Cinnamon Buns

What is better than homemade  Cinnamon buns
on a Sunday.

Tomatoe Sauce

Make your own tomato sauce and control ingredients, especially salt.

Carmel Candy Apples

Fond memories from the past.

Halloween Treats

Pecan pie

Nobody can make Pecan pie like Bob!
Hint Hint..............

Oven Baked Spareribs

   
 
 








 


3 or 4 lbs. spare ribs
2 onions, sliced thin
2 tsp. Balsamic  vinegar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. red pepper
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
3/4 c. ketchup
3/4 c. water
½ c, chili sauce
2 garlic cloves sliced

Select meaty spare ribs. Cut into servings or leave uncut. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in roaster and cover with onions. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over meat.

Cover and bake in moderate oven at 350̊F about 1 1/2 hours. Baste occasionally, turning spareribs once or twice. Remove cover last few minutes to brown ribs.

Auntiejanes Meat Loaf

  

 Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• ¼  cup chives
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. thyme
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp. hot sauce
• 1 tbsp. mustard
• 1 pound of ground beef
• ½ pound ground pork
• Italian sausage ( 2 links)
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs, beaten slightly
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• Mix all in a bowl
• Put in a loaf pan pat down and cover with a table spoon of ketchup
• Plus 1 tbsp. brown sugar

Bake 350 for about 1 hour

Mashed potatoes and gravy  goes nicely with the meatloaf.

Homemade Seasoned Salt

Nice idea for stocking stuffers!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper

1 tsp lemon pepper

1tbsp.chives
1 tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Combine together, in a bowl. Mix  well.  Pour into spice jars 

Keep some for yourself and make double batches for gifts.

Freeze for winter

Just because fruit has a few bruises does not mean they cannot be cut up for the freezer.
You can buy a bag of fruit for a couple of dollars then put them away for a pie or smoothies and they taste great in the winter.

I lay the fruit on cookie sheets then into the freezer for 20 mins.then into plastic bags.  

Enjoy all winter 

Apple Sauce

Made from the Heart

New apples are available now.

So fresh in taste and enjoy this taste all through the winter months.
I make apple sauce freeze some for pies and keep some for eating.
When making sauce I always use at least three types of apples.
Golden delicious, Gala and Macintosh makes a good combination.
Not much sugar is needed as the apples are already sweet, I add a bit with some water,
taste before adding too much sugar.
Some like cinnamon but we like the fresh taste of just the apples.

Labels for your stuff

Labelling can add so much to your canned products. And it can be fun too. We use Avery label products because they are available everywhere. Check out their variety in retail stores or on their website. They have hundreds of templates which can be downloaded or simply used from their website! Large, small, oval or circles for every need and jar! When you look at your pantry and see all those beautiful labelled food products you will be proud of what you did last summer! The rewards endure all winter on your table. 

However don't just consider summer as the only time to can make yummies for your pantry. California navel oranges are best in autumn, and the Indian River grapefruit from Florida is excellent at the new year. You can make marmalade! We advocate shopping locally, but California and Florida always guard the quality of their citrus. Salsa can be made anytime you get a deal on peppers! And you can freeze the little chipotles for extra hotness while it snows outside! Wine jellies too! We use Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Italian red in ours! And Italy NEVER runs out of that one! So don't restrict yourself to only summer months.

And once you start with labels, the creative possibilities are endless! Design your own with custom fonts and pictures. (Be careful not to use copyrighted photos though) yet with a simple point and shoot digital camera, you can visit produce markets and get great personal photos for use on your canning efforts! And check out our reflections page for photography hints. All the pics on this website with very few exceptions are my own. Look at the photo bar below to see what you get by just grabbing a shot in a produce market! But free clip-art is everywhere, so you can let your creativity free too!

You will find Avery to be very helpful and interested in your needs with tons of hints and suggestions. We use the 22xxx series because they stick on jars better than simple shipping labels. With Avery software, (free!) they are very easy to make and print with your own individual design.  

 Then you just stand there and let your mouth water! - AJ

Blackberries

 Before labels

What a perfect dessert all through the year.
The blackberry season is just about over.
Bob picked six buckets this year and have plenty for pies , eating, jam and sauce.
plus filling the freezer to enjoy this winter.

Blackberry and Blueberry Sauce

Nothing nicer than a fruit sauce over ice-cream
for a dessert.

Pesto

 

 Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated  Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub  any nuts)
• 3 garlic cloves,
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• lemon zest

Spinach Dip

Had  to use up some spinach while fresh and had enough salad with the  bunch I had.

So put it in my blender added a large garlic clove, sour cream a bit of cream cheese
herbs from the patio and viola!

Surprise Bob even liked it.

Hummus Dip

Ingredients

    1 can  chick peas, rinsed and drained
    3/4 cup  roasted cashews , divided
    1/2 cup Real Mayonnaise
    1 large shallot, coarsely chopped
    1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
    2 Tbsp. lemon juice
    1 tsp. ground cumin
    1/4 tsp.sea  salt
    1/8 tsp. cayenne
    1 Tbsp. olive oil, (optional)


Directions

   Blend chickpeas, 1/2 cup (125 mL) cashews, Mayonnaise, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, salt and cayenne in food processor until smooth. Spoon into serving bowl.
  If desired, with olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cashews. Serve with your vegetable dippers.

Mango Chuntney

Mango's are ripe and flavorful time to preserve  my chutney.
for my larder. Goes well with chicken, pork or beef.

Pickled beets

One of my favorites, so many combinations you can do.
Add garlic or onions. Or fresh herbs from the garden.
Use white vinegar or cider to get different flavors.

Pickled Beans and Carrots

So easy to do and makes an nice side plate on the table

Strawberries you choose

 Strawberry Trifle

 Strawberry pie

 Strawberry/ rhubarb pie

Strawberry shortcake

Strawberry Jam

What is better than fresh homemade Jam.


B.C. strawberry are ready

DUB'S Omelette

3 eggs left out over night
eggs whisk better when warm
2 tbsp.of milk
whisk hard for lots of air.
Add grated  cheese one white cheese one old cheddar 1/4 cup of each
finely chop 2 slices of corn beef or pastrami
add 1/2 tsp lemon pepper, chives parsley  
Cook on top of stove medium heat till just about done then put into the oven on grill for a few minutes.
If you like a spicy taste you can add hot salsa to mix.

Chicken Burger with Pineapple

Four chicken breast 

Place under wax paper and flatten with mallet
Add a tsp.of thyme, oregano, basil and chives. 
pepper to taste.
Sprinkle over chicken, let sit for awhile in frig.
Cut up lettuce, tomatoes red onion and sliced pineapple.
Cook chicken on barbecue, oven or top of stove till done through.
Prepare heated buns and grill pineapple, mix mayo olive oil and garlic together. Enough to cover four buns. Add red relish ( I preserve my own)
Pineapple adds to the taste for a Hawaiian flavor.
Side dish of green salad, potato salad, or cold slaw.