Saturday, June 30, 2012

Waste Not, Want Not

So I'm cleaning out the refrigerator and find 3 of these little things.  What do you do with them when you get them with Chinese take out?  Don’t toss them away if you don’t use them.  Not wanting anything to go to waste, I use them in homemade salad dressings.  



This is the recipe for the Chinese dipping sauce, so you can see it can go in a salad dressing very easily.

1/3 cup rice vinegar
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water

So it pairs very well with a simple dressing for most salads.  Try adding it to the juice from the can of Mandarin oranges. I love Mandarin oranges and always have a couple of cans in my pantry. You can use the oranges on the salad too. I don't even want the juice to go to waste.  Add a bit of good balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and you have a wonderful dressing to pour over lettuce, oranges, cold chicken, what ever nut you have in the house, and what ever else you have in your refrigerator.   You can add oil, but I don’t find it necessary and you will save on the calories.   



Put the ingredients into a mason jar and shake well.  You can store it for weeks in the refrigerator. 

Salad and Raspberry Lemonade will be my lunch today.

Ideas on the salad mix:

Lettuce
Cold chicken (I still have some left from that roast chicken, making 3 dinners out of it)
Mandarin oranges
Diced celery
Cucumber slices
Pecans or sliced almonds would be nice
Salt and pepper to taste

Bottom line is I just don’t like anything to go to waste.  You can also toss it into your bottled French or Western dressing, since they both have a tomato base, to extend your dressings and add a different flavor.  Just don't throw it away when it has so many uses.  What would you add it to to give a little more sweetness and flavor?

Be happy, be fugal and may God bless you and yours.   

Friday, June 29, 2012

Puffed Pastry


Taking off where I left off yesterday, I mentioned puffed pastry and said I'd discuss it today so here goes.  This is a wonderful product because you get to let the experts do the work and you get all the glory with your own finished product.  I love puffed pastry because it makes it very easy on me and I’m all for that.  I’ve seen puffed pastry made and I don’t think I ever want to tackle it.  It is laying butter and flour over and over and over and a real pains taking process.  I’m grateful someone has done it for me.

There are two types of puffed pastry that I like to use: shells and sheets.  I recommend that you have both available in your freezer for a quick meal or dessert. 

Years ago a dear friend who is no longer living invited me and some friends to her home for lunch.  She served us Chicken Divan in puffed pastry shells.  It is the first time I had these simple little wonders and it was not my last.  If you are still wondering what to do with that left over chicken from yesterday, here are two more simple chicken dishes you can serve in them.

Chicken Puff Pastry Shells

1 chicken breast (Another way to used that roast chicken)
2 tbs. butter
2 scallions
8 oz. can of artichoke hearts
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. corn starch
2 tbs. whipping cream
Puff Pastry Baskets

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.

Finely dice the chicken breasts. Melt the butter and heat the chicken on medium heat if you are using left over roast chicken.  If it is raw chicken you need to fry the chicken until it is fully cooked. Chop the green onions and add to the chicken. Drain the canned artichoke hearts well, dice and add to chicken. Season with pepper and salt. Pour in the chicken broth. Dissolve corn starch in a little cold water, add to the boiling sauce to thicken and stir well. Add the cream.

Bake the Puff Pastry Sheets (e.g. Peppridge Farm if what I use) according to directions on the package. Put the warm shells on plates and fill with chicken and vegetable mixture. Arrange some of the chicken mixture next to the basket on the plate.

Variation:  You may like to add some grated cheese to add even more flavor. 

Chicken Divan

This is so easy because it is left over chicken, soup out of a can, cheese, and broccoli.

1 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli
2 cooked chopped boneless chicken breast
1 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add broccoli and chicken to your chicken broth in a sauce pan.  Add the cream of chicken and mushroom soup, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Add the cheddar cheese and heat the mixture over medium heat until everything is well blended and bubbly. 

Bake the Puff Pastry Sheets (e.g. Peppridge Farm is what I use) according to directions on the package. Put the warm shells on plates and fill with the chicken divan. Arrange some of the chicken mixture next to the basket on the plate also. 

Dessert

OK.  Now for the important part….dessert.  You can go crazy thinking up wonderful ways of using this pastry.  Just looking at the packaging gives you ides.  You can fill them with fresh fruit and put whipped cream on top.  You can fill with puddings and drizzle with chocolate.   You can fill them with ice cream and top with your favorite sundae toppings.  You can make a cream puff out of them.  Let your imagination go wild. 

I can’t always find the puffed pastry shells in my local stores but I can usually find the sheets in the freezer department.  I always have a box in my freezer for stand by for a quick crust or a dessert to take for get together.  If I find them, I stock up to have them when I need them.

I like to make turn over’s with them because they are so quick and easy (no needs to know that though).  It is just laying out your pastry and cutting it into square and taking your favorite pie filling in a can and filling the squares in the middle.  I like to use me apple-pie-in-a-jar I have canned and in my pantry and make apple turn over’s.  You pull the corner of the square over and seal the triangle by using a fork around the edge.  I like to sprinkle it with a little sugar and cut a slit in the top.  If you want to have a larger quantity, you can cut the pastry into smaller squares and fold over into a small rectangle.  You can get twice as many for a larger gathering.  When making this version,  I put three slices in the top of the pastry to show off what type of fruit is inside.

Bake in a preheated at 350 degrees F. for 20 or until golden brown. You only need to bake the pastry.  Let cool or serve warm with ice cream.  Put it on foil when you are baking them because they do break open and can make a mess on your pan.  Oh, now I have done it.  I haven’t had my breakfast yet and it is making my stomach rumble just thinking about it.  Warm out of the oven is great.




You can also make them into savory dishes by filling them with meats, cheeses, spinach; or sprinkle them with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.  You can cut them into strips and twist them into stick appetizers and add flavored salts like garlic and onion, grated Parmesan cheese or seeds.


You will always have a quick meal at hand if you keep these in your freezer. Hope you love them as much as I do.

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.


  

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Left Over Roast Chicken


Whole chickens were on sale so I’m having chicken this week.  In fact, I’m having chicken for several meals  (1 chicken = several meals).   The question is after roasting the chicken what I’m going to do with the left over’s.  


Chicken Pot Pie

Besides the easy answer of making sandwiches, a good way to use that left over chicken is to make individual pot pies.  They are easy to make with an already made flavorful roast chicken and are a meal in themselves.  You can also freeze them for a later date if you make them into individual pot pies.


Stock

1 carrot 
1 celery stalk
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups of water
1 small onion cut in half
Demi glace


Pie crust

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled butter, diced into 1/2-inch cubes (best to chill cubes in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before using)
1/4 cup chilled vegetable shortening
3 to 4 tbsp ice water

Filling

Pulled chicken
6 tbs. butter
1 large onion
1 bag of frozen carrots and peas
3 celery stalks
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or ½ dried thyme
2 tbs. fresh parsley or 1 tbs. dried
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

I like to use some large individual ramekins I have and make the pie into individual servings, but you can make it in a large pie pan if you like.

Make a broth with the all the chicken demi glace from the roast chicken, carrots, celery, onion and salt if necessary.  Demi glace is the drippings from your roast chicken that turn to a jelly like substance and comes from cooking with bones in.  It is pure flavor.  Do not let it go to waste. When roasting a chicken, I usually just put a rub of salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder on the chicken and those flavors go very well in the demi glace when using it.  When the onions, celery, and carrots are soft, take them out and toss them away.  Taste your broth for seasoning.  You may not need any salt or pepper if you used a rub.  Or you can go the easy way and buy canned chicken broth, but I like to use the juices from my bird so I make the mess and fuss. 

Prepare the pie crust dough. Combine the flour and salt in a food processor.  This really simplifies the crust making process.  Add the chilled butter cubes and pulse 5 times to combine. Add the shortening and pulse a few more times, until the dough resembles a coarse cornmeal, with some pea-sized pieces of butter. Slowly stream in ice water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough sticks together when you press some between your fingers. Empty the food processor, placing the dough on a clean surface. Use your hands to mold into a ball and flatten the ball into a disk. Sprinkle with a little flour, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes., before rolling.  Or do it the simple way and go with the store bought crust or I love to use the puff pastry as a topper for a pot pie when I don’t want to make the dough.  I always have some in my freezer (It is also great for a quick dessert.  That gives me another blog idea). 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Finely chop your onion and celery.  For the filling melt the butter on medium heat.  Add the onions, and celery, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring one minute more to get rid of the flour taste.  This will thicken your filling.  Whisk in 2 1/2 cups of the chicken stock. Whisk in the milk. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the chicken meat, thyme, carrots and peas, parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary by adding salt and pepper and stir well. Divide the warm filling among six 10 ounce ramekins.  You can also buy little individual aluminum pot pie tins in the grocery store. 

Prepare the crust. Roll out dough on a lightly flour surface to a little less than a quarter-inch thick. Cut into 6 pieces to fit your ramekins, slightly larger than the surface of the ramekins. Lay the dough on each pot pie filling. Fold the excess dough under itself and use the tines of a fork to press the dough against the edge of the ramekins. Cut a 1 inch vent into each individual pie for the steam to escape. Use a pastry brush to apply an egg wash (1 egg and a bit of water) to each pie for a nice brown crust.

Line a baking sheet with foil to prevent any boiling over mess and place the pies on the baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken and Dumplings

Pulled chicken
1 onion
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 sprigs of fresh

Dumplings
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water

Quarter your onion.  Simmer chicken, onion, salt, pepper, water, bay leaf and thyme until onion is tender.  You can also add additional flavor by using your demi glace for this stock.  If you are using the demi glace, make sure you don’t add salt and pepper until you taste because you will be adding it with the demi glace also.

Discard the onion and bay leaf.  Continue to simmer over low heat while making the dumplings.

To make the dumplings, cut shortening into the flour and salt. Stir in 1/4 cup water (more if needed) to form a soft dough. Roll out dough on a floured surface, with a rolling pin, until very thin. Cut into 1 inch wide strips using a pizza cutter or knife. Tear off 1 inch long pieces from these strips and drop into simmering broth and chicken meat. Simmer for 10 minutes with the lid off, then 10 minutes more with the lid on. Serve nice and warm. 

This is a southern dumpling recipe and is more like a large noodle.   If you prefer the biscuit type dumpling, I use the biscuit recipe on top of the above chicken broth.  I like both, but I lean toward the wide noodle type dumpling.  Reminds me of a thick chicken noodle soup.  This is true comfort food.


Chicken, it is what’s for dinner and another dinner. 

Tomorrow I'll give you two more ideas using the left over chicken using the puffed pastry along with puffed pastry dessert ideas.   

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.  



Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Bacon Bread




Calling all bacon lovers. This is a sweet bread with the salty taste of bacon and the sweetness of apples and brown sugar.  It shows just how mad I am about bacon.  Apparently I have passed that love on to my grandson Sam.  I developed this in honor of him.  I wanted to share a story of Sam that happened Monday.  I had made bacon for Saylor for breakfast.  There was some left over so I put it in the refrigerator.   Sam was sleeping late and the smell woke him up.  He, in a zombie like state, came down stairs, walked to the refrigerator and ate every piece and then went back up stair and back to bed. The smell of bacon can make you do strange things. 

1 ¾ cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 lb. chopped crispy fried bacon
1/2 cup bacon fat (or you may substitute oil if you want a healthier bread)
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup apple sauce

Prep work:  preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Fry your bacon until crispy and set aside, keeping the bacon fat.  My grandma's coffee can full of bacon fat on the stove comes to mind.  Don't waste all that flavor.  Put it to use in the bread.

In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, brown sugar, fat or oil, butter milk, apple sauce, baking soda, and cinnamon, in that order.    With a kitchen scissors, cut the fried bacon into small pieces over the batter and stir in.  Add the flour and mix being careful not to over mix it. 

Pour into a sprayed loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.  Test the bread with a toothpick after an hour. If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done. If not, keep baking and testing every 5 minutes.

Cool on a rack and put into a large baggie to keep it moist.  

Hope you enjoy it.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.  

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Carrot Zucchini Cake



This recipe is over 30 years old.  It was given to me by a friend and I fell in love with it so I call it Mim’s in her honor.  I have modified it several times over the year.  The original recipe called for 1 ½ cups of oil and that made it too oily for me so I cut it in half.  My next modification was by accident.  I did not have enough sugar to make it once so I used ½ cup of brown sugar to make the full 1 ½ cups of sugar it needed and that made it even better.  The original recipe called for grated carrots and zucchini and I decided I wanted the carrots cooked, so I have been boiling the carrots and blending them in the blender.  It makes for an even moister cake.  The end result is what I consider the best carrot cake I have ever eaten.  I frost it with a cream cheese frosting.

Mim’s Zucchini/Carrot Cake

2 cups soft mashed cooked carrots
2 cups grated zucchini (can use frozen)
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all of the above well and add:

2 cups flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1 cup chopped nuts (I prefer pecans but you can use walnuts or none at all)

Cut up carrots in small pieces and just cover top of carrots with water.  Boil until tender.  Put in blender with the remaining water and blend until smooth.

In separate bowl add your drained zucchini, oil, eggs, sugars and vanilla and mix.  You can use frozen zucchini but drain excess water off.  Add the dried ingredients and mix.  Do not over mix batter.  It may be just a little lumpy and that is fine.

Bake approx 30 at 350 degrees.  This is an extremely moist cake and is only made better by frosting it with cream cheese frosting made of butter, whipped cream cheese, vanilla, milk and powdered sugar.  It does not need the nuts, but I love nuts.

Frosting

8 oz. of whipped cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbs. milk
2 tbs. butter

Bill Crosby used to do a bit about cake having everything one needed for a meal.  I think this one would meet that and then some.  For the meat group, there are the nuts and eggs; for the fruit and veggie group, there are carrots and zucchini; for the dairy, the frosting has the milk, butter and cream cheese; and for the grain, there is the flour.  You have all 5 food groups represented.  It is a meal in itself.  See if you don’t think it is a great cake. 

Today I'm playing with a recipe and developing a bacon bread recipe.  If it turns out, I'll share it tomorrow.  

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.  

Monday, June 25, 2012

Zucchini


Have you planted zucchini?  Pretty soon you will have more of these little beauties than you will know what to do with.  Like cucumbers, you need to check them daily.  You don’t want them too large.  Remember the smaller they are, the more tender they are.   If a couple hide and you don't see them and they become too large, I grate them cutting out the large seeds and freeze them for winter for my zucchini bread or carrot zucchini cake.  Waste not, want not. You can go to my March, 2012 blogs for more zucchini  recipes.  

I thought today I would give you two of my favorite things to do with zucchini besides grilling them with a little garlic or just sautéing them with garlic and olive oil.  They seem to go hand-in-hand with garlic.

Zucchini Parmigiana

Instead of the egg plant Parmigiana, try replacing the egg plant with zucchini.  

1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tsp. fresh
3 large zucchini (Not too large)
8 egg whites
3 cups ricotta cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley
3 cups tomato sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a medium baking sheet.

Prep work:  mince your garlic, chop herbs, shred cheeses, divide eggs.

Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, and oregano. Set aside 2/3 cup of the mixture.

Place 2 egg whites in a small bowl. Dip zucchini slices in the egg whites, then coat with the bread crumb mixture. Arrange coated slices on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned.

In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, parsley, and the remaining 6 egg whites.

Spread 1/2 the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 x13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/2 the zucchini, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, and 1/2 the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining bread crumb mixture.

Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven.

Zucchini Chips

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon Lawry seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons milk
2 1/2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2 small)

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.  These make a great appetizer.

I also like to stuff zucchini like you would bell peppers.  Hallow them out and stuff them with Italian sausage, garlic, onion, bread crumbs and cheese.  It is wonderful.  Play with it and make it your own.  I give you permission to play with your food.  

Have a great Monday.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.  

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Pickled Watermelon Rind


Small seedless watermelons were on sale this week so I bought one since the boys are here for the weekend. 

I thought I would try something new?  I hate to see anything go to waste and wanted to try pickling the rind to make that watermelon go even further.

Like jelly, you can pickle anything it seems to preserve it.  Try this recipe next time you have a watermelon.

1 cup watermelon rind (just the tough white part, finely and evenly diced)
1/2 cup white vinegar or apple vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 large piece of lemon rind (only the thin skin, no pith)
1 whole clove
¼ tsp. allspice
½ tsp. cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Place diced watermelon rind in a 1 ½ cup jar. In a medium saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, lemon rind, sugar, spices and salt up to a boil. Pour the liquid over the rind and let it cool on the counter for about an hour before sealing jar and storing in the fridge for up to a month.



If you really like it and want to make more for the winter, triple the recipe and can by processing in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  The recipe reminds me of my pickled beets syrup.  

Variation:  Want a different flavor; add a 2 inch piece of fresh ginger or one hot chili.  Play with your seasonings.

Have a blessed Sunday.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.  



Saturday, June 23, 2012

Canning Tomatoes



My daughter-in-law and I were talking Sunday about processed foods and how much better off we would be if we eliminated them from out diet entirely.  Planting a garden and canning are great ways to make a stab at it. 

Are you starting to see some rewards from your garden?  I’m seeing green tomatoes and am so anxious.   I planted 8 tomato plants this year.  They had a two for 1 sale and I went a little crazy.  I’ve been thinking what I am going to do with all those tomatoes when they start to ripen.  I’ll have to can a lot of them.  I won’t have the freezer room for all of them.  I guess I’ll be making spaghetti, pizza and enchilada sauce for the winter.  Since Saylor can’t have gluten and the store bought has gluten in it, my pantry will benefit from the over buying tomato plants and canning them.

If you do not have a Kerr canning book, I highly recommend it.  I got mine years ago and it shows it.  It taught me how to can and I use it to this day.  I would guess that Ball has one too.  I love to go to auctions and have bought most of my canning supplies from auctions for little of nothing.  It can be pricy when you first start picking up jars and canning utensils and auctions or garage sales are a great way to cut corners.

Canned Tomatoes

This will be the base for my 3 recipes.

Wash and cut out the top core of your tomato.  Bring water to a boil in a large pot and drop in several tomatoes for less than a minute and take out with a slotted spoon when you see the skin split.  Fill your sink with cold water and plunge the tomatoes into the cold water to stop the cooking.  In the 2nd sink, peel the tomatoes by pulling off the skin and squeeze them to deseed them.  The skins should come off easily.  Pack the whole tomato in a sterilized jar, filling the jar to 1 inch to the top.  If the tomatoes are too large, cut them up.  Add 1 tps. of salt and 1 tsp. of lemon to each jar.  Do not add any water but make sure they are packed tight.

Put on the lid making sure that the lip of the jar is clean and screw the band on tightly.  Process the jars in a boiling water bath (pints for 35 minutes and quarts for 45 minutes).  If they are low acid tomatoes you should process 10 minutes longer if you don’t want to add the lemon juice. If you don't know, put it in.

Make sure each jar has sealed after they have cooled.  If not, freeze it or put it in the refrigerator and use in next couple of days.

So here are my three recipes for canned spaghetti, pizza and enchilada sauce using your canned tomatoes that are gluten free. 

Pizza Sauce

4 quarts of homemade tomatoes
2 tsp. Kosher salt
3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. pepper
1 tbs. olive oil
3 tbs. chopped basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. paprika
1 tbs. lemon juice

Hybrid tomatoes have lost their acidity, so I add a little lemon juice to add the acid back.  Add the lemon juice to your homemade tomato sauce if you have not done it when you canned them.  This is important for preserving process.

Puree your tomatoes in a food processor.

Chop your garlic into fine pieces.  Sauté until garlic is softened being careful not to over cook.  Only a minute is needed.  Add your pureed canned tomatoes, basil, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.  Cook for 30 minutes until it is thick like a pizza sauce.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if you feel you need it. 

To process, ladle into your sterilized jar to within 1 inch of the top. I prefer pint sized jars.  Put on the lid making sure the lip of the jar is clean so it will seal properly and screw on the band tightly.  Process pint jars and quart jars for 60 minutes in a boiling water bath.  Once cooled, make sure that the lids have popped and sealed.   If they have not, freeze it or put it in the refrigerator and use in next couple of days.

If you have the freezer space you can freeze this in plastic baggies until you make your next pizza.

Spaghetti Sauce (A Simple Marinara Sauce)

2 tsp olive oil
1 sweet yellow onion
4 cloves of garlic minced
3 quarts of your homemade canned tomatoes
1 tbs. lemon juice
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of fresh chopped basil
3 tbs. chopped oregano

Puree your tomatoes in a food processor.

Sauté your finely diced onion in 2 tsp. of olive oil until they are soft.  Add 4 finely chopped garlic gloves and sauté for another minute.  Add your pureed tomatoes and lemon juice to the sautéed onions and garlic. Add your chopped basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  If you are using dried herbs, cut the measurement in half.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.  If you like it sweet, you can add a bit of sugar.  I don’t add it to mine. 


Again, hybrid tomatoes do not have much acid so I add lemon to mine.   Most recipes do not call for it.  If you have some nice heirloom tomatoes taste and see if it is needed.  They are higher in acid.  You need the acid for the canning process.

To process, ladle into your sterilized jar to within 1 inch of the top.  Put on the lid making sure that the lip of the jar is clean and screw on the band tightly.  Process pint jars and quart jars for 60 minutes in a boiling water bath.  Once cooled, make sure that the lids have popped and sealed. 

This makes a great base to start a spaghetti.  You can add Italian sausage, meatballs and/or cheeses or it stands great alone.   Do not can with them though while canning or you will need to process in a pressure cooker.
  
Enchilada Sauce

I use corn tortillas which are gluten free, add a meat, Mexican blend cheeses and this sauce and you have a gluten free meal. For Saylor, we skip the cheese and he doesn't miss it.

2 tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 onions
5 garlic cloves
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
4 quarts of canned tomatoes
1 tbs. fresh lime juice (you can substitute lemon)
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 tsp. Kosher salt

For prep work, chop your onions and garlic into fine pieces.  Puree your tomatoes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for a few minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add your pureed tomatoes and lime juice.  Mix in the cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, and sauté 10 minute.  Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper.

To process, ladle into your sterilized jar to within 1 inch of the top.  Put on the lid making sure that the lip of the jar is clean and screw on the band tightly.  Process pint jars and quart jars for 60 minutes in a boiling water bath.  Once cooled, make sure that the lids have popped and are sealed.  If not, put in the refrigerator and use in the next couple of days or you can freeze them.  

I can’t tell you the feeling I get when I have jars and jars of canned produce I’ve made myself on my shelves.  Like a squirrel, I’m ready for winter.  If I have unexpected quests and a box of spaghetti (I always keep gluten free spaghetti in my pantry), I’m ready to feed an army (4 grandsons, even though one has special diet restrictions of no gluten). 

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.  

Friday, June 22, 2012

Pickling

A FB friend complained about leg cramps the other day and a friend said to drink pickle juice.  I had not heard that before, but if no one is looking, I love to drink the salty dill juice of pickles.  Guess I'm not alone in drinking pickle juice.

It won’t be long and we will be getting cucumbers from the garden.  I love fresh cucumbers but not at every meal.  When they start to come in, you need to check the garden daily, because they grow so fast.  If you pick every day, you need to decide what to do with all of them.  I’ll share a couple of cucumber pickles with you so you can reach for a pickle jar from your pantry in the middle of winter and take pride in that you made them.  Pull them out on special occasions and add another course to your meal. 

Fermented Pickles

1 gallon vinegar
16 tbs. dry mustard
1 cup pickling salt

Pour cold solution over cucumbers to within ½ inch of the top of large canning jars.  Put on cap and screw on the band tightly.  When fermentation (bubbling) has ceased (may take over 3 weeks), process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes*. 

It takes three to four weeks for pickles to ferment completely, depending on the temperature in your house.  Pickles ferment best at 70 to 75 degrees F.  Any cooler than that and it will take longer for fermentation.  Any warmer and your pickles may soften and spoil.  Over the three to four week period, your pickles may begin to look a little scary.  They will begin to bubble and a white scum may form on the top (or settle to the bottom) of your jar.  These are normal effects of fermentation and should not alarm you.

Your pickles are finished when they are translucent throughout with no white flesh remaining and taste sour like a Kosher dill pickle. 

After about three weeks,  remove a pickle and cut it in half. If it is horribly salty it needs more time.  Leave the pickles in the brine one more week and try again. 

*You do not need to can these and can store them in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.  They will be crispier if you do not put them in a water bath.

Kosher Dill Pickles

30 or more cucumber (3 inches long)
3 cups vinegar
3 cups water
8 Tbs. pickling salt
Fresh or dried dill (you can use dill seed and weed or both)
Garlic
Mustard Seed

Wash the cucumbers.  Make a brine of the vinegar, water and salt.  Bring to boil.  Place a generous layer of dill,  sliced garlic gloves and ½ tbs. of mustard seed in the bottom of each sterilized quart jar.  Pack the cucumbers into the jars.  When the jar is half full, add more dill and finish packing the jar with cucumbers.  Fill the jar to within ½ inch of the top and clean the lip of the jar.  Place a lid on and screw on the band tightly.  Process the jars 20 minutes in boiling water bath.  Do not over process or you will not have a crispy pickle.  Makes 4 quarts.  Remember to save the juice for us crazies that love the juice.


Refrigerator Pickles

2 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
4 cups sugar
3 teaspoons celery seed
3 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon peppercorns
4 or 5 fresh dill sprigs
10 sliced cucumbers
1 sliced large onion

Mix vinegar, salt, sugar, celery seed, garlic and peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly just until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool while you slice the cucumbers and onions. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers (use non reactive bowl). Stir until everything is combined. Add the dill sprigs. Push everything under the liquid. Cover and allow to sit on the counter at room temperature for six hours. Transfer to sterilized jars. Cover tightly and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them.

Sweet Pickles

Use medium sized washed cucumbers.  Wash and cut them into sticks.  Pour boiling water over them and let stand for 4 to 5 hours.  Drain and pack them solidly into sterilized jars. 

Make a solution of:

3 ¾ cups vinegar
3 cups sugar (you can if you like them sweeter)
3 tbs. salt
4 ½ tsp. celery seed
4 ½ tsp. turmeric
¾ tsp. mustard seed

Boil the solution for 5 minutes.  Pour the boiling solution over the cucumber sticks to within ½ inch of the top of the jar.  Make sure the lip of the jar is clean and put on the lid and screw the band on tightly.  Process the pickles in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.  Use timer and do not over cook pickles or they will not be crisp.  Should make 6 pints.

Enjoy the bounty of your cucumbers.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Roll Up Appetizer


Pickle Roll Ups


Do you have an old standby appetizer that you continue to use over and over?  This is mine because it is super simple.  I like to make it for all the family get togethers because it is expected and always well received.  They are gone before the meal begins and I personally like them; plus they are so easy to make.  I think I have been making these for over 40 years.  No one has complained yet about the same ol’, same ol’.  I do like to try something new with them though to shake things up.  You will need only 3 ingredients:

Thinly sliced ham
Baby whole sweet pickles (you can also use dill if you prefer)
Cream cheese

Take a slice of square deli ham and spread it with cream cheese. I love the new whipped cream cheese because it spreads so nicely.  Lay a pickle down letting the tip of the pickle overlap the ham a bit and cut the piece of ham to fit the size of the pickle and roll it up.  I then slice off the tip of the pickle sticking out for even slices.  Slice the rolled up pickle into consistent sizes. You usually can get 3 or 4  pieces out of a pickle. Take the left over remaining piece of ham with cheese on it and place another pickle that fits it well and do the same.  I like as little waste as possible. 

These are also nice because you can make them well in advance of your gathering.  Make some deviled eggs to go with them and you have two widely liked appetizers.  You can also make the deviled eggs well in advance.

Variations:

I also make a variation with green onions following the same procedure of cream cheese on the ham and then cutting the ham to fit the white part of the onion and rolling it with the green part of the onion sticking out of the roll up.  My brothers grab them up first. 

Beef Roll Ups

Another roll up is a roast beef roll up.  Make a mixture of equal parts cream cheese and mayo and season it with dried dill weed and onion salt.  Put the cream cheese mixture on a deli sliced piece of roast beef and place a seedless cucumber on it.  Roll it up and slice pieces about ½ to an inch thick (you decide if you want a little bite or a big bite).  Sprinkle the roll up very lightly with onion salt and dill weed.  Be careful not over salt the cucumber.  This was an experiment on my part since it was my own creation.

The roast beef was a challenge when it came time to slice it, but it is really tasty.  The beef, dill, onion and cucumber marry together beautifully.  You might want to put the sliced beef in the freezer for 15 minutes so it does not come apart when you cut it.  Mine was so tender it was hard to work with.  Anyone have a better idea? 




Enjoy your summer get together.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.



Wednesday, June 20, 2012

National Ice Cream Soda Day


Back in the 60’s on the way home from school, often my friend and I would stop at Snow White Pharmacy and have an old fashioned ice cream soda.  So in honor of National Ice Cream Soda Day, I thought I would share part of the memory and how to make an ice cream soda. 

A couple of years ago, I was in the East Village in Davenport at Lagomarcino's Confectionary.  They have an old fashion ice cream parlor that serves old fashioned ice cream sodas.  I had not had one since the 60’s so ordered one.  As I was talking about having them at Snow White’s years ago, one of the owners stopped at my table and said that their old soda fountain once belonged to Snow White, making the experience even sweeter.  They bought it when Snow White’s closed their doors.

Picture of owners at Lagomarcino's and the soda fountain is behind them
The memory was so good, that I had to learn to make them myself and I no longer have to drive to Davenport for one.  I just make them at home.


Ice Cream Soda

¼ cup chocolate syrup (I use the new Hershey's dark chocolate syrup)
¼ cup milk
1 large scoop of vanilla ice cream
8 oz. Club Soda (I use Canada Dry)

Put the chocolate syrup in the bottom of a tall glass.  Add your milk in the syrup and stir it until it is well mixed.  Add the soda water almost to the top of the glass.  Add the ice cream to the top.  Serve with a long spoon and two straws.  Does that conjure up good memories for me.

You may drizzle the top of the soda with a little more chocolate syrup or top with whipped cream and a cherry if you like, but I like mine plain.

Here is wishing you a happy National Ice Cream Soda Day.  I think I’ll have to make a trip to the store to get some club soda and ice cream so I can make my self a new memory.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.   

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Jelly



You can make jelly out of anything and I like to.  I love to make a mint jelly and an apple cinnamon jelly and give out as gifts at Christmas.  I have an herb garden and before the last frost takes my herbs, besides drying the herbs, I like to turn some of the herbs into jelly.  Try rosemary or basil jelly.   I simply take an apple jelly recipe and steep the herbs in apple juice and then make jelly according to the jelly recipe.  It is a new way of using those last things in your garden you do not want to go to waste.  You can even make tomato and jalapeño jelly.  

I’m going to refer you to the Kerr Canning book that I use as my canning bible. It will give you great information on testing, canning, pectin, etc.  


Microwave Apple Cinnamon Jelly

This is a super simple jelly recipe you can make in the microwave and it is a beautiful bright red.  I've made it for so long, I don't know who to give the credit to.  I have it on a tacky, stained typed piece of paper in my Kerr book.

4 cups apple juice
1 package powdered pectin
4 cups granulated sugar
¼ cup red hot cinnamon candies

Combine the apple juice and pectin in a large microwave safe glass casserole dish with a cover.  Cover with the lid.  Bring to a boil on high setting (about 14 minutes).  Stir twice.  Remove from the microwave and add sugar and cinnamon candies, stirring well.  Return to microwave and cook until the mixture returns to a rolling boil (12 minutes), stirring twice more.  Make sure it boils hard for at least 1 minute.  Test to see if it is at 220 degrees F. on candy thermometer.  Remove from the microwave.  Skim foam if necessary.  Pour hot jelly into sterilized jars ¼ inch from the top.  Make sure the lip of the jar is clean so it will seal.  Cap and put on the band tightly and process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.  Should yield 6 half pints.

Jalapeno Jelly

12 Jalapeno peppers
2 Bell peppers
¼ lemon juice
1 ½ cup white vinegar
1 (4 oz) bottle liquid pectin
6 cups of sugar

Wear gloves while working with the Jalapeno peppers.

Clean and take out all the seeds and ribs on the inside of the peppers. Chop the peppers finely in a food processer.   Put all of the ingredients into a pan including all the pepper juices.  Slowly boil all ingredients stirring constantly for 12 minutes. (I like my jelly real clear jelly so I strain the jelly mixture before next step.  Make sure you bring the jelly back up to a boil). Add the liquid pectin and boil hard for 1 minute (secret in making jelly is using a candy thermometer and the jelly should be at 220 degrees F to be at jelly stage).  Pour into sterilized half pint jars to within ½ inch of the top.  Make sure the lip of the jar is clean for so the lid will seal.  Put on the cap, screw band firmly tight.  Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. 

To cut the heat, you may wish to serve it on top of creamed cheese and crackers.  If it is too hot, cut the number of peppers next time. 



Mint Jelly

2 cup of fresh mint leaves
7 cups of apple juice
9 cups sugar
1 box powdered pectin
Green food coloring (Optional)

Clean your mint and steep in your hot apple juice for 10 minutes. You should muddle it to get the juices out of the mint.  Strain the mint from the juice.  Mix your juice with pectin and bring to a full hard boil stirring constantly.  Add sugar to the apple juice as soon as it comes to hard boil.  Taste and if you desire more of a mint taste you can add a drop at a time of mint extract until you have reached the desired minty taste you want.   Boil the mixture to jelly stage.  Jelly stage is when the rolling boil can not be stirred down.  As it nears the jellying point it will drop from the side of a spoon in two drops.  When the drops run together and slide off in a sheet from the side of the spoon, the jelly is finished and should be removed from the heat at once. 

A candy thermometer may be used to simplify the process.  The temperature of the boiling juice should be at 220 degrees F.  Remove from the heat and skim off any foam.  If you like, you can add food coloring to get the desired green mint color you like. 

Herb Jelly

For herb jelly follow the same directions as the mint jelly, but steep and muddle in your fresh herb.  I highly recommend the rosemary, thyme and sage.  They are wonderful.  A set of these 3 jellies with a loaf of homemade bread or artisan bread will make a wonderful house warming gift. If you are having people in for brunch or coffee, it makes for beautiful and simple buffet. Bet it will raise an eyebrow and be a subject of conversation.


Try making your own jelly and see how rewarding it is.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Raspberry Sweet Rolls


A friend asked me for raspberry recipes about a week ago since it is raspberry season.  She was looking for new ways to use her fresh raspberries.   I found this one in searching my recipes this morning, so thought I would share it.  You will need a half of a day to dedicate to making these rolls but you can freeze them and bake them on another day.  Can you smell the house after they are baked?  Yum!!!!  Your family will love you and the rolls. 




1 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½  tablespoons active dry yeast
1 stick soft butter
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
4 ¼ cups all purpose flour (plus more for dusting)

Filling
1 lb. raspberries (you may use frozen)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Frosting
¾ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 ½ tablespoons milk

Warm the milk over moderately low heat until it's 95° (too hot and you will kill the yeast).  I have a very inexpensive thermometer I think I paid one dollar for at the Dollar Store.  Using your Kitchen Aide standing mixer with the dough hook attached, stir the sugar and yeast into the warm milk (you can do by hand, but I'm blessed and have a Kitchen Aide which saves my arm and time). Let stand 5 minutes until it gets foamy. Add the softened butter, eggs, and salt. Add the flour and beat at medium speed until a soft dough forms, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the dough is soft, about 10 minutes longer.

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands 2 or 3 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a clean lightly buttered bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let it stand in a warm place until the dough doubles in size (2 hours).

Butter the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking pan and the sides.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Roll the dough out with a rolling pin into a 10 X 24 inch rectangle (1/4 inch thick).

Toss the raspberries with the sugar and cornstarch. Spread the raspberry filling evenly over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough to form a 24 inch long log. Cut the log into quarters. Cut each quarter into 4 slices and arrange them in the baking pan, cut sides up. Scrape any berries and juice from the work surface into the baking pan between the rolls. Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place until they have filled the baking pan (about 2 hours).

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Bake the rolls for about 25 minutes, until they are golden and the berries are bubbling.

For the frosting, mix the powdered sugar with the butter and milk.  Frost the rolls while they are a little warm so the frosting will melt and run like a glaze.  Your family will want to eat them on sight or first smell of them.  

Variation:

You can use what ever fresh or in season fruit you like.  You can also use your favorite frozen fruit.  If you like cinnamon rolls, this recipe will work for cinnamon rolls also.  Just replace the filling with cinnamon and sugar (raisins if you like).


It is going to be a hot day here.  I'm so glad I have air conditioning and don't have to heat up the house.  How did our grandmothers ever do it? They had no freezers to freeze so when your fruit was ready, you fixed it no matter how hot it was. 

Stay cool, be happy and may God bless you and yours.  

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Father’s Day Brunch


I lost my dad 20 years ago, on July 8, 1992.  I remember sitting by his bed side with him, holding his hand as he took his last breath.  I believe it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  I hope he knew how much I loved him and still do.  He was my step father, but he is the only person that I call my dad.  He loved me unconditionally even through we were not blood.  I miss him terribly. The kids and I would visit him every Sunday after church in his later years and I’d take him his smokes.  He was the hardest working man I ever knew.  I love you dad.

In honor of my dad, I thought I would share a Sunday brunch recipe he would have loved.  He loved his eggs and was a meat and potatoes man so I’ll share an easy egg casserole with you in his honor for Father's Day. 

First Dad will need a pot of coffee, so get on the coffee pot.

Ham & Egg Casserole


8 eggs
1 12 ounce bags frozen, shredded hash browns, thawed overnight in fridge
2 cup diced cubed ham (I like to buy this pre-packaged in the meat department)
1 ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese
2 chopped green onions
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup cream
1 tsp. onion powder

Squeeze the moisture out of the thawed hash brown potatoes by putting them in a cloth kitchen towel and ring it out.  Put the well drained potatoes in a large bowl. Pour the melted butter over the potatoes, add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix.  Press the potato mixture in the bottom of a large casserole dish for a crust.  Bake at 425 degrees F. for 20 minutes until potatoes are just turning brown. Remove dish from oven and set aside.

Mix eggs, ham, green onions, onion powder, 1 cup of cheese, cream and salt and pepper in the bowl.  Pour the mix on top of your crust. Bake the casserole in a the preheated oven at 425 degrees F.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Take it out of the oven and top with ½ cup additional cheese and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes until the cheese melts and browns. 

Variation

I also make this with sausage in place of the ham.  If I use sausage, I also add a 1/2 teaspoon of ground sage.  The sage and sausage seem to go hand in hand.

You can also make these in individual portions by putting your hashed brown potatoes and butter in large muffin tins and brown and then add your egg mixture.  Make sure you  cut your baking times in half or until golden brown.


Serve it with big Texas toast, pour the coffee and you have a man's size meal my dad would love.

Wishing all fathers a happy Father’s Day.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.

Back row from right to left:  My dad, Donald Wiebenga, mom, Tony
2nd row from left to right:  me, Charmayne, Dion
Front row from right to left:  Wendy, Steve, Doris and Dona (1956)



Saturday, June 16, 2012

National Fudge Day


I’m a bit of a traditionalist and when it comes to fudge, I keep using the same old recipe (If it ain't broke don't fix it). I have used the same recipe since I used to make it and send it over seas to Ed and Dallas when they were in the Navy.  That goes way back to their Viet Nam service in the late 60’s.  They loved to receive it and shared it with their fellow sailors on the aircraft carriers USS Ranger and USS Hornet (Ed's carriers) and the USS Henry B. Wilson (Dal's destroyer).  It is funny what memories come with certain food.  This fudge conjures up memories of the sailors on those ships and the ships.  The fudge was sweet, but all of the memories are not.  I dedicate this blog to all those that have served in Viet Nam.  Thank you for your service.

The fudge is called fail proof fudge and that is why I continue to use it.  It has never failed me as long as I followed the directions.  It is really creamy and everyone seems to like it.  Since it is National Fudge Day, I thought that I would share it with you.  I make several batches of this every Christmas. 

3 cups of sugar
1 ½ sticks of butter (3/4 cups)
1 small 5 oz. can of evaporated milk
1 12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I always use Nestles)
1 7 oz.  jar of marshmallow cream
1 cup of your favorite nuts (I use walnuts)
1 tps. vanilla

Butter a 9 inch square pan lightly or line it with aluminum foil so you can pull it out for easier cutting.

Add sugar, butter and evaporated milk in a saucepan and bring it to a full rolling boil on medium heat stirring constantly.  Boil for a full 4 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 235 degrees.  This is important or it will be runny. If you don't have a candy thermometer you can pick them up for a dollar at a Super Dollar Store.  They are worth having.  Remove the fudge from heat and add marshmallow and mix well.  Add the chocolate chips and mix until they are all melted and well mixed.  Stir in the vanilla.  Add you nuts and stir.  Pour the hot fudge into your pan and let it cool. 

Variation

I have played with this recipe and made it into a rocky road fudge also.  After you have added the vanilla and the fudge has cooled just a bit, add 2 cups of miniature marshmallows with the nuts.  Do not add them until it has cooled a bit though.  You do not want them to melt.  I usually use walnuts, but you can add macadamia nuts, almonds, pecans or no nuts at all.  I like to give fudge as gifts at Christmas and I have a friend that does not like nuts so I always make a batch for her and the grandkids that would rather have it plain. 



 Hope you enjoy it.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.