Sunday, August 30, 2009

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
2 cups sugar (I used unrefined)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS
~Mix the cocoa and water in a saucepan. Heat and stir to dissolve the cocoa.
~Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Boil for three minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.
~Stir in the salt and vanilla. Let cool.
~Pour into storage container (I used a small pitcher), and store in the fridge. Keeps several months.

Yield: two cups.

Recipe from: http://smallnotebook.org

Honey Packed Peach Slices

INGREDIENTS
2.75 cups water, divided
.25 cup bottled lemon juice
5 pounds fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1.25 cups raw honey
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
6 strips of lemon zest

INSTRUCTIONS
~In a large bowl, mix .25 cup water and lemon juice. Stir fruit in gently, coating all pieces. Set aside.
~ In a small saucepan, bring honey and remaining water to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cover pan to keep contents hot.
~Pack fruit gently into six hot sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Place a piece of lemon zest in each jar.
~Fill jars with honey mixture, leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe rims, lid the jars, and process for 45 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Yield: 6 pints.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Honey Cinnamon Peach Preserves

Of the four peach recipes I canned this year, this one is my hands-down favorite. It's lip-smacking goodness makes you want another piece of toast.


INGREDIENTS

2 pounds ripe peaches
1 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon butter

INSTRUCTIONS
~ Parboil, peel, pit and slice the peaches (1/4" slices)
~ Combine peaches, honey, lemon juice, butter and cinnamon in a large saucepan.
~ Bring fruit mixture to a boil and continue to boil hard for 25-30 minutes, until mixture thickens.
~ Can in sterilized (4oz) jelly jars, leaving 1/4" headspace, process 25 minutes.

Yield: 7 (4oz) jelly jars.

Adapted from: http://farmersdaughterct.wordpress.com

Peach Pie Filling (for canning)

INGREDIENTS
5 cups sliced peaches
2 Tablespoons bottled lemon juice
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS
~Combine everything but the peaches in a large saucepan, bring to a boil.
~Add peaches to mixture, return to a boil, and boil for five minutes.
~Pack quart jars leaving 1" headspace.
~Process 45 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Yield: One quart.
Note: Recipe can be multiplied as needed.
Adapted from: canningusa.com

Monday, August 24, 2009

Easy Peasy Waffles

INGREDIENTS
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup milk (more to thin batter, as needed)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.5 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons unrefined sugar
0.5 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS
~Combine wet ingredients in a large batter bowl.
~Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until well blended.
~Bake in preheated waffle iron.

Adapted from Fanny Farmer, page 555.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Pork Carnitas, ala Jennifer

INGREDIENTS
1 TBSP lemon juice (lime would be better, but hey...I had lemon, so that's what's here)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 TBSP dried cilantro
2 TBSP chili powder
0.5 small onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1.5 teaspoon salt
0.5 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
2-4 cups chicken broth (I used 4c.)
1 pork roast (I used the big end -- 1/3ish -- of a whole tenderloin)

INSTRUCTIONS
~Combine everything but the pork roast in the slow cooker, stir.
~Add the pork roast and cook 8-10 hours on low.
~Shred meat and serve.

Serve in fresh, hot, flour tortillas and garnish with chopped avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges.

Fridge Pickles

INGREDIENTS
1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust according to spice preference)
1 teaspoon dill seed
4 to 5 small kirby (pickling) cucumbers, peeled in stripes and sliced into 1/8 inch thick rounds
1/3 small white onion, thinly sliced into rounds

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, cloves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes and dill seed in a quart jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake until the sugar has dissolved.

Layer the cucumbers and onion in the jar using a wooden spoon to press them tightly into the jar. Place the lid on the jar, shake it well and refrigerate at least 4 hours, shaking the jar occasionally to keep the ingredients mixed. These pickles will keep in the refrigerator for at least one month.

Yield: Approximately one quart.
Adapted from: sarahsfabday.blogspot.com

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Peach Butter

INGREDIENTS
4-1/2 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup water
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup amaretto liqueur

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine peaches, water lemon juice and zest. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until peaches are soft (about 20 minutes).
2. Remove pan from heat and puree fruit using an immersion blender. Puree just until a uniform texture is achieved; do not liquefy.
3. In a clean large stainless steel pan, combine peach puree, sugar and amaretto. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently (almost constantly), until mixture thickens and holds its shape on a spoon.
4. Prepare canner, jars and lids.
5. Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe rim, center lid on jar, and secure with band.
6. Process 15 minutes. Remove canner lid and wait 5 minutes. Then, remove jars, cool 12-24 hours, clean jars, and store.

Yield: 15 (40z) jelly jars and 1 (8oz) jar.

Recipe adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, pg. 57.

Raspberry Jam

INGREDIENTS
6 (6oz) packages Raspberries, pressed through food-mill to equal 4 cups of puree
6-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 packet (3oz) liquid pectin

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare canner, jars and lids.
2. In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine raspberries and sugar. Over high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Stir in pectin. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam (important).
3. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe rim, center lid on jar, and secure with band.
4. Process for 15 minutes. Remove canner lid and wait 5 minutes. Remove jars, cool 12-24 hours. Clean jars and store.

Yield: 2.5 (1/2 pint) jars and 9 (4oz) jelly jars.

Recipe modified from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, pg. 41.