scottishquilter wrote: Maureen, your reel colors are lovely! I'm accustomed to a variety of Chinese dumplings... but the Scottish Clootie Dumpling--I've never heard of! From your description, however, my mouth is watering!!! I really would like to try one! Renata

Clootie dumpling - yum, that is one recipe that I really must get on and try, I have been given my father-in-laws mother's recipe for this and haven't got around to it yet.

Mind you we did have a McSween's haggis at the weekend, they are marvelous & well worth the 'hunt'

Terrie, (where has your signature gone????) A Clootie Dumpling is a sweet pudding full of spices and fruit. It is steamed in a Cloot (cloth) for a few hours and it is a round shape like a ball. It is very delicious.

Oh Lotti, your recipe sounds soooooo yummy. I have a confession for all of you! I do not cook. I do not like to cook! Oh, I prepare the meals, but simplicity is the key! A good piece of meat, a fresh veggie, and a salad. I seldom try new recipes. Now I have to say, DebbieW guided me toward a Kraft recipe site, and I think it was made just for me! 3 or 4 ingredients, and open a can or jar! So, this recipe requirement has me shaking in my boots. I sew! I do not cook. Oh, sorry, I already said that! Why did I name my spools Creme Brulee? I do not have a creme brulee torch to caramelize the top sugar crust! Maybe I should change that to blackened tilapia! I do that REALLY well, with the help of Chef Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic!

But, here's a recipe (that even I can follow) for our famous Montana Huckleberry Pie.

3 C Fresh or Frozen Hukleberries
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
1 C Grated Apple
1 C sugar
I Pastry for Double Crust Pie
2 Tbs. Flour and dash of Salt

Place ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Cover with the top crust and bake at 375* for about an hour, or until nicely browned.

So, someone with purples in their spools, is welcome to submit the above. It is free in the public domain, with no copyright issues.

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

Maureen - They are beautiful. What do you serve with those dumplings? Are they savoury or sweet?

Blocks all finished, I just have to put my name on the blocks and then post them to Rosemary. As I am in Scotland I thought I would give them a Scottish flovour. I am calling mine “Clootie Dumpling” (sounds like bootie but with a c).

Lottie, thank you for the recipe. I will be making that next time the family are here for a meal.

Lotti,
You are a dream...thank you so very much for this recipe. Will be sharing with my daughter who also loves to try new dishes; and with 2 teenage sons this should go over wonderfully well. Might even become a great addition to our holiday meals. Thanks again. Happy dreams and know your office party will be great fun!

Thanks for the recipe, Lotti! I'm going try it, maybe this weekend when my family come over. I suppose it's good with custard or vanilla ice cream, or plain pound cake too?

Thank you so much Lotti. The recipe sounds wonderful. My brother is going to be staying with us for the next five days and I will definitely be making this. YUMM
Will let you know how it turns out. Lori

Lotti,
Thank you! The recipe looks yummy and my family loves fruit dishes. I'm drooling now I'll be home in another week and plan to make the Baked Fruit Salad for my family. Have a great office party!
Thanks again,

Thank you, Lotti! I'm printing it off and will make for tomorrow! Grazie!!! e sogni d'oro! (and wishing you golden dreams, as we like to say in Italy) Renata

ok folks, as this doesn't go with either of my fabrics, here's the freebie ahead of time recipe i promised this morning:

baked fruit salad

fruit salad:
2 oranges
1 apple
1 pear
1 banana
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs sugar
4 passion fruit

for topping: mix together & set aside (you can wait to prepare this while the fruit is baking)
1 cup / 1 single portion container greek yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla
sugar to taste
i would also add:
the very very finely grated peel of one orange (use organic oranges - or clean very well with hot water - we don't want the pesticides)


instructions
filet the oranges: cut top and bottom off so you have a flat surface to stand the orange on, using a sharp knife, cut the skin away all around (be sure to also cut away the white inner skin). then, holding the orange over a bowl to catch any drips, remove the orange filets from the divider skin - squeeze any juice/orange bits remaining in the divider skin into your bowl - discard the divider skin. have a go - it's not nearly as difficult as cooks make us believe - the key is to use a SHARP knife!!!

peel,core and finely slice apple and pear & add to the oranges,
peel and slice the banana & add,
cut passion fruit in half, scrape flesh/seed mixture into the bowl,
add lemon juice and sugar, mix carefully (so you don't end up with a mushy mess)

place the mixture inside a baking bag & seal - place bag on a baking sheet;
alternatively pour the lot into a casserole dish

bake in a 400°F / 200°C hot oven and bake on lower shelf for 12-15 minutes
take out of the overn and leave to set for 5-10 minutes (it will continue to cook during this time)

serve fruit warm in dessert dishes or glasses and top with a spoon full of topping


serves 4

each portion contains:
4 g protein
5 g fat
26 g carbohydrates
168 calories / 702 kJoule

note 1:
i've made a baked orange & banana dessert before; have also done the same cooking on the stove instead
and this is absolutely fabulous (great on it's own, with vanilla ice cream, with plain cheesecake, use your imagination)
the idea is exactly the same, slice/dice fruit, combine with (little or no sugar), a little lemon juice (because this is always good); place in casserole or pan and cook till everything is all yummy but still keeps it's own shape - do not overcook as it will keep on cooking while it cools
if i'm sure to use sugar, i like to caramelize the sugar in the pan first, then add the fruit into the hot sugar, watch out - caramel extremely hot: you'll probably also need a little fruit juice - 1/4 cup of orange juice or whatever will do nicely - so the fruit doesn't burn in the hot caramel

note 2:
i prefer fileting the oranges - gets rid of all the skins and much nicer to eat - but if oranges are cut into small dice (be sure to completely remove both the white outer skin and the white threads on the "core" as these will become bitter), it's much quicker, easier and also good!

i'm organizing a soup-lunch at the office this thursday - basically a colleague and i organize & prepare a huge pot of goulash-soup and for the non-meat-eaters, a smaller pot of vegetable soup & lots of fresh bread
another colleague is baking some cakes (& i have a banana cake in the freezer that i should remember to take out); i decided i'll also make a large casserole of this baked fruit salad
we're 170 employees at our office here in baar, so they do have to sign up - up to now i have 35 participants - will probably be between 50 and 70 - should be fun...
will let you know how it went and how the fruit salad turned out

i will probably add other fruit - depending on what looks nice and appetizing (or what's on sale), when i'm doing the shopping on the way home tomorrow night; as i'll use my huge canadian turkey-casserole dish, a diced fresh pineapple will definitely be added (baked pineapple is truly scrumptious - yes i'm a great fan of chitty-chitty-bang-bang )

wow - this is one loooooooooooooooooooong post
have a good night and don't forget to dream of beautiful quilts

Carrie,
Love your batik colors! They remind me of the painted desert and the big hole, Grand Canyon. Such beautiful colors.
Recipes sound wonderful. I'm going to have to think about mine....haven't found a recipe yet unless I mix cake and drink...like I need an excuse.
Thanks for the pictures!