Desserts

These tiny little berries, Huckleberries, are very important to my Mickelson family, and I have tried to make up some recipes to honor the memory of them. My love of these came from my grandpa. We go out as a family every August and pick them. I think we all get to know each other the most at this time, and we all carry something great out to share. Find something in life to share, and your family will be closer.

These pictures were taken by me.

Huckleberry Heaven

I put this little recipe together to celebrate the wonderful taste of this strong little berry and to celebrate my grandpa's life in a way.

Ganache pie filling:

2 C milk chocolate (or semi sweet, whatever you like. You know I like Milk Choc!!)

1 C heavy cream (whipping cream)

(melt these together in a double boiler or in the microwave in a glass measure cup, or microwave safe bowl. If in microwave go30 seconds at a time and stir. When melted together chill for 30 min in fridge.)

Sauce:

1/2 C sugar

2Tbs cornstarch

1/2 C smashed huckleberries (add a little water if needed)

2 Tbs Lemon juice

Combine together in saucepan and bring to boil stirring constantly. This should thicken up nicely, if not add a bit more cornstarch. Set aside and let cool! Double recipe if you'd like more. This sauce can also be used on cheesecake.

Take ganache out of the fridge and whip with an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy. Put inside a chocolate graham cracker, or plain graham cracker crust (chocolate is better), and top with cooled berry sauce. Put in fridge for an hour and serve. Warning: Extremely rich and amazing! Will solve chocolate craving fast!

Breads/Rolls/and Breadsticks

Garlic Breadsticks (Amazing with Lasagna, Spaghetti, or just alone)

2 packs yeast
1/2 cup sugar divided
2 cups warm water (WARM!!!! not hot!)
3 Tbs Vegetable Oil
1 egg
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups flour
Add yeast, water and 1/4 c of the sugar together in a bowl. Let it start to activate and set aside. In a mixing bowl add oil, egg, salt, and 2 cups of the flour, remaining sugar and mix together. When the yeast mix has set for five or more minutes add to the dry mixture. Beat until smooth. Start adding the rest of the flour but ONLY until elastic like. (You DO NOT have to use all of the flour, it will make them tough if all is not needed. There are no rules and regulations against not using all of the exact amounts of ingredients ;0)) Knead 6-8 min and then set in greased bowl with dish towel (clean one please) over top and let rise for about 20 min. Form about 36 rope pieces 6" long and place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise a bit more and bake @ 400 10-12 min. BUT!!! I bake them for 4 min, take out and on top spread (1/2 cup butter, 2 Tbs Parmersan, 1/4 Tsp garlic powder melted together) with a basting brush, put back in oven and bake until golden brown. From there try not to eat them all in one setting!

Homemade Tortillas

I did a little research and got this recipe, not only is it easy it's CHEAP! These will cost you roughly 39 cents a dozen where in the store they'll cost you around $2.19 a dozen. Plus they're homemade!

4 C flour
2 tsp salt
1/3 C Shortening
1 1/2 C warm water
In large bowl combine the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening (can be done with butter knives or an actual shortening cutter aka pastry blender) Cut until it is coarse and has tiny lumps everywhere. Add the water and mix until it is a dough like matter.
Knead for one minute, put it onto a floured surface and set aside for about 30 min.
Divide dough into 18 balls. Roll each ball between both hands until smooth and then flatten into disc shapes. Start a stack and put plastic wrap in btween each and put in firdge for one hour. Take rolling pin and roll each into about 10-12 inch rounds.
On a hot skillet (medium-medium high heat) put each tortilla down, one at a time, and count to ten and flip. Keep counting and turning until it has golden spots on it and has stopped bubbling.
Put in gallon plastic bag or leftover tortilla bag and store in fridge for one week or freeze. It takes practice to get them round, be patient! My first one looked like a ghost! Great with my sweet pork burritos! Also you can cut these like a pizza and fry them for homemade tortilla chips. Also make a cool dessert with the unsalted chips. Add whipped cream and cinnamon, sugar and honey on top.

Sweet Breads

Banana Bread
1c sugar
1/2 c butter
2 eggs beaten
1/2 tsp baking soda
1tsp.baking powder
1/2 c nuts (optional)
3 ripes bananas (mashed)
2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Mix sugar and butter together, cream well, add rest of ingredients in order given. Beat together well, and bake @ 300 degrees for 1 hour or until tooth pick tested done. Makes 1 large loaf. 1 cup milk choc chips rock in this recipe if wanted.