Pots and Pins

Pineapple Chutney...

Ham with pineapple is so expected at Easter.  You know what's not expected?  Ham with pineapple chutney.  That's right, pineapple chutney where chunks of pineapple get married to a bit of heat and spice, making a natural sweetness that will have your ham practically jumping off the plate into waiting mouths.  Chutneys are so easy to make and usually you can make them with ingredients you have on hand, like this chutney.  It will have everyone at your Easter feast raving about the food, including the Easter Bunny.

You know what else isn't expected at Easter?  Having to find a way to seat everyone 6-feet apart at the table!  IF everyone in the family stays home this week and no one has any symptoms then we will be having Easter dinner together...we will be eating outside on the deck, it's 90-feet long so we should all be able to fit.  And it looks like Mother Nature will cooperate and provide us with a rain-less day.  I have promised the grands that we will have an Easter egg hunt, outside of course and I have promised we will have our traditional egg roll/throw and they are looking forward to that.  It will be a good way to get out some angst, throwing eggs at the designated "egg tree."  After the last piece of our Easter feast is devoured we will send them back into quarantine with another round of prayers that this will end soon and we will all stay healthy, you included!

I love chutneys, the sweet with the sour, and this chutney provides just enough of both.  It is just what your Easter ham needs, trust me!  I think most of the ham-eating world puts pineapple on their ham when it bakes, some even put maraschino cherries in the middle of the pineapple slices for that extra "curb appeal."  I won't go that far, I'll go farther...I'll serve our ham with individual sides of pineapple chutney so everyone can have their own personal culinary awakening!

 

Pineapple Chutney - Adapted From Southern Living Kitchen

1 can pineapple slices (15 oz.)

1/4 cup pineapple preserves (pineapple is best but if you can't find it use apricot peach or apple preserves/jelly)

1 (2 1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoons finely diced sweet onion

2 tablespoons coconut oil

pinch of two of red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoons fresh lime juice (from 1 small lime)

In a large cast iron skillet over high heat, heat the pineapple slices until browned on each side, about 10 minutes total.  Reduce heat to medium and add coconut oil, red pepper flakes, ginger and onion.  Cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add salt, allspice and brown sugar and preserves, using a wooden spoon, break down the pineapple into small pieces.  Stirring often, until liquid has mostly evaporated, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice.  Transfer to a serving bowl and cool to room temperature to serve.  Serves 10 to 12.   (This will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.)

 

 

Mom's Red Pepper Jelly...

My mom is something of a miracle.  She is in constant pain from Rheumatoid Arthritis in her spine, along with several back fusions that have now failed, and she pretty much lives on morphine and various other prescribed medications to give her some quality of life.  She needs crutches or a walker to help her walk and she really only has so many steps she can take in a day.  I'm not painting a pretty picture, but here's the thing, she would work you or me or anyone else under the table, even in her condition!  She is always up for anything, willing to go, do, try and when it comes to seeing her grandkids or great-grands - fohgettaboutit!  She's there!  So when mom says she wants to make her red pepper jelly, I just get out of her way! 

If you've never had red pepper jelly then you might be wondering what to do with it...everything!  Most people I know pour red pepper jelly over a brick of cream cheese and serve it with crackers as an appetizer.  I love it that way, too, but really it's good with any cheese and crackers or with chips or poured over chicken, pork or even fish.  My favorite way to use it is to pour it over meatloaf...Heavenly!  Once you taste it you'll spend more time than you'll want to admit thinking up new ways to use it so you'll have an excuse to open another jar! 

Mom doesn't have a food processor but she does have a little gadget that whirls around and chops things pretty quickly.  If you have a food processor, use it, if not, use whatever gadget or knife you have to chop your peppers into very small pieces.  And then let those pieces drain.

Even though it's blurry you can see how much liquid came out of those peppers!  You want to make sure you remove as much as you can.  Mom likes to use an assortment of peppers, it makes for a prettier jelly.  She uses sweet red bell peppers, green bell peppers, yellow bell peppers and 2 jalapeno peppers.  If you want more heat in your jelly, you can add in another jalapeno.  This pepper jelly is not hot, it has only a teensy-tiny little kick so you make yours as hot as you like!

Mom is going to be mad at me for posting this - she's in her pajamas but look how cute she is!!!  She is 85 and still as pretty as ever!  Mom adds a few drops of red food coloring to her jelly - if you decide not to add it your jelly will have a more golden-brown color - we think the red is best.

Not all of the peppers were pulverized into tiny bits - some larger pieces were left, they were about 1/2-inch in diameter and we think that adds to the jelly.  If you want to leave larger pieces, do...or process them until they are all the same size.

We processed the pepper jelly for 10 minutes in a water bath, now it will keep in the pantry for a year!  If you don't process the jelly, you can store it in the refrigerator for one week...sadly, it doesn't last nearly as long as it should!

We were able to put up 20 half-pints of red pepper jelly.  Mom insisted that I bring half of them home with me...my bag was tagged as "heavy" and TSA opened my bag, unwrapped each jar from the bubble wrap but didn't bother rewrapping them...luckily all of them made it home with breaking! 

Mom's Red Pepper Jelly - From Carol Wagner, My Sweet Mom!

8 large red bell peppers

4 large green bell peppers

2 large yellow bell peppers

2 medium jalapeno peppers

12 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups cider vinegar

2 teaspoons butter

Pectin:  If you want a saucy-runny jelly, use two packages of Pectin.  If you want a true jelly, use 3 packages.

Core and stem all of the peppers, removing all of the seeds and membranes.  Cut into chunks and put in food processor and process until very small.  It's okay to leave a few larger pieces.  Work in batches until all of the peppers have been processed.  Put peppers into a colander and drain over the sink or over a large bowl, until all of the excess liquid is removed.  Put peppers into a large pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add in sugar and cider vinegar and butter.  Bring to a boil, skim off any foam.  (The butter is supposed to prevent foam from happening but if there is any you can remove it if you want.)   Boil for 4 minutes, then add pectin and boil for 4 more minutes.  Pour into hot, sterilized jars. add hot lids and rims and process 10 minutes in a hot water bath.   Remove from bath and let sit for 24 hours - now mom will tell you to not even think about touching those jars!  You don't want to do anything that will make them not seal!  So hands off!   Makes 20 half-pints.  If any of the jars don't seal, keep in refrigerator.   After 24 hours, store in a dark, cool place for up to one year. 

 

I think the steam in the kitchen made it to the lens of my camera!  It was about 90 degrees outside that day and probably 85 in the kitchen by the time we were done!  This jelly is truly a treat - make it while the peppers are fresh at the market!  And let me know if you do!

 

 

Basil Jelly...

I spent the better part of Labor Day in the kitchen, only an hour of which was spent, start to finish, making this scrumptious Basil Jelly...the rest of the time was spent looking for things to try it out on - toast, chicken, pork, crackers and cheese, chips - everything was improved with this jelly!  The mister spent the day on the deck in his chaise reading yet another book about the Vietnam war.  He has always felt that President Johnson was the one who escalated the war, a true villain to say the least.  And we pitied the poor person who ever mentioned Johnson's name in front of the mister!  However, in the previous book he read, Embers of War by Fredrick Logevall, a very different picture was painted of Johnson and the mister came to the conclusion that Johnson was not really the bad guy he had supposed him to be for the past 50 years.   The mister even said he was WRONG about Johnson, and the Earth might have moved slightly off it's axis that day.  Alas, it was all too good to be true...the mister has picked up yet another book on Vietnam, this one, Dereliction of Duty by H.R. McMaster, has Johnson stripped of his shining armour and is portrayed as the lying, conniving, evil war-mongering-villain the mister always believed him to be... suffice it to say things are back to normal, the mister happily hates Johnson once again.  This matters to me only because the mister will read a page in his book, then he will get up and come find me so he can REREAD some paragraph about Johnson, so I can nod my head in approval (nodding my head right after the mister finishes reading will get me a few moments of silence...if I don't nod then the mister feels compelled to explain things to me!)  After the head nod, the mister skulks back to his chaise and I know I have about another 15 or 20 minutes before my head nodding services are needed again.  Oy vey, such is my life!

 

Basil Jelly is probably the best thing I've made this summer...and that's saying a lot because I have cooked and baked my way into an extra 10 pounds on my backside with all of the amazing food we've enjoyed over the last three months!  Being in the kitchen is really hard on my diet!  Diet!  As if!   You know how they say if you were stuck on a desert island and could only have one food what would it be?  Well, for me, it would be Basil Jelly...it would make even sand taste good!  This is super easy and quick to make and I would suggest doubling the recipe because you are not going to want to share any of this with friends, even if they are Basil-Jelly-worthy - it's just toooooo good!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basil Jelly is made with basil and a lot of it - a packed two cups worth, which is the equivalent of about 1 1/2 four ounce packages of fresh basil.  The other ingredients are lemon juice, water, sugar and pectin.  If you sterilize your jars in the dishwasher first, and set your big pot of water on to boil before you begin the recipe, things will go pretty quickly.  And believe me, the sooner you get this made and into your mouth, the happier you will be!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basil Jelly - Adapted From Preppy Pink Crocodile

4 half-pint jars, with lids and bands, sterilized

large pot for canning/processing

2 cups tightly packed basil

3 cups boiling water

3 cups sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

4 1/2 tablespoons powdered pectin

2 drops green food coloring, optional, but it makes for a much prettier jelly if you add it

Rough chop basil and add to a glass bowl.   Pour boiling water over the top of basil, cover bowl with a clean cloth and let steep for 15 minutes.  While basil is steeping, make sure jars are ready to go, and get water bath ready for processing - water must be one-inch over the top of the jars when in the canner.  After 15 minutes, strain the basil from the liquid into a non-reactive pot, (an enamel pot works great) by using a large slotted spoon.  Add 2 cups of the basil water to the pot and add the sugar, lemon and food coloring, if using.  Stir to combine and then bring to a hard boil and boil for 1 full minute.  Sprinkle the pectin over the top and stir well to combine, then bring back to a hard boil for 1 minute. 

Fill sterilized jars, put on lids and rims and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  Remove jars from water bath and let sit on counter overnight.  Jelly will look very runny but will set in a few hours.  If any of the jars do not seal, refrigerate them.  Keep jars in pantry for up to 18 months.  Makes 4 half-pint jars.

 

 

Christmas Jam...

One week till the Jolly Old Elf takes to the skies!  Still so much merry-making to be had though and a few gifts left to buy but all in all, I'm in pretty good shape, Christmas-wise!  I've had time to make two batches of this jam...and one batch makes a dozen half-pints but it wasn't enough, nope, I needed that extra dozen just for me because this is dang-good jam.  Sweet strawberries combined with tart cranberries...a love match sprinkled with orange zest that is sure to make all of your sugarplums happy on Christmas morning and every morning!

 

For my birthday this year I made my first batch of this jam...darn near ate a full jar, one spoonful at a time, because it was my birthday and I was gettin' my jam on!  That made me laugh, what can I say, I'm a simple-minded-mountain girl.  Yes friends, another birthday and this year I planned a party for myself and had the best time - it all started with a rather large gingerbread house...

This took three different roofs before I could get it to stick.  The first one slid off and hit the floor.  The second roof collapsed into the house, THEN set...so when I tried to remove the pieces, they broke.  Number three was the charm and with the help of a few books and tons of royal icing, I finally got the thing to hold!  I piped on a few details and then waited for my elves to show up to decorate it with me.

This was my idea of fun!  Four little happy people who laughed and glued candy to the gingerbread house until they had created a masterpiece!  Kids and Christmas go together and since my grandkids couldn't be here to help me celebrate, I had to borrow some!  (Thanks Jason and Jennefer!) I wish I had thought to take a video of them putting on the candy, for every piece that was glued to the house, three went into their mouths!  Not to worry, by the time they hit sugar over-load, right before the bouncing-off-the-wall stage, I had returned them safely back to their home!!

Now, about this jam...it's SO easy.  Fruit and sugar gets dumped into the pot then brought to the boil.  After one minute of boiling, the liquid pectin is stirred in and it's done.  That's it.  Dump and stir.  You can fill your jars (liquid pectin doesn't need to be boiled, it will set the jam as it cools) and keep in refrigerator once cooled, or you can process them in a water bath to keep longer, either way, it won't last too long because it really is like tasting Christmas...put it on your toast, your biscuits, your muffins...spoon it over ice cream or use it between the layers of a cake...dang good my friends!  As in five dangs on the Ol' Dang Meter!

 

Millions of people order jam online for Christmas gifts...but in about an hour you could have a dozen jar of this delicious jam ready to give as gifts - and whoever you give them to will love you forever, or at least until the jam jar is empty!

Christmas Jam - Adapted From A Family Feast

2 packages (20 oz. each) frozen whole strawberries (fresh strawberries may be substituted)

1 lb. fresh or frozen cranberries

5 pounds sugar

zest from 2 large oranges

2 pouches (3 oz. each) liquid fruit pectin (like Certo)

Put frozen strawberries and cranberries in large pot on top of stove over medium-high heat and pour sugar over fruit.  Mix with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves, stirring (mixture will be very thick).  Once the frozen strawberries have thawed and the cranberries begin to pop, use a potato-masher to crush the fruit to the desired consistency (I liked leaving some cranberries and strawberries whole or in large pieces, made the jam prettier/tastier!)  Stir in the orange zest, bring mixture to the boil and then boil for one full minute.  Remove the pot from the heat and add the pectin, stirring to mix completely.  (Liquid pectin does not set immediately, jam will set as it cools so don't be alarmed at the runny texture.) Allow the jam to cool for 5 minutes, then skim off any foam on top.  Ladle the hot jam mixture into sterile half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.  Wipe jar rims clean, cover with hot lids and screw on the jar bands.  Process the jars for 10 minutes in a water bath.  Remove from water bath and allow to sit on counter until jars come to room temperature and jam has set.  If not processing, allow jars to sit on counter to cool and jam to set, then keep in refrigerator for three weeks.  Makes 12 to 14 jars of jam.  If you don't want 12 to 14 jars of jam, you can cut the recipe in half, but trust me, you'll want them all!  Merry Christmas!

 

 

Freezing Tomatoes...

Long time no see!  I've been missing in action only because I've been in action elsewhere...it's hard to work, go to PT (I can move my arm for the first time since last November!!), get in three squares a day and deal with the mister...who announces every Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday the games that will be on TV and then asks about "game food."  I know it's my fault, I've spoiled him to the point of no return, but in my experience, dealing with wild animals, it's always best to feed them, makes 'em more sluggish, promotes naps, allows me more free time in the long run...at least that's my theory.

  

I've also been spending a lot of time biking...yes, that's right, I'm a biker now, a rebel biker as I ride helmet free (!)...in our guest room...whenever I can find the time, where I watch fascinating television like Botched...it's SO hard to turn away from that one!!!  I also watch The Great British Bake-Off - my new favorite and Chef's Table, which is more about famous chefs around the world, than food; so of course I get off the bike and head straight to the kitchen!  Rehabbing my knee works up an appetite!  My doctor assures me it will happen...he tells me that riding this contraption will help... he tells me that I'll be "good as new."  Well...he's an optimist.  Me?  Not so much.  You see, my knee is still the size of a head of cabbage, swollen every day, causing me to limp, walk slowly and to spend an inordinate amount of time trying not to whine and kvetch to anyone and everyone who will listen...this forum included!  Oh put away your violins, I don't need your sympathy, remember I've got the mister!!!  He asks me daily about my knee and my arm and then says things like, I could use some help in the yard...Well sad for him because I'm to frickkin' busy in the kitchen making his game day food to help in the yard!!!

Okay, I'll stop now...that felt good though!  By the way, it took the mister 2 hours to put together my bike.  Two hours of him saying bolts were missing, or the directions were wrong - dozens of swear words later the bike was assembled...directions were correct and nothing was missing - go figure! 

Tomatoes...our season is almost over here in the Northwest, in fact, Summer is almost over!  A good friend brought me a 20 lb. box of canning tomatoes from the other side of the mountains and I was happy to get them cored, sliced, and into the freezer.   It's my favorite way to preserve tomatoes - it's super easy to do, no peeling required, no boiling, cooking, nothing like that! 

 

Canning tomatoes are not usually pretty...that's why they are used for canning.  They can have bruising, marks and even some mold, but don't let that stop you from using them!  Just cut away any bad spots and all will be good!  I don't peel my tomatoes because I don't happen to mind the peels when I make a marinara or spaghetti sauce.  When I add tomatoes to soups and stews, I never peel them - but if you don't want the peels, and easy way to remove them is to make an "X" on the bottom of the tomato with a knife, just to score the peel.  Drop the tomato into boiling water for about a minute, remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water.  Let sit for about 30 seconds more and then the peels will slide right off.  But who has time for that?!?!

After I cored and sliced my tomatoes into chunks, I squeeze out some of the juice/seeds with my hand into a bowl and then put the tomato pulp into freezer bags.  (I didn't squeeze very hard, just tried to get rid of a bit of the liquid, not all of it.)  I added 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon sugar to each gallon-size freezer bag, mixed it together, closed the bag and that's the whole process!

 I add sugar to my tomatoes to help cut the acid and to make them a bit sweeter.  You can leave it out if you prefer, but a little sugar goes a long way when it comes to tomatoes...and other things!

 

 

Twenty pounds of tomatoes got me nine 2-lb. bags of tomatoes to freeze...and that's without most of the juice!

I saved the juice from the tomatoes, had about 4 cups worth.  I put it into a non-aluminum pan, added 1/4 cup of sliced onion, 2 celery ribs with leaves, roughly chopped, salt, pepper and one little piece of green pepper (that's all I had on hand).  I brought it all to a boil, reduced the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes.  Once cooled, I poured into a pitcher and put into the fridge...we both enjoyed our homemade "V-8" juice! 

 

 

 

Tomato Jam...

The mister sat down with a new book last night, 101 Best Loved Poems.  The mister reading poetry.  I started to snort.  I didn't mean to snort but that's what came out as I was trying to speak while suppressing fits of laughter.  The mister reading poetry!!  Oh my, every now and then he does provide a good laugh, one that can bring me to tears even, but last night was a true face washer!!  Not to worry though, the mister has not been possessed by Colin Firth, if only.  His detour into poetry lasted about 4 minutes before he tossed it aside, probably noticed it didn't have any pictures!  (insert a snicker two!)

The mister has been "on one" these past few weeks, being a care-taker doesn't agree with him...but to be fair, it's been a looooong two months of him steppin'-and-fetchin'.  And believe it or not, I've tried really hard to be a good patient; I always say thank you and please and I've done my best not to poke the bear.  But then, one night while watching TV we heard a Meghan Trainor song: 

Because you know I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all 'bout that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble
I'm all 'bout that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble
I'm all 'bout that bass, 'bout that bass

The mister pipes up, "I remember having just one knob for the bass and the treble." 

Me:  She's not singing about the bass and treble on a radio.

Mister:  Yes she is, can't you hear what she's saying, it's all about the bass.

Me:  Yes, but it's not that bass she's singing about.

Mister:  Oh really, what other bass is there?

Me:  She's singing about having a big booty - and no treble - no boobs,  get it?

Mister:  Nooooooooo, really?  Are you sure?  There used to be just one knob in the car to turn up for treble and down for bass, it was so easy, now we have all these buttons to push and charts and graphs showing us what's what...

This jam is damndelicious.  No other word for it.  It's good on bread, think thick, crusty Italian bread, and it's great on hamburgers instead of ketchup, and it's excellent on beef - I have even have used it on a beef taco instead of salsa...and it would be excellent on grilled chicken!!  It adds a rich, savory flavor to just about anything you pair it with...but it's also yummy eaten straight out of the jar with a spoon! 

 

 

 

 

 

See how much it cooks down?  One batch only makes about 2 1/2 cups of jam - so you have to think of this as a very luxurious commodity...not one to waste!  It does take time to make, about 1 1/2 hours, but you don't have to babysit it, just give it a stir every so often and go about your business while your stove does all the work and fills your home with the most amazing aroma. 

 

 

This Tomato Jam has a tiny hint of cumin, not enough for you to reach for your water glass, but just enough for you to sit back and wonder what that wonderful flavor is.  It's not spicy, but there is a depth to it, thanks to the onion, cider vinegar and lemon juice.  I have another Tomato Jam recipe that I love, love, love - it's Basil Tomato Jam and it has a definite basil flavor and a sweetness to it, making it perfect for pasta or bruschetta, you can find that recipe here. 

As much as I love the Basil Tomato Jam, I wanted one that I could use with more dishes or in different ways so I started experimenting.  I started with that recipe and adapted it - well, completely made it over.  I was going for savory over sweet and after many attempts, true trials and errors...lots of errors, by George, I think I've got it! I've made this recipe three times now and each time it's worked beautifully!  I don't process the jam, so it only lasts about 5 days in the refrigerator...however, mine never lasts that long, we eat it all by the 2nd day!  You can double the recipe but plan to spend a bit more time cooking it.  You'll know when it's done, it will have cooked down and will have a very "jammy" appearance.

Some of you have asked about my tomato plants this year...dead, completely dead!!  Some blight got them but before they met their untimely demise, they did give me TWO tomatoes!!!  For 24 years I've tried to grow tomatoes...24 years of nothing!!!  But this year I've got "an ace in the hole"...my daughter-in-law has planted a garden - we made a deal - I bought the plants, she tends them - and then we will share the goodies.  So I'm still hoping for vine-ripe tomatoes this year...now if only Mother Nature would cooperate and give us some SUN!!!  In the meantime, making tomato jam brings me comfort!

 

Tomato Jam - Pots and Pins

6 large Tomatoes, cored and chopped (Roma tomatoes work best)

1 large white onion, finely diced (I used Walla Walla)

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

juice of one large lemon

3/4 teaspoon cumin

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large pan over high heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.  Reduce heat just a bit but keep the boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Jam is done when it has boiled down/reduced, thickened, and all of the liquid has been incorporated and jam and has a "jammy" texture.  (When the jam coats the back of the spoon, that's a "jammy" texture.)  Pour jam into clean/sterilized jars.  Makes about 2 1/2 cups.  Keep in refrigerator for 5 days.

 

Pink Applesauce...

I have such a love/hate thing with Martha Stewart but today, it's all about the love.  Her recipe for Pink Applesauce which requires NO peeling of the apples, has put just a teensy bit of love back into that tiny black space in my heart reserved for it's-a-good-thing-Martha. 

 

  

 

 

Mom and I just got back from spending some time visiting family in South and North Carolina -  flying (which I hate, almost as much as cruise ships, bridges, sharks, snakes and moths) from Seattle to Atlanta to Charlotte to Durham to Salt Lake and back to Seattle gave me plenty of time to read magazines, including Martha Stewart's Living Magazine, where I found the Pink Applesauce recipe.  Mom had already put up some applesauce, peeling and coring apples until her hands barely worked!  If only she'd known about this recipe sooner!!

Once we were back on the ground in Salt Lake, the canning bug bit big time...we made apricot jam (with green apricots from mom's tree) and chili sauce (with tomatoes from dad's garden) and apple butter (with apples yours truly picked from mom and dad's tree - every year, like clockwork!)  Even dad got in on the action and everything turned out great!  In between filling the jars, we had Elsabear to entertain us...she is 2 1/2 and so, so smart and sweet, with a face that lights up my heart!

 

 

 

 

 

By the time I got back to Seattle I thought I was done with canning, but I couldn't forget about this recipe - it sounded so easy and quick that I just had to try it!

 

 

 

 

Granny Smith, Fuji, Red and Golden Delicious apples were my picks, but you can use any apples you like.    After coring the apples with an apple corer, the apples are put into a large pot and lemon juice, water and sugar are added.  It cooks for about 40 minutes - long enough for your entire house to smell like a potpourri factory. 

 

Martha recommends using a food mill, but since I don't have one I  used a strainer and wooden spoon and it worked great - notice in the pic on the right how few peels are left in the strainer!  If you use mostly red-skinned apples the applesauce will be more pink.

It IS a good thing!  This recipe makes about four cups, not enough in my opinion, so double the batch you make!

Pink Applesauce - From Martha Stewart Living Magazine, October 2014

6 lbs. apples (such as 4 pounds McIntosh and 2 pounds red-skinned apples with white flesh, like Cortland or Empire or Fuji)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar (while sugar is optional, you should know that 1/4 cup will not make this very sweet, for a sweeter sauce, add twice the amount of sugar)

Quarter and core apples.  Put apples in a large stockpot.  Add 1 1/2 cups water, lemon juice and sugar.  Cover mixture and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and cook, partially covered, still stirring occasionally, until apples are very soft, about 35 to 40 minutes. 

Puree apples and strain out skins, use a food mill with a fine disk, or push apples through a medium strainer with a wooden spoon.  Transfer applesauce to containers and refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze for up to three months.  Or can the applesauce for longer storage, click here for directions.

"An apple a day will keep anyone away - if thrown hard enough!"

Lemon-Carrot Marmalade...

Happy May Day!  We have SUN and beautiful blue skies and the weatherliarman said the mercury is going to hit at least 85 today!  It was 89 here yesterday!!!  I don't think anyone will be working today, because next week we'll be back in the 60's with rain, clouds and the famous Seattle gray skies.  The mister is threatening to come home early - again - seriously, he's freaking me out!  He showed up yesterday at 3:00, walked into the kitchen and scared the hell out of me - well almost - I seem to have a never ending supply of hell!  And now today he's talking about leaving early again!  He's even started to mention the "R" word - the most dreaded word in the world to me...retire.  That word makes my blood run cold...the mister has no hobbies so that means IF he retires I would be his hobby...shudder!  But let's not think about that today, no, why borrow trouble?!?  It's beautiful outside and before I dive into my shoe pile in search of my flip-flops and head to the beach, I want to give you this wonderful marmalade recipe, so when Spring leaves you cold and wet, like it will for all of us in the Northwest next week, you can make this bright, fresh, tasty treat for your morning toast - it will remind you of happy times and let you think of those yet to come!

 

 

 

This marmalade is full of zesty flavor - not only does it have lemon in it but ginger and honey, too!  Your taste buds will be on high alert with the first spoonful!  This is an easy recipe, but it does take time to cook, a little over an hour start to finish and by the time you're done your kitchen will smell heavenly and you'll have a wonderful treat to eat and share with friends.  Plus, this is excellent on chicken, fish or pork and it tastes amazing on a turkey and Swiss sandwich!

 

 

 

This recipe makes about five (8 oz.) jars of marmalade, and if you process them they will keep for up to six months.  Without processing they will keep in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.  I didn't bother to process my batch, I kept two jars for us, which we devoured almost immediately, and gave a jar to my sisters and my mom...next time I don't know that I'll be so generous because it's almost too good to give away!  Pictured above on the right you can see a little cheesecloth bag.  This bag holds the seeds from the lemons; seeds help the marmalade set, they have natural pectin in them.  I purchased these little bags from Sur La Table, they come in a package of 4 for $3.95.  They are so easy to use - when I make soup and don't want to fish out the bay leaves or rosemary stalks, I stuff them all into the bag and it makes removing them a cinch.  They can be washed and reused but for the price I just toss them after one use.  These bags are also available on-line, they're called "Bouquet Garni Bags" - but you don't need bags, just a piece of cheesecloth tied with string will do the trick!

The freezer plate method is my favorite way to test to see if jams, jellies and marmalades are done.  You put a small plate in the freezer for about 20 minutes, when the marmalade is done, test to make sure by putting a small amount on the cold plate.  Let it sit for about 20 seconds and then run your finger through the center; if it holds and doesn't run back into the center, it's done!

Lemon-Carrot Marmalade - Adapted From Epicurious, August 1962

3 large lemons, quartered and seeded, reserve seeds

2 lbs. carrots, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1" pieces (I used baby carrots for convenience, they come washed, trimmed, peeled and ready to go)

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 tablespoon minced crystallized (candied) ginger

1 quart water

Put lemons in food processor and process until almost smooth.  Remove and set aside.  Process carrots until almost smooth, with only very small pieces showing.

Put processed carrots and lemons into a large pot.  Add sugar, honey, ginger and water, stir to combine.  Put reserved lemon seeds into a cheesecloth bag (or wrap in cheesecloth and tie with a string) and secure ends and put bag into pot.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Then reduce heat to medium-low and continue a slow boil for about an hour or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture has thickened.  Pour into sterilized jars.  Keep in fridge for 3 weeks.  (Jars from World Market.) 

 

A Little House Cleaning...

I went through some pics and found a few things I had forgotten to post - you know, real fascinating stuff like what you usually see here.  I'm in a cleaning mood..from my camera to my desk to my pantry - it's time to get rid of a few things to make room for all the goodies Santa will bring!  Hahahahaha...as if my pantry will ever be clean!

This beautiful flimsy was made by Kareena and Lori for American Hero Quilts.  The mister and I delivered it to them on our visit to Vashon Island last month.  Now if only I had a picture of the flimsy when Lori first brought it to me...when Lori unfolded it to show me and we noticed one row had been sewn together wrong!  My heart fairly skipped a beat!  You see, Lori and Kareena never make mistakes - they fall into that exclusive group of perfect quilters, to which I will never belong.  Actually, the mistake wasn't all that bad but Lori, being a perfectionist, insisted on taking the flimsy back and getting it right (and truth to be told, had she left it with me as it was, like I told her to do, I would have fixed it myself before passing it on.)  I didn't get a picture of the flimsy before - Lori wouldn't let me take one - so I still have no proof that Lori makes mistakes!  This is a really nice top - good work girls - your generosity knows no bounds!

Stephanie brought some large cardboard panels to our quilt meeting last month, they were painted by her elementary school aged art students.  Stephanie explained that a lot of paint is wasted in art class so she had her students take all of the left-over paints and make random shapes on cardboard.  After it dried Stephanie painted the black and white around each shape - turning a bunch of colorful blobs into something quite fantastic!  I loved these! 

 

 

 

 

 

The house is all wrapped-up for Christmas - the mister was not amused when he saw I used about 2,227 staples to attach the ribbon to the garage doors but it took the focus off of the 3,019 staples I used to hang up my kitchen garland, which has a few new gingerbread men this year.  As long as I don't get any more holiday decoration ideas, the staples (and the house) should be safe for now.  And then there's my new girl Ginger.  I was in an antique shop with Dr. Nancy - we were just snooping around when I spied that little beauty - I let out a rather loud, high-pitched gasp and the good doctor said, "What happened?"  I pointed at the gingerbread girl - because words failed me - and she laughed hysterically and said, "You're not actually going to buy that are you?"  I love her to pieces - not Dr. Nancy but Ginger!  She's so great and at night she glows!!  Score!

 

My dear friend Janice surprised me on my birthday with this beautiful painting of our home.  I love it so very much...I want to live in that painting I love it so much...oh wait, I already do!  I haven't hung it up yet - it's currently in our living room leaning against a cabinet at eye level - I'm auditioning places for it because I want it to be seen by everyone who comes inside our house.  Thank you Janice - I love you and will treasure this painting forever!

Just a few other things that I've been busy with that I wanted to show you.  I had a little eclair making party for my sometime-sous-chef, neighbor and friend, Katie, who turned Sweet 16, and her friends...I should have taken pictures of the eclairs they made - and of the cream filling that went almost everywhere except the eclairs!  They had a great time and so did I.  There's something about an eclair that sets things right.  I made a Quadruple Chocolate Cake for Tanner (recipe will be up soon), to welcome him home after serving a two year mission for our church in Mexico.  Tanner used to take piano lessons from me - he was such a cute little boy and now he's all grown up.  I was told he liked chocolate cake so I made him one with two layers of milk chocolate cake and one layer of chocolate fudge cake with a rich chocolate ganache in between the layers.  It's frosted with a milk-chocolate butter-cream frosting and a semi-sweet chocolate frosting around the base and the writing.  Welcome Home Tanner - we missed you!

 Speaking of chocolate, I have a quick dessert for you for the holidays - it's easy and super delicious!  Chocolate Mousse Trifle with Whipped Cream is a show stopper!   Make your favorite chocolate cake mix and bake it in a 9 x 13-inch pan.  Let it cool and then, using a small, round cookie cutter, cut out circles of cake.  They will be about 2-inches thick (use a cookie cutter that is the size of whatever pretty goblet/glass you are planning on using.)  Whip up a batch of my 5 Minute Chocolate Cherry Mousse  and then whip some heavy cream, sweetened with a little powdered sugar and vanilla.  Place a circle of cake into bottom of glass, top with a tablespoon or so of mousse and then some whipped cream and repeat until glass is full, finishing with whipped cream.  See?  Easy as can be and absolutely heavenly tasting!  Even Santa would like this!

Lastly, let me leave you with a few links to check out and this video of Maria Menounos who is standing in a cranberry bog while she discusses some great ways to use cranberries...in a bog!

 

You can find the recipes for Maria's recommendations by going clicking here.  I love cranberries and Maria's recipes are pretty great, especially her cranberry mocktail.  I decorate with cranberries this time of year - who doesn't love stringing cranberries for the Christmas tree with popcorn in between?!?  And just in case you're a cranberry freak like I am, here's a three more recipes for you to try:

Cranberry Salsa

This is a crowd pleaser - even the mister likes this!  It's full of flavor, a little bit tart and a little bit sweet - truly, you'll like this!

 

Sugared Cranberries

If the thought of tossing a few cranberries into your pie hole makes you pucker three ways to Tuesday, then you need to give these sugared cranberries a try...they are addictive and kids love them!

 

Cranberry Curd

 This has to be one of my favorite Christmas gifts to give - my dear friend Karon gave me the recipe for her Cranberry Curd and it's now a staple in my kitchen.  It's so thick and rich, with a beautiful color and just the right amount of tart - it will liven up any ol' muffin or scone!

Sweet Potato Pecan Butter...

So good.  Truly.  One little bite is Autumn itself.  We have roughly three months to make and eat everything fallish - to get our fill until next year.  This is one of those things you simply must make, in between pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bars, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin chili...pumpkin everything!  Because there's NO pumpkin in this and surely by now you are needing a break from pumpkin?!  (I'm enjoying my share of pumpkin recipes and haven't had my fill yet, but leaving the pumpkin butter in the fridge for a morning or two is okay, no?)

 

 

 

Roasted sweet potatoes, orange juice, maple syrup and pecans...it just screams FALL!  Spread over a slice of warm toast or bagel, Sweet Potato Pecan Butter, which has more of a peanut butter consistency than an apple butter consistency, will become your new morning staple...your afternoon treat...your late night snack...it's very versatile.

 

 

 

 

After the sweet potatoes are roasted, everything is put into a food processor and blended together.  That's it...no processing, no sterilizing...just spoon it into a pretty dish or jar and keep in the fridge for up to a week...but it will probably be eaten before then...once your family gets a taste of the hint of orange, the crunch of pecans and the sweetness of it all, they'll be back for more! 

Sweet Potato Pecan Butter - Pots and Pins

1 large sweet potato (it's really a yam, but use the orange one, not the white one), peeled and diced (you will need 2 cups)

olive oil (just enough to coat potato cubes)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon sugar

4 teaspoons maple syrup

1 1/2 cup pecans, divided

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread sweet potato cubes onto rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle olive oil over top and coat, using your hands to turn evenly.  In a small bowl combine cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar, sprinkle over sweet potato.  Roast in oven for 20 minutes or until fork tender.  Remove and allow to cool just a bit.  Put sweet potato in food processor (or blender) and add maple syrup, 1 cup of pecans and 1/2 teaspoon salt; process until smooth, adding in a few tablespoons of orange juice at at time until the entire half cup has been incorporated.  Remove from processor and stir in remaining pecan pieces; spoon into a container or jar.  Keep in refrigerator for up to one week.   Makes about 3 cups - and makes an excellent gift...for someone who is Sweet Potato Pecan Butter Worthy!