Larder getting full

Waiting for labels

Hint hint Bob.

Tomatoes

I like to preserve tomatoes each summer when they are at their peek
of the season.

Bring the tomatoes to a boil for 5 mins.The skins come off easy then,
Set out how many jars you plan to use and add:
fresh basil, rosemary,oregano, and garlic
To each jar add a tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 tsp pickling salt
Cut up tomatoes to the size you like, stuff the jars and top with boiling water.
Insert a knife in jars and get all the bubbles to the top.

Seal and process for 40 minutes.

Vegetable Antipasto

• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 2 cups of vinegar, I use 1 cup white 1 cup cider  
• 2cups brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp pickling salt
• 3 cans (5-1/2 oz/tomato paste
• 2 tsp hot pepper sauce
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced

    
  Put in a large pot bring to a boil for a couple of minutes, add the carrots to the pot.

      I used 11 cups of veggies, pick which ones you like best.

•  2 cauliflower florets
• 1 cups chopped onions
• 1 cups chopped yellow peppers
• 1 cup small hot peppers. Red green mix
• 2 cups (zucchini, unpeeled
• 1-1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1-1/2 -cups chopped celery
• 1 cup green beans cut

Add all the vegetables and continue to boil gently for another 5 minutes.

Put in jars and process for 25 mins.

AJ's Pineapple Hot Jelly

 I pineapple
3 hot green peppers
4 hot red peppers
1 yellow pepper

1 large garlic clove
2 shallots
Grind in a blender
3/4 c of white vinegar
3 cups of white sugar
Bring to a boil boiling hard for 1 minute
take off stove and add 1 pkg certo
put in small jars and process for 10 mins.

Molasses Cringles

 







This is one of the few recipes for cookies that I do not use butter.




2/3 cup of oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
4 tbsp. molasses
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger fresh or powdered
1/8 tsp. cracked pepper

Roll into balls then into sugar
Bake on parchment paper at 350 for 10 to 15 mins.

Pahoehoe Sauce

This pineapple sauce is so tasty over Chicken, Ham, or Pork


2 1/4 c pineapple juice
1/4 c lemon juice
4 1/2 c sugar
1 pkg. pectin

Blend in mix well bring to a boil for 1 minute stirring constantly.
Add pectin boil another minute.
I always add a tsp. butter to keep the foam down.
process 5 mins.

Pahoehoe Sauce waiting for labels

Chocolate Sauce

1 ½ cups of water

3 cups of sugar

1 ½ cups of cocoa

1 tbsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. kosher salt

2 tbsp. corn syrup

Heat water and sugar to a boil whisk in cocoa, vanilla, salt and corn syrup.

Stir till sugar is dissolved reduce heat and cook for about ten to fifteen mins. Until thickened.

Process  for 15 mins.

Labour of Love

Getting full again this year, had to get another shelf

Winter rewards

for over load. Let it snow all winter. We are ready.

Maple -Rosemary Glazed Hazelnuts and Walnuts

Pic from Pinch my salt blog

I had some hazelnuts left that Bob picked
last year so put 1 cup of each to try
 
1cups walnut halves 1 cup of hazelnuts
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
pinch of kosher salt
In a small bowl, stir together maple syrup, rosemary, and a pinch of salt.  Heat a dry skillet (I used nonstick) over medium-high heat.  Add walnuts to the hot skillet and pour in maple syrup mixture.  Cook, stirring frequently, until maple syrup has caramelized, about 3 minutes.  Spread walnuts out on a sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle with a bit more salt if desired.  Let cool.

Bread and Butter Pickles

The pickling dills are perfect for canning right now.

Pickled Onions

These are spicy and good,

made with malt vinegar and garlic

Mustard Pickles

Mustard pickles go with so many different dishes. Side dish for meats, or dish for your table or on a sandwich. 
I usually make small jars as well for gifts.Using small onions mixed with red and green peppers and cauliflower with a few garlic cloves thrown in.

Blackberry Jam

Free berries, all it takes is some work picking and the freezer is full for another year.Plus two batches of jam for the winter.

Bob does the picking as he knows I do not like the prickles.

I baked a pie from berries from 2012 yesterday, to have room for the new crop. Our company seemed to enjoy.

Red Hot Pepper Jelly

1 cup of mixed peppers { I use 1/2 red pepper one banana pepper, bonnet peppers one green hot pepper and three small hot red peppers
to make up the cup.

3 cloves garlic
3/4 cups cider vinegar
3 cups white sugar
I pouch certo

Mix all in pot except certo bring to a hard  boil for 1 min.
take off the stove and add certo
process for 10 mins.

Serve with crackers and cheese

Apricot Jam

3 cups of chopped apricots stones removed
1/4 cup of lemon juice
6 cups of sugar
I usually grind half the apricots and leave some chopped small
1 pouch of certo
Bring to a hard boil for 1 minute

Take off the heat  and add certo
Process for 10  minutes
Makes about 6 cups

Jam

Canned Apricots



 Light syrup - 2 cups sugar to 1-quart water
 Process for 25 minutes

Dill Pickles

Soak and scrub dills and  wash dill weed.
Prepare garlic


Brine:

1/2 cup pickling salt
2 cups white vinegar
6 cups of water

Bring to a rolling boil

I put at least three garlic cloves in each large jar,
wind some dill weed into jars along with 1 tsp. pickling spice in each jar.

Wipe jar lids when ready to put lids on, seal and process 15 mins.

Enjoy! 
Let season for six weeks

Raspberry Jam

Raspberry Season:


Pick your own or not.
















Make sure to buy local as they taste so much better.








Enjoy all through the winter

Or right away

Strawberries Season

 
Two different varieties, we mixed both kinds for jam
and froze some for the winter months.
Also made strawberry sauce.The strawberry shortcake did not last long
enough for me to get a photo as we have a ghost living with us.

Waiting for labels

Blackberry Pie

This is when Bob's picking of blackberries and
getting scratches comes to fruition.



He picks, I make jam, then freeze bags of blackberries to enjoy for pies and deserts all winter. This is using up last years berries then will start again in August.

The best thing, they are free and grow everywhere!

Perfect Salad

 Tracy's creative salad


This salad consists of

Raspberry
Blueberry
Avocado
lettuces
Orange Tomatoes
Red tomatoes 
Cucumbers

Add pecans and raisins if you like.

Upside down Pineapple and Blueberry Cake

This cake was made less than an hour ago.
Only two people here, I only had a small piece.

White Cake:
 Beat together first 3 ingredients

1 cup of white sugar
Beat together
1/2 cup of butter
2 eggs

Add

2 tsp. vanilla 
1 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup milk

Prepare pan:

butter and add pineapple and blueberries
until bottom of a 9x9 pan is covered
spread  2 tbsp. brown suger over fruit
Bake 350 for 40 mins.

Fresh Mayonnaise

• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Preparation

1. Stir together 2 cups mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano. Make a simple salad with boiled new potatoes and sliced green onions, or dollop on grilled chicken and pasta. Add to deviled eggs, or use as a dip for fresh vegetables.

Summer Salads

With summer coming I always make more salads.
I am sure we all do.

I try and change my salads and add many different colorful items
such as nuts, raisins, cranberries most fruits to the most common greens. 
Using  olive oil rather than thick high calories
dressings so final count stays low.
Topping some salads either with grated cheese, a few garlic croutons.
Add some chicken, egg or tuna on top.

A meal on its own.

Fruit Muffins

1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup oil

1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup cut up fruit( I used strawberries this time)
2 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder
Topping
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp melted butter
 Mix all ingredients
Put topping on and push down

after you put the dough in the muffin pans

Bake at 400 for 18 to 20 mins.
You can use rhubarb, cranberries, blueberries
add nuts if you like. great hot with butter.

Potato Salad

The first day it looks warm out I have to make this.

Depending on how many?

Four potatoes medium 
Five hard boiled eggs
One celery stick
Three green onions
Mayonnaise
Vinegar
Mash potatoes while still warm, sprinkle
1tbsp. vinegar  over warm potatoes
Mash four eggs leave one for top
Cut onions and celery small, then add.

Add mayo till moist then spread some mayo on top
Sprinkle paprika after you cut the last egg on top.
Let sit in frig for a couple of hours to meld.

Breaded chicken, twice baked potatoes,Kahlua carrots

Chicken:

1 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. oregano      Mix first six ingredients
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. paprika

salt and pepper to taste
1 egg beaten
first dip chicken in flour, then dip in egg wash then into bread crumbs.

Bake at 375 till brown and cooked through depending on size

Potatoes:

scrub, prick bake at 400 about 1 hour
scoop, then add butter, 1 egg beaten, bacon green onions
bake again for about 20 mins.
Add cheese if inclined.

Kahlua Carrots:

cook carrots till tender 
add 1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/3cup Kahlua and stir.

Enjoy

Lemon Loaf

1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
Rind of lemon
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 beaten eggs well beaten

Bake 350 for 40 to 45 minutes

After done pour over a tbsp.of lemon juice and sugar

Pecan Chocolate Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp.vanilla
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp.baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1cup pecans
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coconut
3/4 cups chocolate chips
Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 mins.

For your sweetheart on Valentines Day

Chocolate covered Strawberries


  1-1/2 cup of dark chocolate
 2 tbsp.of corn syrup
 6 tbsp.of butter
 2 pints of washed strawberries with stems on.

 Melt first three ingredients on low heat dip strawberries and let cool on wax paper and refrigerate for 20 mins.

A.J.s Chocolate Cookies

 Bob's favorites

1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
2tbs. cocoa
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coconut 
3/4 cups chocolate chips

Mix all together and bake at 375 for 10 to 12 mins.

Grannies Shortbread

My Grannie made the family her Scottish shortbread well
into her late eighties. She always made cakes rather than

cookies for us all. I'm sure she wouldn't mind me sharing
her recipe as she passed away three months short of her100th birthday.



1 pound of soft butter
1 cup of berry sugar
mix till all granules are gone.
Slowly add flour 1 cup at a time till it comes away from the bowl.
Usually it takes 4 to 4 1/2 cups plus, some for rolling dough into cakes or cookies. Knead till dough comes away from the bowl.
If making cakes, cook in a 325 oven approx. 50 mins
for cookies bake at 350 for 20 mins. Keep checking after 15 depending on size of cookies.

Only use real butter, Grannie would be insulted.

Turkey Soup

I always have home-made soup in my freezer.
Beef, Chicken or Turkey are the ones that I usually make.
I did a big batch of turkey soup the other day just in time for the cooler weather.

You can put anything you want in soup but I use a variety of vegetables, barley
and always put in some leeks, along with onions, garlic and fresh herbs from my patio.
Make sure you use lots of turkey, chicken or other meats. And with a piece of dark brown bread you have a full meal.

I take two days to make my soup as I like to put the broth in the fridge overnight for the fat to rise
to the top for skimming. If you don't have time and freeze the soup the fat will come to the top so
take the layer off before defrosting and heating. then enjoy on a cool evening.