Pots and Pins

Canned Cuties...

My sister and her hubby flew to Jamaica the day after I arrived - but not before giving me the keys to their cars and house and permission to kill their children if they misbehaved...oh, let me be specific...teenagers...three of them!  I'm WAY to old for this gig!  And really, three is misleading because it's more like ten...the 16 year old has a boyfriend who is always lurking around, the 19 year old has a bevvy of beauties that circulate in and out and the only Grace in this entire situation is Grace herself...she's 14 and is still under the illusion that her Auntie says what she means and means what she says.  The others have me figured out and know all the buttons to push...So five days and 16 loads of laundry later, yes, you read that right, 16, there has not been one drop of blood shed, the cars have not been wrecked, no windows were broken, no fires were started, everyone is present and accounted for and they're all still speaking to me...all in all I'd say I've been a regular Mary Poppins and/or I'm extremely lucky!

   

 

 

 

While the older kids were running amok, Gracie said she'd help me can Mandarin Oranges, also known as Satsumas and Cuties.  They are available everywhere this time of year and are like a bite of sunshine on a winter's day.  I read a recipe that said canning Cuties was super easy...and it said they would taste much better than the ones we can buy at the store that are already canned.  What better thing to do on a snowy, cold, January day?!? 

We purchased two 5 pound boxes of Cuties and then the two of us peeled and separated the oranges into segments, removing as much of the white pith as we could -  (Cuties are advertised as the orange even kids can peel!), it was very easy - it probably took us about 30 minutes.   Once our jars were sterilized (in the dishwasher) we put the oranges in the jars then covered them with a sugar and water solution, two parts water to one part sugar. (Several recipes I read said the oranges could be covered in water alone or a very light sugar/water mixture.  I opted to use a heavier sugar/water syrup to pour over the fruit, but it's totally up to you.) The lids were put on and then they were processed in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.  Canned oranges can be stored at room temperature for up to six months, but once opened they need to be refrigerated and eaten within one week. 

Canned Cuties - Adapted From Several Sources, Including Pick Your Own.Org

10 pounds of Cuties or Mandarin or Satsuma Oranges, peeled, white pith removed, segments separated

8 cups water

4 cups sugar

12 pint jars, sterilized

Combine water and sugar and bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes, reduce heat to simmer.  After oranges are peeled and segmented, put into hot, sterilized jars, leaving an inch head room.  Pour sugar water over top, covering oranges, leaving 1/2-inch space at top of jar.  Put on lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.  Let sit on a dish towel on countertop for 15 hours.  Store at room temperature.  

Note #1:  After the oranges were canned and sufficiently admired because they are SO pretty...I read some reviews that were very disturbing!  It seems a lot of people have tried to can oranges and they ended up with jars full of bitter tasting fruit!  The white pith on the oranges must be entirely removed, according to one person, who went on to say that any amount of pith will make the oranges bitter.  Well, it's only been a few hours so I don't know how they taste...but I will definitely let you know if my oranges are bitter...or better! 

Update:  The oranges are very good, but not nearly as sweet as I thought they would be.  When I do this again, I will probably put in a lot more sugar and maybe even use orange juice as the liquid - with sugar - I like them sweet!  They definitely were NOT bitter...so I'd say they were better!

Note #2:  My canning directions are pretty loose - I had my mom standing next to me telling me exactly what to do, she's an expert in these matters.  If you don't have a mom who's an expert in canning, please look up directions for preparing/sterilizing jars and lids and for the water bath.

 

Peach Tartelettes...

My dear friend Venna just turned 87...and if you think that's old you should see her!  She is the picture of health - takes not ONE drug, has NO aches or pains, does all of her own yard work/house work and walks every morning up and down hills...I swear she's bionic!  I can barely keep up with her and I'm half her age...or thereabouts...I'm still in the "lying about age" phase but Venna proudly announces her age because no one can believe she is 87!

 

 

 

When you're 87 you deserve some recognition, or a badge or a medal...but in lieu of those things, I invited a few of Venna's neighbors to come celebrate her birthday over lunch - and I wanted something special for dessert, but not too sugary or frosted because Venna is not big on sugar...she's more of a Wheat-grass kind of gal!  After reading about these Peach Tartelettes here, I was inspired to create my own much simpler version and I am certain they are equally as tasty! 

With a dollop of sweet, almond-flavored whipped cream on top, these Peach Tartelettes could hold their own along side ANY dessert.  Don't wait for "peach season," you need to make these now and all summer long, they are definitely 5-dangers, as in they are dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good!

Peach Tartelettes - Pots and Pins

10 (5-inch round) tart pans with removeable bottoms

2 packages Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts rolls, (you will use 3 of the 4 rolls)

13 fresh, ripe peaches, peeled, seeded and sliced thinly (you could also use nectarines or a combination of both)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup toasted, chopped almonds

2 teaspoons almond extract, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar (less or more depending on how sweet your like your cream)

Put sliced peaches into a large bowl; sprinkle with sugar and stir in 1 teaspoon of almond extract.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minute while you make the crusts.  (Note:  I allowed my peaches to sit overnight, in the refrigerator, because they were not quite ripe.  If you are using really tasty, ripe peaches/nectarines, you can just let them sit while you make and bake the crusts.  Allowing them to sit overnight in a bit of sugar makes their natural juices come out, so they sweeten up and it does not make them soggy, so no worries there!)

Make tartelette crusts:  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Unroll refrigerated pie crusts.  Using a 7-inch cookie-cutter (or an upside down bowl) cut out 10 circles of dough, rerolling dough as necessary.  Set circle of dough over tart pan, press around bottom and up sides firmly, poke holes with a fork around bottom, about 4 times.  Repeat with remaining tart pans. 

Bake crusts in 450 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned around top edges.  If crusts puff up on bottom, prick gently with a fork to deflate.  Remove crusts from oven and set on a rack to cool completely. 

Whip cream in the bowl of a mixer until soft peaks form.  Add in powdered sugar, the remaining teaspoon of almond extract and the vanilla extract.  Keep in refrigerator until serving time.

To assemble tartelettes:  Drain juice from peaches or remove peaches with a slotted spoon and reserve the juice for another use.  (You could boil the juice down to a syrup and then pour it over the tartelettes!)  When tart crusts are cooled, place peaches around edges of crust, in a circular pattern, staring with the outside and working in.  Sprinkle chopped almonds on top, then top with a dollop of whipped cream.  Makes 10 tarteletes.

You could change this up in a lot of ways - adding the almonds to the crust so they are baked in would be lovely.  This could also be made as one large tart, if you didn't have 10 shiny new tartelette pans lying about!

Preserved Lemons...

The mister and I made our weekly late Saturday night run to the grocery store and as I was putting eggs, butter and yogurt into the cart I asked him if he could see where the Ricotta cheese was...he pointed down the aisle and said, "The cheese is down there."  A lady, pushing her cart by us, started to laugh and said, "I thought you said, "Jesus is over there!"  To which the mister replied, "Oh noooooo, I'm not ready to see Jesus just yet!"  It was pretty funny...the thought of the mister meeting Jesus over a carton of Ricotta - or anywhere for that matter, makes Lazarus being raised from the dead seem like a mini-miracle!

 

 

 

Why preserve lemons?  Because they are delicious in salads, they can be chopped and sliced and sprinkled on top for extra flavor or added into side dishes like rice, risotto or couscous or in chicken dishes...in anything you would normally use lemons in, see below for a few more ideas.  They taste like muted lemons without any of the sour tang - they have a clean taste, so they add a very nice undertone to whatever dish you put them in.  Adding a bit of preserved lemon to steamed veggies is going to rock your boring-veggie-eating-world!  And because this time of year lemons are cheap - two for a buck!  And because they are beautiful stuffed into jars sitting on the counter!

This COULD NOT be EASIER!!  No processing is involved and you only need TWO ingredients...lemons and salt.  The salt is the preservative...keeping the lemons fresh without their usual tartness, so they are truly edible, skins and all!  There are many recipes for Preserved Lemons on the internet, most of them call for adding spices, like a cinnamon stick, peppercorns, bay leaves, coriander seeds, etc., but I prefer to keep them simple - that way I can add just the lemon flavor to my recipes - but if you want to add spices, go ahead!

 

 

 

After scrubbing the lemons clean, they are quartered, but not cut all the way through because it's easier to salt the lemons this way, in one big piece, than many little pieces.  Keep them in a bowl so the juices accumulate in the bottom - you'll want the juice.  When packed into clean jars, more salt is added and then the lids are put on - that's it.  Except for the curing time...which is thirty days...but during those thirty days you can plan how to use them and smile every time you see them on your counter because they're so pretty!

(This above picture was taken right after the lemons were put into jars - you'll notice that there is very little juice in the jars...so the extra lemon juice has not been added yet.) 

Preserved Lemons - Adapted (quite heavily) from Edible Seattle

8 lemons plus a few more for adding juice, if needed.  (If you use Meyer lemons use 12 as they are not as big as Eureka lemons.  I used Eureka lemons because that's what my store carries...Meyer lemons are much sweeter so when they're available I'll make some with them as well.)

2 cups salt

jars and lids

Put one tablespoon of the salt into the bottom of the jar. Cut the lemons into quarter sections but don't cut all the way through.  Salt inside each lemon, rubbing salt on all sides.  Place lemons into a large bowl, squeezing just a bit to release some of the juices.  When lemons are all liberally salted, separate each lemon into four separate sections.  Place sections into jars, pressing down as you go, packing tightly.  Sprinkle a little more salt on top.  Put on lids.  Allow jars to sit on counter top for 24 hours, turning upside down occasionally to distribute the salt.  After 24 hours, if all of the lemons are not completely covered in their own juices, open jars and add lemon juice, with the extra lemons, until lemons are totally submerged.  Leave a bit of headroom in the jar and then put the lids back on.  Allow to sit, in a draft free, not in sun, room temperature place, for thirty days, turning occasionally.

To use the lemons, first rinse them and then remove the pulp (you can't really rinse all of the salt out of the pulp so if you want to use the pulp then it's best kept for stews or sauces but be sure to adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly, as they will add saltiness). Slice the rinds and use with your favorite lemon dishes or as garnishes to cakes and pies...you are going to love them!  The lemons do not need to be refrigerated while curing, but after they are cured and completely soft, store them in the refrigerator and use within six months.  Makes 8 cups.

(In the picture above the lemons have been sitting on the counter for about 18 hours, notice that the jars are now almost filled with juice - in a few more hours I'll add a little lemon juice to the jars so the lemons are completely submerged...then the waiting begins!)

P.S.  A jar of Preserved Lemons makes a wonderful gift for a cook/baker!

P.S.S.  Here are a few of my favorite recipes that will benefit from Preserved Lemons, either by adding them into the recipe or using them as a garnish on top...and this is only a fraction of my lemon recipes!!  As you can tell, we like lemon around here!

Lemon Mousse Cake

Lemon Ricotta Cake

Lemon Pound Cake

Meyer Lemon Cream Crepe Cake

Meyer Lemon and Tarragon Vinaigrette

Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken

Carrot Soup with Ginger and Lemon

Crock-pot Lemon Chicken

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One more little tip about lemons...my dear friend Bev wrote to say you can freeze lemon slices to use in iced tea or Diet Coke!  Wash lemons and slice thinly.  Lay them flat on a cookie sheet and freeze.  Once frozen they can be put into a plastic bag and when you need a lemon slice or two just remove them and plop into your drink! 

Thanks Bev - I'm going to do this!

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One year ago:  Brown Sugar Strawberry Pie

Two years ago:  Rainbow Block Swap

Three years ago:  Family, Fajitas, Flan and Firearms...

 

Ambrosia...

On the Fourth Day of Christmas my true love gave to me...Ambrosia! It's time for a break in the action...time for some down-home, comfort food while you snuggle in your Snuggie and watch Christmas Vacation ("Shitter's Full!"  I must have heard that line a hundred times in the last week!)  Last week at our quilt meeting Stephanie served Ambrosia, a Southern staple this time of the year, and one of the mister's favorite dishes.  Her version was a bit different from ours - but every bit as delicious.  I usually make Ambrosia on New Years Day, but this year, we had it with our Christmas breakfast.

Ambrosia can wait for just a bit as you take a gander at one of my very favorite gifts this year...my friend made these for me...my friend does not DO hand-work...so this was new for her but aren't they just beautiful?!?  If you don't know, those are two sayings I utter on a daily basis...and she embroidered them onto dish towels for me!  I don't know whether to use them or frame them but I am tickled pink to have them!  THANK YOU WENDY, aka The Blond Bombshell!

 

 

 

 

This is a no-recipe-recipe.  Start with Mandarin/Satsuma oranges, peeling as many as you need/want.  I usually allow for two oranges per person.  Add in as much shredded coconut as you want - the more you add the sweeter the Ambrosia - so I always add a lot.  Next toss in pomegranate arils...one large pomegranate should suffice (you won't find pomegranate arils in any Southern recipe for Ambrosia but I love them and love the color they add plus it gave the mister something NEW to complain about!)  Last, toss in pecan pieces - you can't have an authentic Southern recipe without pecans!  Give it all a good toss and serve it up!

Ambrosia was once considered to be "nectar of the Gods"...and I'm certainly not going to argue with that!  It's as pretty as it is good - bright and fresh tasting - a nice change from fudge and caramels!  If you have leftovers, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate - the coconut and pecans will soften in the refrigerator and the juice from the oranges will mix with everything making this even better the next day!

Around here one can never have enough of a good thing, so we top our Ambrosia with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream...try this one kids - it's dang good and quite possibly the most healthy thing we've had in over a week!  It looks so pretty in my grandmother's crystal...she used to click her nails on the rim of her crystal and say, "Same as the White House!"  She would have loved Ambrosia - and you will, too!