COOK OF THE WEEK - DOK STEVENS-DEHRING

When Dok Stevens-Dehring volunteered to be the Cook of the Week she told me she lived in the house that was slowly turning blue. And even without the address I knew what house she was talking about and exactly where I was going to be visiting her for her interview! Dok and her husband Aaron Dehring have been renovating their Victorian home which will be 100 years old next year. Dok told me that people comment on their painting the house blue with white trim. She thinks blue is really a happy color and the white really brings out the details. I’m not positive but I think she said there is some purple there too. In their backyard they have built a raised-waist high garden in which they raised lots of vegetables and flowers last year. They have a daughter, Amelia, who is in the fourth grade in Humboldt. Dok is an Environmental Health and Safety Manager. She has her Masters from Western Michigan University. Aaron is a college student at ICCC in the Automation, Electrical and Instrumentation program. They have been married for 12 years. Dok grew up in Detroit, MI, and Aaron is a native of Rogers City, MI. They met while sword fighting (medieval re-enactment of sword fighting that is) in the Society for Creative Anachronism, wwwsca.org). This organization teaches honor, courtesy and chivalry and the art of helping those who can’t help themselves. Presently they aren’t active because there is no organization closer than Minneapolis or Des Moines, but if anyone else would be interested, contact them. They would be interested in starting something in this area. Dok is a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism and also the American Society of Safety Engineers. Her hobbies include medieval re-enactment, gardening, genealogy, and home improvement (Victorians). Aaron enjoys reading and medieval re-enactment. Their favorite menus are comfort foods, Asian, or Mexican. I could tell that she loves to cook from the recipes she shared with all of us for today’s article.Oven-Puffed Pancakes When I really want to impress houseguests, I'll make these delicious and impressive pancakes, which are a feat of baking and physics. It’s really important to follow the directions exactly, and use the ingredients listed (i.e., whole milk, and zest from a real lemon).Ingredients per person:1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and cleaned1/2 cup blueberries, cleaned and stems removed1 tablespoon unsalted butter1 large egg1/4 cup all-purpose flour1/4 cup whole milk1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest1/4 teaspoon vanilla a pinch of saltpowdered sugar for dusting orwhipped cream (or both) Figure out how many pancakes you are making, and multiply the amounts above by the number of people you are feeding. Put the oven rack right in the center of the oven, or a little toward the bottom, with nothing above it. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Toss the berries together. If the berries are bitter, sometimes I sprinkle them with a teaspoon or two of sugar. Whisk the eggs until they are pale yellow. Then whisk in the flour until combined well - it will be kind of sticky. Then whisk in the milk, zest, vanilla and a pinch of salt until it’s thoroughly combined. Get out a 6-inch diameter (2 cup) baking dish with a straight side that is at least 1 inch high. I prefer metal pans with Teflon for this recipe. You’ll need one pan for each pancake you are making. Don’t put more than three in the oven at a time, if you can fit three of them across one level of your oven. Put the baking dish in the oven for a few minutes so it gets really hot. Remembering to wear oven mitts, pull the baking dish out of the oven and put it on top of the stove. Now, this is where the physics part comes in…... Place a tablespoon of butter exactly in the center of the baking dish. It should melt because the dish is hot, and form a little pool of butter. Now pour your batter into the center of the butter puddle, slowly so the batter pushes the butter across the base of the pan and to the edges. If you have to spin or tilt the baking dish a little so the batter flows evenly across the bottom, do that - but make sure the batter doesn’t overflow the buttery edge. Carefully put the pan back in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. The sides of the pancake should start climbing up the sides of the pan. Watch toward the end of the cooking time to make sure the top edges don’t burn. Remove from the oven. Some of the puffiness will go down, but you should have a bowl-shaped pancake. Lift gently from the baking pan with tongs and place on a plate. Fill with the berries mixture, then either dust with powdered sugar, or decorate with whipped cream. Voila!Blueberry French Toast When I still want to impress houseguests, but I’m tired after the flurry of the last morning making oven-puffed pancakes, I'll prepare blueberry French toast in the evening, let it sit overnight in the refrigerator to soak, and then just pop it in the oven in the morning. It’s just as delicious but easier after I just woke up.spray oil (like Pam)two 12” baguettes from the bakery (or a long one, if they have it)6 large eggs3 cups whole milk1 teaspoon vanilla1/2 teaspoon nutmeg1 cup brown sugar1 cup pecans1/4 teaspoon salt1/2 stick plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter2 cups blueberries, stems removed and rinsed The night before, grease a 9” x 13” baking dish, or in two 9” round baking pans, with at least 1” sides. Cut the baguette into 1” wide slices and arrange them in a single layer. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, nutmeg and 3/4 cup brown sugar. Pour evenly over the bread. Put in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small saucepan, spread the pecans and toast them about 5-7 minutes, until they just start to brown and smell good - but aren’t burnt. Toss the pecans in a bowl with 1 teaspoon butter and salt. Sprinkle the pecans and blueberries over the bread mixture. Wipe out the small sauce pan where you toasted the pecans and melt 1/2 stick butter in the same pan under medium-high heat. Stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar and cook it, stirring often, until the sugar melts in. Drizzle the butter/brown sugar mixture over the bread mixture. Bake 20 minutes, or until the blueberries start oozing bubbling juice.Sunday Morning Scramble9 pieces of bacon3-4 potatoes1/2 to 3/4 cup onion, diced1/2 cup green peppers, diced6 large eggs3 tablespoons milkSalt (to taste)3 tablespoons apple juice1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons of Penzey’s Mural of Flavor (I buy it from Penzey’s Spices in Des Moines or order it from penzeys.com - ingredients are listed as “spices, shallots, onion, garlic, lemon peel, citric acid, chives and orange peel”)3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheesesour cream (to garnish – optional) Cube potatoes and put on a dish, covered firmly with plastic wrap, cook in the microwave for 3 minutes. Fry bacon and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 1-2 teaspoons of bacon fat. Fry the potatoes and onions in the skillet with the bacon fat until the onions soften and the potatoes get browned. Sprinkle generously with Mural of Flavor mixture, and add apple juice. Just let the liquid boil off. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, milk and salt and scramble in a different pan. Mix the scrambled eggs with the potato mixture in a large bowl. Crumble/cut the bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and sprinkle around the edges. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and cover with a pan lid for a minute or so for the cheese to melt. Serves two adults and a picky child. Good with sour cream.Dok’s Famous Holy-Cow-Those-Are-Good Jalapenos I love making these for potlucks, because they are so wonderful and addicting - even though they’re a little spicy. People are always asking me how to make them.1 large can (20 ounces) whole pickled jalapeños (available at El Valle Tienda, or Hy-Vee in Fort Dodge)8 ounces cream cheese, softened1/2 cup finely chopped onions3/4 cup Kraft finely shredded cheddar cheesea splash of lemon juice a thinly sliced ham (I usually use Buddig brand Other Things Recommended: nitrile gloves, safety glasses,wax paper sheets (pull about 7-8” out of the box, then cut in half) to wrap each jalapeño. Wear nitrile gloves when handling the jalapeños (I don’t use latex gloves because some people are allergic to them). I recommend safety glasses to avoid getting juice in your eyes – it doesn’t flush out well and really burns. If you get it in your eyes, you'll have to flush with whole milk, holding a shot glass of it to your eye, then flush water. Also, if you wear contact lenses, either remove them ahead of time or really neutralize any jalapeño oil that gets on your hands before removing your contacts! Also, since you don’t cook any of the ingredients, wearing gloves insures sanitary preparation. Cut off the stem end of each pickled jalapeño. Then slit each one lengthwise on only one side to turn it into a pocket. Use a spoon to scoop out the veins and seeds, and discard them (you can leave them in if you want really hot jalapeños but I usually remove them). In a medium-size bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, chopped onions, cheddar cheese and lemon juice (a friend of mine suggested lemon juice a few years ago because she said it would help as a preservative – you can’t actually taste it in the mix). Use a butter knife to scoop the cream cheese mixture into each jalapeño, then pinch the length-wide sides together until it squirts out the end where the stem used to be. Use the butter knife to press the cream cheese mixture into place, and wipe off the open end to make a smooth line. Wrap each filled jalapeño with a slice of thin ham, making sure to cover the seam and the open end with ham. Then tightly wrap each filled jalapeño in waxed paper. Set them pressing together against each other in a dish. Put a plate on top to press down on them. Refrigerate overnight. This lets the ham mold around the jalapeño and the cream cheese mixture to firm up inside the jalapeño. They taste okay right after you assemble them, but they taste monumentally better if you let them set overnight. Then just unwrap and eat!Homemade Dim Sum When we moved to Humboldt from Madison, WI, we really missed dim sum and dumplings. So we figured out how to make them ourselves.100 wonton wrappers1-3/4 pounds ground pork4 tablespoons minced garlic1 tablespoon minced ginger root (we get it in frozen cubes and just defrost it in the microwave when we need it)2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions4 tablespoons soy sauce3 tablespoons sesame oil1 large egg5 cups green cabbage, shredded into pieces less than 1-inch long Other things you’ll need:water in a small bowlflour to coat the surface for staging wrapped dim sumpot for boiling water with an insert for steamingSauce:1 tablespoon sesame oil1/4 cup soy sauce1/4 cup rice wine vinegar1 tablespoon minced garlic1 tablespoon minced ginger1 teaspoon sesame seeds Mix the pork, garlic, ginger, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil and egg (beaten) with the cabbage. Working with 4-6 wonton wrappers at a time, put a heaping tablespoon of the pork filling in the center of each wonton. Moisten your fingers with the water in the small bowl, and wet the four corners of the wonton wrapper. Bring the opposite corners together and pinch, then squeeze the rest of the wonton dough to wrap around the filling. Set on a floured plate until it’s time to put them in the steamer. Put the dumplings in the steamer with at least 1/4 inch of room around them. Cook in batches for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix all the dipping sauce ingredients in a bowl. The sesame seeds will float on the top. When the dim sum come out of the steamer, serve them immediately with the dipping sauce. These are best eaten the day you make them, but if you have leftovers (because this recipe makes a lot of dim sum!), you can steam them in the microwave by sprinkling them with water and steaming them on a plate covered with plastic wrap for about 30-45 seconds.Leek and Mushroom Soup Easy to make, this is a good soup even in the springtime as the weather gets warmer, and the chives come up in my garden.2 medium leeks1 pound of mixed mushrooms (I usually use 1/2 pound white mushrooms, and 1/2 pound portabella mushrooms, but I’ve had success mixing different types available in the fresh produce section of the supermarket).2 tablespoons butter1/4 cup dry white wine1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth1 tablespoon chopped chives Cut the leeks into 1/4-inch thick rounds and put into a colander. Dunk the colander into a larger bowl of water several times, and run your fingers through the leeks to separate them and remove the sand that is usually near the base. Finally, lift the colander out and let them drain. Clean the mushrooms and slice them into thin pieces. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until it foams and then stops foaming. Add the leeks and sauté for five minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté through two stages: first, the mushrooms will give off some liquid; then keep cooking until the liquid evaporates. It’s important to cook them thoroughly this way. Add the wine and boil about a minute. Add the broth, salt and pepper (to taste) and simmer another 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with chives.Peasant Soup My husband loves this soup, but if you don't eat it all the day you make it, the barley soaks up the broth. You can re-heat it the next day, but you may have to add more chicken broth to make it soup again.1 pound ground lamb1 medium onion, chopped2 stalks of celery, chopped3/4 cup quick-cooking barley1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes2 tablespoons minced garlic1 large bay leaf5 cups vegetable broth2 small zucchini, diced1/4 teaspoon thyme1/4 teaspoon oregano1/4 cup parsley1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (I like the “vegetables for soup” frozen mix at Fareway with carrots, beans and okra)salt and pepperpita bread (optional) cut into triangles, brushed with oil and toasted in a small pan Brown the lamb in a large pot with the onion and celery. Drain off the fat. Add tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf and broth. Bring to a boil. Then add quick barley, zucchini, thyme, oregano, parsley and frozen vegetables. Reduce to simmer for about a half an hour. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with toasted pita bread triangles.Shepherd’s Salad You can make this a lunch salad by adding cold cooked shrimp.1 large tomato, thinly sliced into 1” square pieces no more than 1/4 inch thick2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced into 1” square pieces no more than 1/4 inch thick1 medium red onion, sliced thin and longKalamata olives, pitted (for garnish)Feta cheese (for garnish)Salad Dressing:1 tablespoon olive oil1/2 teaspoon lemon juice1 teaspoon minced garlic1 teaspoon basil1/2 teaspoon parsley Whisk salad dressing ingredients together in a large bowl. Lightly mix vegetables together with salad dressing. If you can, let it set in the refrigerator for about an hour, so the flavors can mix. Serve with Kalamata olives and Feta cheese.Strawberry Spinach Salad1/2 teaspoon butter1 salmon filet, 6-8 ounces3 cups fresh spinach, stems removed1 cup chopped romaine lettuce1 cup strawberries, stems and leaves removed, cleaned and sliced1/3 cup chives, cut into 2-inch pieces1/2 cup chopped pecans1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbledSalad Dressing:1 tablespoon real maple syrup1 tablespoon olive oil2 tablespoons red wine vinegar1/4 teaspoon saltpepper, to taste Melt butter in a small saucepan and add salmon, skin side down. Cook 8-10 minutes, until salmon turns from translucent to solid pink. Meanwhile, whisk together all the salad dressing ingredients. When salmon is done, remove from pan and wipe it out with a paper towel. Add chopped pecans and toast them about 5 minutes, so they smell toasted but not burnt. Combine the spinach, lettuce, strawberries and chives in a bowl, then toss with the salad dressing. Serve sprinkled with toasted pecans and crumbled goat cheese.Shepherd’s Pie I know Shepherd’s Pie usually doesn’t have a crust, but my husband prefers it this way.Filling:1/2 pound hamburger1/2 pound ground lambsmall onion, diced1/4 cup diced carrots1/2 cup diced root vegetables(i.e.¸ parsnips, rutabagas and turnips)1/4 cup green peasgravy (either meat drippings plus corn starch mixed with water, salt and pepper, cook while stirring until thick) or use a packet of dry gravy mix plus half of the water recommended to mix it 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce2 tablespoons Penney’s Northwood’s Seasoning (I buy it from Penney’s Spices in Des Moines, or you can order it on-line; the ingredients say it contains coarse flake salt, paprika, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, granulated garlic and ground chipotle pepper)1 refrigerated pie crustmashed potatoes4-5 peeled potatoes diced into 1-inch pieces1/4 to 1/2 cup milk2 tablespoons butter1/4 teaspoon salt Pre-heat oven to 425°F. Put the potatoes into a pot of cold water, and put on high heat to start boiling while you start browning the hamburger, ground lamb, onions, carrots and root vegetables in a large sauce pan. Drain the grease from the meat and vegetables (you can always use the drippings to make gravy, or if you’re in a rush, use gravy mix). Add the gravy and Worcestershire sauce. If you’re using powdered gravy mix, sprinkle it all over the meat/vegetable mix before adding half the water the package recommends. Add peas and Northwood’s seasoning. Put the refrigerated piecrust in the bottom of the pan and mash it up the sides. Spoon the meat mixture on to the piecrust, evenly across the pan. Check the potatoes to see if they are ready to mash yet (usually ready after 8-10 minutes of boiling). If ready, drain and put them into a large bowl with butter, salt and milk. Mash them with a potato masher or blender until smooth. Do not overwork the potatoes or they will get tough. Using a spatula, smooth the potatoes over the meat and vegetable mix. I often then use a fork to make a pattern on top of the potatoes but you don't have to do this - it just makes it prettier. Roll the edges of the piecrust over the edges of the potatoes. Put in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes brown a little. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. TIPS: Freeze the other 1/2 pound of hamburger and 1/2 pound of ground lamb together make shepherd’s pie later, or to make pasties by doing the same recipe above except put diced potatoes into the meat and vegetable mixture, don’t bother making mashed potatoes, and use less watery gravy; then divide into quarters, wrap in refrigerated bread dough, and bake until the dough is light brown.Walnut–Crusted Salmon with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce My husband doesn’t like fish - but I love it - and this is the only way he will eat salmon.four salmon filets (about 6 ounces each)spray oil (like Pam)1 cup chopped walnuts2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs (I will toast some bread or the heels off a bread loaf, and pulse them in my food chopper to make fresh breadcrumbs)2 tablespoons butter, melted2 tablespoons parsleysalt and pepper (to taste)4 teaspoons mayonnaiseSauce:1 cup plain yogurt (not vanilla – make sure it’s plain)1 teaspoon minced garlic1 large cucumber, peeled and seeds removed Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a baking pan with oil where you are going to place each salmon filet, skin side down. Mix the walnuts, bread crumbs, melted butter, parsley and salt and pepper (to taste). Spread a teaspoon of mayonnaise over each salmon filet, covering the top and sides. Press the walnut mixture on to the filet, so the mayonnaise holds it in place. Bake the salmon until it turns from translucent to pink, 10-12 minutes. While the fish is baking, shred the peeled and seeded cucumber on the large opening side of a cheese shredder. Then pick up the shreds and squeeze them lightly over the sink to get some of the water out. Combine the yogurt, cucumber and garlic in a dish to make the sauce. Serve the fish with the sauce.Non-Bitter Brussels Sprouts My husband never liked Brussels sprouts because they were too bitter. This was the only way I could figure out to cook them so he would eat them.1/4 cup butter1-1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)1 cup heavy cream2 tablespoons lemon juice Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and salt. Sauté about five minutes, stirring once in a while, until the sprouts are a little browned. Pour in the cream and bring to a simmer. Then turn it down to low, cover and simmer until the sprouts are tender, usually about 30-35 minutes. The cream will reduce down and turn a light brown color. Stir in the lemon juice and let the mixture simmer a few more minutes. The cream should thicken up and coat the sprouts. Season with salt and/or lemon juice just before eating it.Asparagus with Sesame Seeds1 pound asparagus, preferably thin stalks but if they are thick, lightly peel the outer layer with a vegetable peeler1 tablespoon butter (or you can use olive oil)1 tablespoon sesame seedssalt (to taste) Remove the bottom inch or two from the asparagus stalks, where it can be woody. Cut them into 2-inch long pieces. Melt butter on medium-high heat in a saucepan. Add asparagus and cook 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add sesame seeds and cook another minute so they get toasted. Salt to taste and serve.Black-Bottom CupcakesChocolate Batter:8 ounces cream cheese1 large egg1/2 cup sugar1/8 teaspoon salt6 ounces chocolate chipsCream Cheese Batter:1-1/2 cups flour1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup sugar1/4 cup cocoa1 teaspoon baking soda1 cup water1/3 cup oil1 tablespoon vanilla Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, egg, sugar and salt. Stir well. Then fold in the chocolate bits. In another bowl, sift flour with salt, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Add water, oil and vanilla. Stir well. Fill the bottom of muffin cups 1/3 full of the chocolate batter. Top with the cream cheese batter. Bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and serve. If you are reading this, then you probably enjoy new recipes. If you would like to share some of your recipes with the community YOU could be Cook of the Week. Please contact me, Sally Cuthbertson, if you would like to be in this column some week. I can be reached by phone at 515-373-6346 or email me at sacuthbe@msn.com. I will be happy to email or send you my short questionnaire and set up a time to come and visit you at your convenience. I’m always looking for NEW Cook’s of the Week. Also, if you are new in town, this is a good way to introduce yourself to the Humboldt community and surrounding communities. I look forward to visiting with you. The COOK OF THE WEEK 3rd Edition Cookbook is available. Cost per copy is $10.70, plus $4.80 shipping/handling. Order a copy today by sending a check or money order, along with name and shipping address, to: Humboldt Independent, 512 Sumner Ave., Humboldt, IA 50548.