Canning Season Coming Soon!

With this weather so warm already the berries will soon be in full bloom.
I have my list already, jars too,
Strawberry always the first, then raspberry and my list goes on.
Just finished my last jar of strawberry a week ago so will make sure I make more this year.

Soda Bread

Ingredients:

4 cups of flour
4 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. soda
1 1/2 salt
4 tbsp.cold butter
1 3/4 cups buttermilk milk shaken
1 large egg
1 tsp.of grated orange zest
1 cup of dried cranberries dust with some flour.( or currents)
 Preheat oven to 375  line baking sheet with parchment paper

Combined flour,sugar soda,salt in a bowl. Add butter mixing at a low speed or by hand
With a fork beat buttermilk, eggs zest put in flour mixture. add cranberries.
Dough will be wet.
Dump dough onto a floured surface and knead till you forms a round loaf.
Place on sheet that you prepared with parchment paper, cutting an X on top
Bake 45 to55 minutes test with a toothpick when it comes out clean it's ready.
tap it will sound hollow.
Serve warm with butter and homemade jam.

Food for thought.

A variety of foods that are healthy and tasty.

2016

We all want to eat healthy when a new year begins.
After finishing off all the goodies that were baked over the holidays.
Easier said than done.
I have made a mental list of foods that I will cut back on.

Less meat maybe once a week (maybe twice)
Stop baking every day.
More greens and salads.
Cut portions we already have done this in 2015.
No candy dish full.
Well that is a start!

Port Jelly

Port Jelly cooling before labels

4 cups port wine
1- 2 oz, pkg of pectin
4 1/2 cups of white sugar 
1/2 tsp. butter to cut foam

• 5 half pint canning jars with lids and rings.

 

1. Set out all ingredients 
2. Pour the port into a large saucepan, and sprinkle in the pectin. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Once boiling, pour in the sugar, and stir until dissolved. Return the mixture to a boil, and stir in the butter until melted. Continue boiling for 1 minute, skimming and discarding any foam the forms on the surface.
3. Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pour the jelly into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
4. Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.

Nanimo Bars

For a change add a liquor in the center.
Such as Forty Creek Cream.This one is not as sweet as some of the cream liquors.

Shortbread

Bob's favorites.

Raspberry jam in the middle, butter icing with a cherry on top.

Lasagna

 Made with homemade tomato sauce, antipasto sauce.
Ground beef, hot Italian  sausages, Ricotta and Parma cheese.
Smell so good.

Cranbery Season

Cranberry Sauce Season




 

There is nothing more refreshing than cranberries.
I preserve enough so I have them all year.
We don't only use them with turkey and chicken.
I freeze them as well and they make a nice condiment 
over cream cheese or a hardy white cheddar.
 When making muffins I throw some in frozen or
 I add them to a lemon loaf or pound cake
for a variety. 

Red Wine Jelly

Red or White Wine Jelly make a nice gift over Christmas.

One bottle 759 ml dry red wine I use Italian Montepulciano d' Abruzzo
1/2 cup lemon juice
I pkg. certo
4 1/2 cups of sugar.

For white jelly just use white Montepulciano  d' Abruzzo.

• Place 6 clean 250 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Heat SNAP LID® sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to use.
• Pour wine and lemon juice into a large, deep stainless steel saucepan.
• Measure sugar; set aside.
• Over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Add all the sugar. Stirring constantly, return mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat; skim foam if necessary.
• Quickly ladle hot jelly into a hot jar to within 1/4 inch (.5 cm) of top rim (head space). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. Center hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner ensuring jars are covered by water. Repeat for remaining jelly.
• When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process – boil filled jars – 10 minutes.
• When processing time is complete, turn stove off, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RE-TIGHTEN screw bands.

• After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.

Apple Sauce

The new crop of apples are in right now, so many good varieties
to choose from.
Apple sauce was at the top of my list, then will cut up and bag for pies 
and desserts later.
They are sweet so use little sugar and let the natural taste come through.


  Mix a variety of apples for the best results for your sauce

Bartlett Pears

Bartlett Pears are in now. Some not ripe just put them in a paper bag for a few days till ripe.
Much better than the overly sweet juice in bought ones.
Make sure to soak them in lemon juice while preparing them for
the jars to keep the color.

Larder full for winter

Larder full once again.

We will not go hungry this winter.

Thanks to Dub for all the great labels he did to finish our project off. 




This is the over load section.

Nectarine Salsa

Add four nectarines to original recipe
for a different flavor.

Vegetables Antipasto

Great side dish or for an appetizer over the holidays

Relish

I have always made red relish, so decided to try a few different kinds this year,

 Still made red relish as mixed with mayo it tastes like Triple O.

 

Apricot Jam

Apricot Jam is one of our favorites.
Only use local apricots.

Cherries

Canned cherries for the winter months.

With the hot summer we are having the cherries are extra sweet this year.
Nothing nicer than opening a jar in December. 

Herb Vinegar

Fresh herbs from the patio.
So easy to make.
Select any herbs Rosemary, Basil, Thyme.
Boil vinegar I use a variety some white some white balsamic or cider. 
Let vinegar cool  before adding to the herbs in the jars (so they will not wilt). 

Viola done!

Figaro Jam

From tree to my kitchen

Blackberry Pie

Last of the Blackberries from last year.

Blueberries

I love to freeze blueberries for fruit shakes in the winter.

Or just eat a handful from the frig, so good for you.

Maybe one pie for the freezer.

Raspberry Jam Time

Raspberry Season always seems too short for me.

Salsa time

We make four varieties of salsa.
Mild, Med, Red Rocket and Nectarine

One that turned out fantastic was nectarine salsa last year.
We tweaked it the second year adding only four nectarines into our mix of peppers tomatoes and veggies and all the spices that we use.
Depending on how hot we make it by just adding more hot peppers.
They have a great variety of peppers on Commercial Drive.

Make it while the peppers are in abundance and cheaper.

 Home made Mustard                   Makes 3 pints

 I cup of mustard seed
 I cup of beer
2 garlic cloves minced
½ cup cider vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp, pepper
COOK for 5min.

Directions   You can double this recipe.

 Soak brown and yellow mustard seeds with dark beer in a large bowl set in the refrigerator for 24 hours. If the seeds soak up the beer too quickly, add more beer.
 Transfer the soaked mustard seeds to a food processor along with garlic, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until desired consistency is reached.
 Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes.
 Pack the mustard into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top.
  Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles.
 Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.

Process for 5 minutes Let sit for a couple of weeks.

StrawberrySeason

Strawberry Season is here.

Blueberry Lime Loaf With White Chocolate Lime Glaze

   Found this on the web, will try for sure.
350 for about 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened
• 2 cups (500 mL) granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3-1/4 cups (800 mL) all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp (18 mL) grated lime zest
• 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
• 1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) lime juice
• 2 cups (500 mL) frozen blueberries (I would use fresh)

White Chocolate Lime Glaze:

• 2 cups (500 mL) chopped white chocolate
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) whipping cream, (35%)
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated lime zest

Mother's Day Treats

Puff Pastry with Homemade Apple Sauce and Pahoehoe Sauce
Molasses Crisps Cookies
Lemon Loaf

Will add the whipped cream when we arrive at Tracy's.

Peach Pie

Pecan Pie

Tracy asked for a Pecan Pie instead of a cake for her birthday.

Bob made her his special Pecan Pie for his special girl.

"OH" so good.

Tomato Soup

When not feeling like a  heavy meals.

I made some tomato soup yesterday as I have not been feeling that great.

Boiled a chicken carcass most of day. In the broth I threw in an onion. Mixed spices from my cupboard,  turmeric  bay leaves garlic pepper. Strained and skimmed to let the fat rise to the top.

Then added a large jar of homemade tomatoes that also had a variety of herbs from my patio.
So good and soothing to the throat.

Lemon curd

  

    Total Time: 15 min.
    Ingredients:

    2 lemons, zested
    3/4 cup of sugar
    1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, (4 tbsp)
    2 large eggs
    1/4 cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
    Pinch of salt
    Directions:

    Combine the zest of 2 lemons and the white sugar together with your fingers until it's well combined and the sugar is fragrant. Set aside.

    Cream the butter with a hand mixer until creamy and smooth. Add the fragrant sugar and blend until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix thoroughly. Add the lemon juice and salt and blend until well combined.

    Pour into a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thickened, about 10 minutes at about 170 degrees. Remove from heat and let cool before pouring it into a container. Serve with tarts or pie  Store, well sealed, in the refrigerator. Enjoy.