Canning Series: Fruit Spreads

So we had our first canning class and although I had to arrive late (due to unforeseen circumstances) I had a great time! Heck, I got to take home jars of deliciousness without having to do hardly any work.

The first thing that we (I love that I'm saying "we" when I literally showed up just as we were taste testing and labeling the jars) tackled was Traditional Strawberry Jam.

Traditional Strawberry Jam with Variations
~Makes about 8 (8 oz.) half pints~

• 5 cups crushed strawberries (about 5 lbs)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 (1.75 oz.) package Ball Original Fruit Pectin (or any brand, Ball is sponsoring this series so we are using their products)
• 7 cups granulated sugar
• 8 (8 oz.) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

1. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2. Combine strawberries and lemon juice in a 6 or 8 quart saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin.
   
3. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
4. Add entire measure of sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minutes, stirring constantly.
   
5. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
6. Ladle hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
7. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Delicious Variations:

*Vanilla Strawberry Jam (this is the one we made): Add half a vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, to the crushed strawberries. Cook as directed and remove vanilla bean before ladling jam into jars. The resulting jam will be enhanced with a subtle yet distinct vanilla overtone.

*Strawberry Balsamic Jam: Reduce the lemon juice to 1 tbsp and add 3 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar accents the strawberry flavor and gives the jam a robust taste.
*Lemony Strawberry Jam: Add the grated zest of 1 large lemon to the crushed strawberries.

*Peppered Strawberry Jam: Stir 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper into the cooked jam just before ladling it into the jars. Pepper accents and compliments the strawberries' sweet flavor. Be sure to use freshly ground pepper, which delivers a fresher-quality flavor.

Carrot Cake Jam
~Makes about 6 (8oz) half pints~

• 1 1/2 cups finely grated peeled carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cored peeled pears
• 1 3/4 cups chopped pineapple, including juice
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 (1.75 oz) package Ball Original Fruit Pectin
• 6 1/2 cups sugar
• 6 (8oz.) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

1. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2. Combine carrots, pears, pineapple with juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a 6 or 8 quart saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat, cover and boil gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
4. Remove from heat and whisk in pectin until dissolved. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring frequently.
5. Add sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam if necessary.
6. Ladle hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
7. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Orange Chili Marmalade
~Makes about 8 (8oz) half pints~

• 2 1/4 lbs oranges (unpeeled), seeded and thinly sliced
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 6 cups water
• 3 dried habenero chili peppers (or 6 dried Colorado or New Mexico chili peppers)
• 9 cups granulated sugar
• 8 (8oz.) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands.

1. Combine oranges, lemon zest and juice, and water in a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes.
2. Add chili peppers, partially cover and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until fruit is very soft, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard chili peppers.
3. Prepare boiling water canner, heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil and then set bands aside.
4. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Maintaining boil, gradually stir in sugar. Boil hard, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches gel stage, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and test gel. If gel stage has been reached skim off foam.
6. Ladle hot marmalade into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
7. Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

* This marmalade is quite spicy, but very delicious. We thought it would be perfect poured over a block of cream cheese and served with crackers or bread.

Come back and visit next week to see what we whipped up in our canning series.

Happy Food

I absolutely love good, fresh, and healthy food. It makes me happy...so it's happy food!

Today I had two encounters with happy food. The first was my delicious breakfast. I had a toasted English muffin spread with part-skim ricotta cheese. Then I drizzled some Stone Fruit Compote on top and cut up a big bunch of organic strawberries.

Yum.

I may or may not have had a bowl of vanilla ice cream this afternoon and drizzled some of the compote on top of that, too.

My second happy food of the day was Fresh Corn Salad. I plan to bring it to a picnic with friends tonight and serving it with tortilla chips. I got this recipe from my good friend and posted it last year. I'll re-post it below because it's so darn delicious.

Fresh Corn Salad
~I was pretty much obsessed with this after my first bite~

*Fresh Corn is important - do not substitute frozen or canned.*
Dressing:

• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 Jalapeno chili, stemmed, seeded, and minced (you can leave this out, if you don't like spice)
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Salad:

• 8 ears fresh corn, husks & silk removed (I used 6)
  
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved, or whatever tomatoes you have on hand (I used a couple large tomatoes that I chopped)
  
• 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed
• 6 scallions (green onions), sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro (I didn't use this because I don't like cilantro...don't hate me, I know everyone seems to like cilantro. But even the smell of it turns my stomach.)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

1. For the dressing: Shake all of the dressing ingredients together in a jar with a tight-fitting lid (or a plastic container or plastic baggie).
2. Cook the corn in a big pot of boiling water until tender (5-7 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water. Cut kernels from cob with a paring knife into a large bowl.
   
3. Add tomatoes, beans, scallions, cilantro, and dressing and toss. Season with S&P to taste & serve.

*This salad can be made a day in advance.

I'm actually going to have a third encounter with happy food at the picnic tonight. It's kind of a secret happy food of mine. You see, I don't eat beef. I hate it. I want to like it, but I don't. However, whenever I even smell this happy food I practically start drooling with the anticipation of eating it. My secret happy food is....

Yes...all-beef juicy hot dogs with ketchup on top.

Ironically, I detest turkey hot dogs. I typically substitute turkey for beef in recipes all the time, but turkey hot dogs make me want to vomit.

Do you have any happy foods?

Summer days

I am now beginning my summer vacation and could not be more content. I know that teachers get teased because they get so much time off...but I swear that if there wasn't a summer break, there wouldn't be any teachers.

I'm extremely passionate about teaching and truly love each and every student I have in my class...but by the time June hits, I'm SO ready for some space before I turn into "scary teacher". It's nice to have some time to myself, but by the second week of August, I start itching to teach again!

So now I am spending my days doing exactly what I wish and loving every minute of it. I've been going through some of the summer issues of my favorite food magazines. As usual, Everyday Food Magazine has caught my eye and I've been using some of their ideas to create little bits of wonderfulness. The following two recipes come from the July/August 2010 issue.

Stone Fruit Compote
~This is perfect for spreading on toast or topping yogurt~

• 2 1/4 cups (3/4 lbs) stone fruit such as peaches, nectarines, or plums
• 2 tbsp honey
• pinch of course salt
• 3 tbsp water
• a flavor combination such as 1 star anise and 2 allspice berries OR 1 small cinnamon stick and 1 wide strip of lemon zest (I used a sprinkling of ground cinnamon and the strip of lemon zest)

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until the fruit is soft (8-12 minutes).
2. Remove the lemon zest strip and/or cinnamon stick (if you used that flavor combination).
3. Transfer to a pint size jar and let cool (I used a canning jar). Once it's cool, you can put the lid on it and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks. This chunky spread can be put on toast with ricotta cheese or over some plain yogurt. I imagine it would be great over ice cream, too!

Couscous Salad with Black Beans, Mushrooms, and Corn
~This meat-less meal is filling and delicious~

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup Israeli couscous (you can use regular couscous or orzo pasta, too)
• course salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 lb sliced button or cremini mushrooms
• 1 small bunch scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
• 1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn)
• 1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 jalapeno (optional, but delicious in it) thinly sliced (I chopped it)
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add couscous and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fragrant (about 4 minutes).
2. Add 1 1/2 cups water, season with salt, and bring got a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender (about 15 minutes)
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and then transfer to a large bowl.
4. Add 1 tsp oil to the skillet and cook the scallion whites and corn, stirring occasionally, until scallions are soft and corn is browned (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and then add to the mushrooms.
5. Add couscous, black beans, lime juice, jalapeno (if using), and scallion greens to the mushroom mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve with avocado slices on top. (I actually added some crumbled tortilla chips on top and it was a the perfect salty companion to the salad)

For me, summer days are all about relaxing, enjoying the fresh produce of the season, and doing the things that I love. Cooking is definitely at the top of that list!

Two Sides to Breakfast

Last week I had to bring a casserole to a special breakfast we were having at school. I have limited experience with making breakfast casseroles other than my Crab and Roasted Red Pepper Strata.
My thoughts wandered back to a dish that my friend, Jen, made for a little get together we had. I remember eating one serving and then casually passing by the food table about 100 more times to keep getting more.
I wish I had gotten a picture of this dish last week, because they look so yummy! By the time I thought of taking a picture, they were practically gone!

Ham and Cheese Sticky Buns
~These are quite the crowd pleaser~

• 24 party size potato rolls
• 1/2 lb. sliced swiss cheese
• 1/2 lb. sliced ham
• 2 sticks (1cup) butter
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• 2 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbls. mustard
• 2Tbls.poppy seeds

1. Slice rolls in half and place bottoms in 9 by 13 baking pan.
2. Layer on cheese and ham and top with roll tops.
   
3. Melt butter in a saucepan and add sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and poppy seeds. Bring to a boiland let boil 2 minutes.
   
4. Immediately pour over rolls and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Can be made ahead and heated when ready to serve.

These sticky buns may be delicious, but they are not great if you are calorie counting. I was browsing my June 2010 edition of Everyday Food Magazine and saw this healthy twist on the traditional "Egg-in-a-hole", which is usually made by frying a slice of bread with an egg in the center. I made them for dinner tonight and we were delighted with the result!

Bell Pepper "Egg-in-a-hole"
~This took less than 10 minutes to make!~

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 bell pepper (any color), cut into four 1/2 inch thick rings
• 4 large eggs
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 tsp grated Parmesan (I actually shredded some sharp Cheddar instead)
• 4 slices multigrain bread, toasted
• 8 cups mixed salad greens (I scrapped this and make some home fries with a potato I had laying around)

1. In a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over medium-high.
2. Add bell pepper, then crack 1 egg into the middle of each pepper ring.
3. Season with salt and pepper and cook until egg whites are mostly set but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Gently flip and cook 1 minute more for over easy. Sprinkle with Parmesan (or Cheddar) and place each egg on a slice of toast (I put the eggs between two slices of toast to make a breakfast sandwich).
5. Toss salad greens with 1 tsp oil and season with salt and pepper, serve alongside eggs (like I said before, I didn't do this because I didn't have any greens...but I made some home fries instead).

Since I made this for dinner, we finished it off with some old fashioned oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that I made last night as a "Series Finale of LOST Special Treat". I found the recipe online at allrecipes.com

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
~These are my husband's favorite cookies~

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (I skipped these)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Breakfast for Two -- The Snowed-in Edition

This is what my car looked like when I got up this morning.


A few weeks ago, I got an email from someone I used to work with years ago. I remember her heating up her leftovers at lunch and thinking that she was somewhat of a domestic goddess. She was (and is) a great cook and I had yet to touch a raw chicken breast without ziploc bags on my hands. Time has passed and I've become so comfortable cooking that I would be fine juggling raw chicken now (which I actually can't do because I can't juggle...and it would be really weird to juggle raw meat). My friend has had an adorable little son and moved on to a different career.

Anyway, she knows that I cook now and was kind enough to send me a recipe that she was really excited about. She recently discovered the magic of a waffle iron and was searching for healthy waffle recipes. Waffles are typically not the most healthy breakfast choice, but she found a recipe that is both delicious and full of healthy ingredients.

I love my waffle iron.



While in the midst of this blizzard and I decided to try the recipe since I always have those ingredients on hand.

YUM! They smelled delicious, tasted wonderfully sweet, and were filling enough to eat all by themselves. My husband likes to think that eggs are a necessary component to any "special" breakfast and said he was going to make them. The waffles were ready so fast that he hadn't gotten the chance and admitted afterward that he was too full for eggs.

You can totally make this ahead of time, pop it in the fridge, and make a waffle or two when you're ready. Why, hello, tomorrow's breakfast:


Without further ado...

Whole Grain Waffles
~Fast, east, and delicious~

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 cup whole wheat and 3/4 cup all-purpose)
• 3/4 cup rolled oats (a.k.a. "old fashioned" oats)
• 1/4 firmly packed light brown sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder (I forgot to type this when I first posted this recipe! Sorry!!)
  
• 2 tbsp wheat germ (my friend used ground flax seed)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (this made the recipe, in my opinion)
• Pinch fine salt (I used Kosher and it was fine)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 walnut or peanut oil (I used peanut, my friend used unsweetened applesauce)
• Maple Syrup (I had some from Vermont that a student had given me for Christmas...yum

1. Preheat a waffle iron to medium-high (mine just preheats without any temperature levels.
2. Whisk the flour with the oats, sugar, wheat germ, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In another medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then add the milk, butter, and oil. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, to m ake a batter. Take care not to over work the batter, it's fine if there are a few lumps.
4. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter per waffle (it depends on the size of your waffle iron) and cook until the outside of the waffle is crisp and inside is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. (The time varies depending on the size and spread of the waffle iron) Serve warm with maple syrup. Repeat with remaining batter.

If you live anywhere in the mid-Atlantic...be safe and enjoy the snow!

The Most Forgotten Meal of the Day

Even though everyone says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, there are so many people who skip it. I always eat breakfast (unless I sleep in until 10:00 while on winter break...then I eat lunchfast). Usually, it's not a lot but I always try to eat something.

I know that eating isn't exactly the first thing you want to do when you wake up, but it's so important to get your body going in the morning. It's like putting fuel in your body to get you cruising until lunchtime. It also tells your body that you are planning to eat today and it can burn up what's in your belly, instead of hang on to it for dear life. I don't often feel well in the morning, but I feel even worse when I don't eat anything.

I'm not a morning person at all...so please don't picture me flipping pancakes and making omelets in the morning while whistling a cheerful tune. Picture me pressing snooze three times and then whimpering under the covers until my husband finally succeeds in convincing me to get up and go to work. So, needless to say, I need something quick and easy in the morning.

I almost always combine some sort of fruit with some sort of bread. Sometimes it's a banana and an English muffin with a bit of butter and honey on it. Sometimes it's apple slices and a piece of toast with raspberry jam. This morning I tried something different and absolutely loved it!

I got the idea from Everyday Food Magazine and tweaked it a bit.

First I bought some of this: Then I got these things out:

I toasted up a slice of bread and then spread the plain Greek yogurt on it. I added a heaping teaspoon of honey and some chopped walnuts. Wow! The creamy tangy flavor of the yogurt was sweetened by the honey and the nuts added a nutritious crunch. Everyday Food Magazine suggests adding pistachios, but I didn't have any on hand. I drank a few sips of orange juice and then got my coffee to head off to work.

This quick little breakfast idea is healthy, filling, and delicious. It kept me going all morning long until I got out my delicious soup for lunch. More on the soup in a future post! :)