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.

Creamy 5-Cup Fruit Salad

 An old standby.

1 (10-ounce) can pineapple chunks (about 1 cup), drained

1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges (about 1 cup), drained

1 medium apple, cored and chopped (about 1 cup)

1 cup grapes, halved

1/2 cup sour cream, light or regular

1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

Combine the fruit in a large bowl, tossing well so the apple (and other fruit that likes to brown) can get coated in the pineapple and orange juice to prevent browning. Stir in the sour cream and coconut, gently tossing to coat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve chilled.

Basil Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan- or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.

Yield: Makes 1 cup.

Certo verus Bernardin

I have been canning for years with no problem with my jams jelling.
I saw Bernardin while picking up my supplies for my jams. Bernardin was cheaper that should have been my red flag. But opted to try the brand as I use Bernardin products for years but always used Certo for jams and jellies.
Both batches that I used Bernardin didn't jell and had to redo. I wrote to Bernardin about my problem.

Well not a word back, didn't expect anything except a return message saying how sorry they were for my extra work. NOTHING.
So back to Certo and success.

Dill Pickles

I usually do two batches of dills one with extra garlic and the other with
just a few cloves in the jars for variety. Fresh dill weed makes them so much better.

Mango Chutney

If you make Mango Chutney the mangoes are very sweet and plentiful right now.
New harvest of apples are starting also. I always like to use the new crop of apples in my chutney.
Chutney goes so well with all beef, pork and chicken. A little goes a long way, but adds a nice touch on a plate.

You have to let the mix of flavors sit over night, but so worth the end results.

Blackberry Jam

 Coming ripe in the next few weeks. They freeze well and make great jam.
One of the best ways of getting high fiber into your diet.
Blackberry picking can be a great time for conversations with friends and the reward is free food!

Raspberry Jam

So sweet and full of flavor.So worth the effort of making jam. I freeze many for winter desserts. One of our favorites. Season is far to short, so don't delay.

Strawberry Jam

Strawberries can be watery due to rain. Use the extra juice to make strawberry sauce.
Just boil the jam a bit longer and it will turn out great.
Plus the bonus of the sauce to use over strawberry shortcake. Sooooo tasty!

Apricot Jam

Apricots are just about ready for full flavor.
Sweet and excellent for jam and to preserve for the larder this winter. I always wait for a few weeks after they first appear in the markets. Oblong shape has the best flavor for eating and they look so pretty in the jars.The jam is a delicious treat come fall.
When preserving I only use one cup of sugar per six cups of water to get the real taste of the fruit.

Avocado Hummus

2 garlic cloves
1 (15-ounce) can of garbanzo beans
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 tablespoon tahini
2 avocados
Salt
Olive Oil
Paprika

1. Place garlic cloves, garbanzo beans, lemon zest and juice from the lemon and tahini in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Salt to taste.

2. Add two avocados and blend just until smooth. Salt to taste once more. Transfer to a bowl, pour a few tablespoons of olive oil on top, and sprinkle a few dashes of paprika. Serve with whatever you like, whether it be pita chips, warm slices of pita or crackers.

Happy Easter Everyone

The turkey is starting to smell real good and we should be eating in a couple of hours.
My grandma's stuffing is the favorite with most of the family. Freshly made cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes,
carrots and corn. For dessert lemon meringue and rhubarb and strawberry pies.
And maybe finish off with some B@B.

Mango Lime Jam

This mango lime jam is a perfect way to welcome the spring season. It reminds me of all the sunny days ahead. Try it with croissants, blueberry scones, or banana bread.
Ingredients

yield: Makes 5 cups, or 5 half-pint jars, active time 1 hour, total time 1 hour, 30 minutes

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons Pectin
• 4 cups pureed or finely chopped mango
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest
• 4 teaspoons water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 teaspoon unsalted butter

Procedures
1. Whisk the sugar and pectin a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Combine the mango, lime juice, lime zest, and calcium water in a large heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Add the honey and butter and return to a simmer. Add the sugar pectin mixture and return the fruit mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard for one minute
3. Remove the pot from the heat and skim any foam from the surface of the jam with a cold metal spoon. Ladle the jam into hot sterilized jars and process them in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Bloody Mary Shrimp Cocktail

Ingredients

Shrimp

1 lb large cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/4 cups scallions, diced (about 6)
1 1/3 cups celery, diced (about 4 ribs)

Sauce

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup vodka or tequila (preferably 1800 Tequila or 3 Olives Vodka®)
2 tsp horseradish
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp Chili Lime Hot Sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: whole shrimp and cilantro leaf

Directions

STEP 1

Thaw shrimp if frozen, remove tails and cut shrimp into quarters and place in bowl with scallions and celery. Hold in refrigerator about 1 hour.

STEP 2

In a mixing bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients, then salt and pepper to taste. Allow to chill in refrigerator for 1 hour or longer.

STEP 3

Once ready to serve add shrimp, scallions and celery to sauce, mix well and proportionately serve into 4 chilled cocktail glasses. Garnish with whole shrimp and cilantro and serve.
4 servings

Chickpea and Chicken Salad

POSTED ON 02 23 2012 BY Emily Richards
UNDER Heart-Healthy Recipes

Ingredients:

2 tsp (10 mL) canola oil
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped celery
1/2 cup (125 mL) each chopped red and green bell pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cups (500 mL) shredded romaine or leaf lettuce
3 tbsp (45 mL) nonfat mayonnaise
3 tbsp (45 mL) plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) grated lemon rind
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
2 tsp (10 mL) chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced

In bowl, combine oil, half of the parsley, cumin and half of the pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Place breasts on greased grill over medium high heat and cook for about 10 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove to plate and set aside.
In large bowl, combine chickpeas, celery, red and green peppers, onions and lettuce. In small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon rind and juice, chili powder and garlic. Add remaining parsley and pepper. Pour over chickpea mixture and stir to combine.
Chop chicken into bite size pieces and add to salad. Toss to combine.
Makes 4 servings.

Fruit Preserves

Had some canned cherries from my larder last night and wow
they tasted like they did in the summer fresh and what flavor.
I use very little sugar when canning fruit and enjoy them all
through the winter. Watched the snow fall and thought this is
a great dessert to have all winter.

Shortbread Time

What ever recipe you use its time to get
that shortbread made. My Grannie from Scotland
made us all shortbread till she was over eighty-five.
She would make it in rounds for all the family. Now my
granddaughter Jordan and I have a day baking it and other goodies.

I also miss the slippers she knit for us all for Christmas.
She passed on three months short of 100.
She was a true Grannie.

Apple and Mango Pie

This is a great combination for a pie.
Mix apples and mango together with sugar
and cinnamon to your taste.
Mine turned out great, the flavor was a
nice change from just apples/blackberry
or plain apple.

Cranberry Season

Time to pick up local Cranberries.
So easy to preserve and takes only a short time.
You can put them in the freezer too for later.
I find the local ones so much sweeter than the
ones from the USA.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Enjoy the family and friends over Thanksgiving.
We all are so fortunate here in Canada.