocolate and spread over the hardened candy, and top with nuts (if desired). 

Once, when Jen was a teen, she tried making some English Toffee. She got distracted and left the kitchen for a bit ... while the concoction was heating on the stove. Then, remembering and returning to the kitchen she found it FULL of smoke. Little Derek was in the kitchen, standing looking up at the layer of smoke that was almost to his head. Jen grabbed the pot and dashed out the back door then opened all the windows to let the kitchen air out. The "candy" was a blackened, circular briquet. It was a while before Jen attempted toffee again!

Passing Down the "Pie in a Pan"

Grandma Norman (Zada) was known for her pies (as well as her candy and her parkerhouse rolls). In a simpler version of "pie" ...this CoolWhip Dessert, was one that I have in my "Westra Classics" recipe book, and the credit/origin noted is Zada Norman. And while I'm sure Grandma wouldn't consider this one of her classic recipes to be remembered by, it's the one I make the most. 

Unlike the photo above, instead of Hershey's syrup, Grandma Norman would put chocolate shavings on hers. I remember once, grabbing one of the chocolate curls and putting it in my mouth and YUCK ... it was unsweetened chocolate. Yummy when eaten with the sweet dessert, but not alone!

Grandma once tried to teach the Westra girls how to make her classic pie crusts. It didn't really take. Who knew that Shane would be the pie maker in the family?!  Many a family dinner ended with chocolate, banana cream or lemon-meringue pie from Grandma. And then at one point, the dessert above was introduced. I never mastered pie crusts, or the pie-crust cookies that were made with the scraps... but the "Pie in a Pan" has become a favorite at the Blackham home.  It's SO easy, and if you sub out the flour for the crust with a gluten-free blend, it can work for the Celiac crowd too.  Here's the recipe ...

Cool Whip Dessert (Zada Norman)

½ Cup Butter
1 Cup Flour
8oz Cream Cheese
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Cup (rounded) Whipped Topping
3oz pkg Chocolate Pudding
2½ Cup Milk

(remaining Whipped Topping over the top)  

Melt butter, add flour and stir into a dough. Press/Pat the dough into an even depth across the bottom of an 8x11 baking dish. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Cool. Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and Whipped Topping. Beat until smooth and spread evenly over the cooled crust. Mix pudding and milk, and spread it over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate to set. Top with Cool Whip. Can add grated chocolate or Hershey's syrup if desired. 

I NEEDED to make a panful for the picture ... now, I need to eat some!

Basic Bread

Freshly baked bread was quite common growing up Westra. Mom had a Kitchenetics mixer ... she could double this recipe (that's 14+ cups of flour!). Jen loved the mixer so much she got one when she married and it's still all she uses. Bread is pretty basic - there are websites out there that will give you lots of hints and step-by-step instructions. If you want the bread Mom made, the recipe is below.

Ingredients

2 ½  cups warm water

1  Tbls Yeast

¼  cup sugar

⅓  cup oil

1  Tbls salt

7 ½  cups flour

Combine water and yeast. Add sugar, oil, salt and flour. Mix for a couple minutes, then let the machine knead for seven or so more. Form into loaves and place in bread pans (non-stick spray recommended). Rise until double. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.

A couple "bread" memories ...

• When Mom and Dad went to Germany, Grandma Norman was at the house to watch the kids. Grandma baked some bread. When she took the hot bread out of the oven, Scott told her that Mom always put butter on the top of the hot bread to make it taste better and to soften the crust and make it shiny. Grandma told him that wasn't really necessary. Then she turned around and there was Scott, putting butter on top of the loaves!
• Derek wrote: Mom would make homemade bread often (before Dad's celiac diagnosis brought that to a wheat-grinding halt). :) I remember coming home from school during High School (and often having a few friends with me), and Mom would bring out 2 loaves of homemade bread hot out of the oven. I recall that we wouldn't use a knife, but my buddies and I would just use our hands to break off big chunks (juggling them because they were hot and burning our hands) and we'd go through a whole loaf and a half and a stick of butter. My friends loved coming over to eat Mom's homemade bread!
• Wendy wrote: I remember the aroma of yummy homemade bread and eating big slices of it right out of the oven with melting butter and home-made strawberry jam! Now I am in the habit and make home-made bread for our family every other week!

Gingersnaps!

I'm not sure where we originally picked up our gingersnap recipe. It's been the standard for all the siblings growing up Westra. They are nice and soft ... not rock hard like the packaged ones you buy in the stores. These gingersnaps always seem to be a hit whenever shared and people often ask for the recipe, which we are happy to share. They are so delicious, warm and soft, right out of the oven. Of course the kids love the cookie dough as well, and I like to freeze the cookies then dunk them in milk.


Here's the recipe:

1 1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt

Cream the shortening and sugar together. Add molasses and eggs and mix until blended. Combine the dry ingredients, then add them to the bowl and mix. Form dough into small balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes.

Of course ... it's best to DOUBLE the batch. Eat them as soon as possible, or freeze them. You can keep the dough in the fridge for about a week and pull it out for fresh out of the oven cookies over the next few days too.

If you need a little extra help ... here's a video!

Gingersnaps 101 from Gray Wren on Vimeo.

...I'm sure there are many more rave reviews, but here's an email cousin Emily sent Mom.

Aunt Margie— 
I meant to tell you on Sunday but your gingersnap recipe is one of my most requested recipes ever! Dave’s boss absolutely loves those cookies and has requested that I make 200 for a launch party tomorrow! That is one well loved cookies! It was great to see everyone on Sunday! Have a terrific day!

Love, 
Emily

Added November 2020 ... Derek shared this picture in a family text. He wrote:

What is more "Westra"

(a) Making gingersnaps that do not, and will never "snap" or

(b) Using a cheese slicer as a spatula?

The little cheese slicer is the perfect size for gingersnaps, and the edge is nice and thin. It is just one of those things that you learned "Growing up Westra".

A funny gingersnap related story. This would have been back in 1991 or early 1992. I think it was Shane who had made gingersnaps. He rolled them into balls and stuck them in the oven and ... they didn't cook. They just stayed in ball form. Well, the obvious conclusion was that the oven was broken. Mom and Dad replaced the oven. The dough had been refrigerated, and so the cookies were put in the oven again. Guess what. It wasn't the oven! It must have been an error in the dough! But the old (working) oven inspired Jen&Gray to finish the basement in Gray's mom's house, putting in that mustard yellow oven. They even talked Mom and Dad into replacing their fridge to match the new stove, and Gray and Jen got a refrigerator for their little apartment as well! All because of some gingersnaps!

Any gingersnap snapshots or stories to share?

Breadsticks and Rolls

Okay - this was not a classic Westra recipe during the early years. Jen discovered it after she was married. There has been many a Christmas dinner with breadsticks, which everyone seems to enjoy (sans the Celiac folks, sorry!), so they are part of the Westra experience now. Jen picked up this recipe at a Homemaking meeting. A neighbor's mother taught home economics at the high school and after years of students making this recipe, she said that it rarely goes wrong. It's great for dinner rolls, breadsticks, sweet rolls (cinnamon rolls and orange rolls) and even scones. It's flexible, you can use it the day you make it, or you can make it ahead and refrigerate it (which can be a timesaver for rushed mornings or a great way to spread out your "right out of the oven" rolls without having to make it all from scratch each day).

2 Tbls. Yeast

1 Cup Warm Water

2 Cups  Milk

1 Cup Shortening

2 Cups Reconstituted Instant Potatoes

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tsp. Salt

4 Beaten Eggs

10-12 Cups Flour

Dissolve yeast in water and set aside.  Combine milk and shortening in pan and scald. Mix up the potatoes ... let the milk and potatoes cool to lukewarm. Add milk, potatoes, sugar, salt and eggs to the yeast mixture and mix.  Add flour until the dough pulls away from the sides. Knead. Cover and let the dough double in size (or place in refrigerator until ready for use, up to a week). Shape into rolls and let rise until double.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes... ovens to vary, so I always keep an eye on them, leave them in until they are golden brown on top. Spread melted butter over the tops as soon as you pull them out of the oven.

For dinner roll shapes, I like 

• Crescents: Roll dough into a large circle and spread butter over the dough. Using a pizza cutter, cut into pie-shaped pieces and roll up, starting with the larger end. Place the rolls on a large, buttered cookie sheet (with sides), cover and let them rise.
• Butterflake: Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Cut the dough into strips about 1 1/2 inch wide. Stack four strips and then cut into individual rolls. Place in greased muffin tins to rise.
• Breadsticks:  Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Take a large cookie sheet (with sides) and spread butter all over the pan. sprinkle garlic salt and Parmesan cheese over the butter in the pan. Cut the dough into strips and lay them side by side in the pan. Sprinkle garlic salt and Parmesan cheese over the dough and let them rise.

For sweet rolls

• Orange Rolls:  Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Sprinkle the dough with sugar and orange rind. Roll the dough (jellyroll style) and then cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Place them in buttered muffin tins to rise. Bake. Make icing from powdered sugar and orange juice. Spread over cooled rolls.
• Cinnamon Rolls:  Roll dough into a large rectangle and spread butter over the dough. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the dough. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over the dough as well. If you like raisins, add them at this point. Roll the dough jelly roll style. Cut into individual rolls (about 2" thick) and position them on a buttered cookie sheet. Leave space between the rolls for them to rise. Bake. Make icing from powdered sugar and milk, or top with cream cheese frosting.

For scones ... simply roll out the dough, cut into strips or squares, and fry them in hot oil. There is also Aunt Lorrie's recipe specifically for scones (which calls for them to rise) but this "frybread" seems to be a hit too. Top with butter and sugar.

Peanut Butter AND Butter ... On Graham Crackers?

 

In May of 2015, Derek sent out an email to the Westra Siblings, inquiring about a strange combination. Graham crackers with butter and peanut butter. He sent along a picture to nudge any memories ...

Westra Siblings,

I need you to help jog my memory. :) I don't have many memories of Dad fixing the food at home -- in fact the only things I can really remember Dad making was a salad, and on occasion, spaghetti-o's with cashews (weird, I know). However, I distinctly remember eating graham crackers sandwiches with butter on one side, and peanut butter on the other (as pictured in the attached photo). For fun (and fatness) I made these yesterday and it brought back childhood memories. 

So, was this something that we ate as kids - and if so, was it Dad that made them, or am I remembering wrong? Was this a thing?

These are all very important questions. 

Inquisitively yours,

Derek 

There wasn't a flood a memories from the Westra Siblings (or from the Father in question)... at least at that time, or not "reply all" anyway for me to have had access to (but keep reading, the memories ARE there). Jen did answer immediately...

I don't really remember this ... I KNOW I NEVER ate one! Disgusting! Maybe I'm just repressing memories ... Of course we all dipped graham crackers in milk. And frosted them with leftover icing ... they were better when they'd sat overnight and softened. I don't know how many other people do either of those things either. I recall my roommates in college thinking I was a bit strange for both of those. ~Jen

Years later, Jen made said "frosted graham crackers" and posted a picture to Facebook, asking if this was a "Westra" thing, or if it was more widespread. There was actually quite a bit of feedback from neighbors and friends with fond memories of frosted graham crackers. Frosted Graham Crackers have their own blog post and Chris responded there saying ...

"I remember them, especially when Mom was gone. Dad didn't cook, so we resorted to Graham Crackers, which we didn't mind at all." ~ Christopher

Frosted graham crackers were mentioned in Shane's childhood journal also!

When the call came out for memories of Dad for a Father's Day tribute June of 2020, one of Scott's memories was a mirror of Derek's original inquiry ...

"I remember the terror of finding out mom was going fishing with grandma and grandpa and knowing that we would have to live on graham crackers with butter and peanut butter in between them or maybe toast if we were lucky until she got back." ~ Scott

((Read more memories of Dad in the Father's Day 2020 blog post.)) 

Before THAT post of memories, even before Derek's email inquiry, Wendy had written up some of her recollections for Dad's birthday back in 2003. In it, she also made mention of graham crackers ...  "Making peanut butter and butter graham cracker sandwiches!" was on her list.

So Derek - you weren't remembering wrong! 

Great memory prompt!

Mom had some graham cracker memories (prompted by Derek's 2015 email & the answers there) ...

I really miss graham crackers dipped in milk-- because of my diabetes and too many carbs. It is hard to limit it if I start. I never ate the graham crackers with butter and peanut butter--sounds yucky!.

My labor with Scott was quick--especially for a 1st baby. I had just eaten lots of graham crackers and milk before I went into labor. So at the hospital and I was sick and lost it all! But that experience didn't turn me against graham crackers and milk, as sometimes happens. 

When we moved to Richland and I was 3 months pregnant with Scott. Dad started work and I sat in the empty house waiting for the moving truck to arrive. I had a bag of barbecue-flavored potato chips to munch on. With morning sickness I was experiencing, I have not been able to eat barbecue-flavored potato chips for 50 years!

Now we just need DAD'S input ... "I think the depiction by Derek is a bit overdone.  I would never have put that much butter, or peanut butter on my Graham Crackers.  That is one thing I do miss with my Celiac, not being able to eat Graham crackers.  I think someone has come up with a gluten free Graham cracker, but I haven't really tested them out yet.  Some gluten free products have been very good, like GF Oreos, but others have not been as good."

Have any grandchildren been exposed to this unique treat? Tagging this with the "Recipes" label ... NOT that this is a recipe (not that it needs a recipe) but just so it's included with the other food posts!

Brazilian Cheese Rolls (Pao De Queijo)

Who discovered this recipe first? Jen's family found it when one of the boys had to make a recipe for his Spanish class (I know, these are BRAZILIAN). Shane and Derek went to Brazil and got the authentic experience there. Several Westra households make these little rolls now. What's doubly nice about them, is that they are GLUTEN-FREE, which is a huge plus with Celiac persons around (although non-celiac people really like them too!)

They use Tapioca flour - it can be a little hard to find, but it's around. This recipe is so simple, it's really just a batter poured into mini-muffin tins.

Ingredients

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup tapioca flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan* cheese

Extra salt/cheese to sprinkle on top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°. Place egg, milk and oil in blender and pulse. Add flour and salt and blend until smooth. Add cheese and pulse two times (don't overmix). Pour into mini-muffin tins  (non-stick spray is recommended), about 3/4 full. Sprinkle a bit of cheese and salt on the tops. Bake for 15-ish minutes until puffy and golden. Serve warm. 

*As Grandpa would say "par-a-me-ceim cheese" --- ewwwwww

Any stories/photos featuring Brazilian Cheese Rolls?

Banana Bread

Bananas ... they are great to have on hand for a quick (and healthy) snack, but they go bad so quickly!  And you know Mom, she likes them on the "under ripe" ride. Yes, you can freeze them for smoothies, but even better? Banana bread!

It's another Westra classic!

These quick breads don't use as much flour as regular bread, so they are a little easier to sub in Gluten-Free flour for those Celiacs in the family!


INGREDIENTS~

1/3 Cup Milk

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine

1 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Cup Mashed Banana

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Cups Flour

1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)

Raw Sugar (for topping)

Combine the milk and lemon juice and set them aside (the milk will curdle). Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, mashed banana and milk. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle raw sugar across the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes. Also makes great banana muffins (bake for about 15 minutes).

The raw sugar topping is a Blackham addition, but it really adds to both the appearance and the taste (and the calories of course, but if you're eating this, you're probably not TOO concerned with the extra calories, as this is NOT a low cal dish to start with). 

Lasagna - A Classic Westra Dinner

July 29th is National LASAGNA Day ... did you know that? 

Did you know there WAS a lasagna day?

Jen never ended up eating lasagna - but she still makes it for her family and they are happy when she does. It's a classic Westra recipe. Now, it's just as easy to make multiple lasagnas as it is to make one, so double (or even triple) the recipe. The completed lasagnas freeze well for future dinners, or make them in disposable pans to give away. 

1 lb hamburger

1 package lasagna noodles

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp Italian seasonings

1 Tbls Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 lb mozzarella or jack cheese

1/2 lb cheddar cheese

2 8oz cans of tomato sauce

Parmesan cheese

Brown the hamburger and drain. Cook the noodles as directed and drain. Combine the soup, milk, onion, W.sauce, seasonings and salt. Add cooked meat. In a 8x11 baking pan, start with a layer of noodles. Spread meat sauce mixture evenly over the noodles. Top with a layer of both cheeses. Drizzle tomato sauce over the cheese and top with Parmesan. Repeat the layers one or two more times. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Westra Clan - Do you have pictures or memories of Mom's lasagna?