tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29981489663549383592024-02-20T05:11:28.074-08:00Not THAT Mrs Smith - love, laughter, and happiness from my kitchen to yoursAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-12437991529954323252014-06-19T12:19:00.002-07:002014-06-19T14:00:06.496-07:00Sweet Berry Jam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's strawberry season! This is probably one of my most favorite times of the year. June is, after all, my favorite month, mainly due to my birthday being here. But also, it's the month of the year where I really start seeing my garden take off, my peas start producing like crazy, and strawberries are in full swing. We have a wonderful farm nearby that offers pick your own berries in addition to a beautiful farmer's market full of their homegrown produce and other locally grown crops. So, off we went (with only moderate protesting from my husband) to pick berries. And pick we did! We came home with 12 quarts of beautiful berries that I declared "tasted like sunshine and happiness". So, what to do with all these berries? After making a strawberry pie and some home made strawberry lemonade, I got down to what I really picked these for: jam, of course! <br />
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Last year I made 31 jars of strawberry jam. It was actually my first attempt at jam making and was a great success. I gave many jars away, and each time one walked out the door I could see my husband taking mental inventory of his stash. But, thankfully he got through the winter without running out, with 4 jars left to spare.<br />
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Last year, when I made my jam, I used regular pectin and LOTS of sugar. It was also a much chunkier, looser jam. This year, I switched it up a little and used the low sugar pectin, which allows me to play with my sugar content a little more. See, when I eat jam, I like it to taste like sweetened fruit, not fruit flavored sugar. And making your own is easy, I promise! I was in my kitchen for a total of 2 hours star to finish. So, here's what you need for:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Easy Strawberry Jam</i></b></span><br />
<b>Equipment</b><br />
Large pot with canning rack for processing<br />
Canning tongs<br />
Funnel<br />
Jelly jars with lids and rings<br />
Large stock pot<br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Important canning note:</b> If you already have jars, great! You're one step ahead of the game! However, if those jars have lids and they have been used THROW THEM OUT AND GET NEW ONES! You can find them in the grocery store for a couple bucks per dozen. The jars and the rings can be reused, but used lids will affect the seal when you process, ie: your food won't keep. Canning is fun, but canning safely is of utmost importance. It keeps you from getting foodborne illness and wasting time, money and effort on a bad run. OK, now that that's out of the way....</i><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
8 qts of strawberries<br />
24 Tbsp powdered pectin, for low or no sugar recipes<br />
5 c sugar (you can add more or less depending on you taste)<br />
<u>Note:</u><i> some recipes call for lemon juice. I did not use any. With some fruits it is necessary to maintain acidity so that it will not harbor harmful bacteria even after canning. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, strawberries don't need it. <a href="http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_07/strawberry_jam_powder.html">You can see their recipe here.</a></i><br />
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Put about 6 to 8 inches of water in your pot. You want enough so that when your jars are in the water they are completely submerged with about an inch of water over the top of the jars. Turn on the heat and place clean jars (making sure they are free of chips and cracks first) into the pot. Some say this is necessary for sterilizing, others say that boiling the jar and contents is enough to sterilize the jars. Either way, pouring hot liquid into a cool jar will crack it. (Trust me. I may or may not have done that once...). Usually when I do this step, my husband makes a smart ass remark like "Oh, glass water! My favorite!". His wit is why I married him....<br />
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Now, to wash and hull your strawberries. This is honestly the most time consuming part. Rinse the strawberries, getting all dirt and debris off of them. Then simply remove the tops, and throw them (the berries, not the tops) in your big pot. My secret strawberry hulling <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhzL8NHgiwztrnnq2v6uGMMs3sfQYlGEToBo8V19kziLxNqvZLXeUbcwuLoZMB1r2EhHoKzRtmCnn6RHLSHRrBqfLfYiXTDvgFsUcAEfqopwzgxlhh-cqNTCUtKJL1EXfVv-NwjVFw8I/s1600/20140618_130249" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhzL8NHgiwztrnnq2v6uGMMs3sfQYlGEToBo8V19kziLxNqvZLXeUbcwuLoZMB1r2EhHoKzRtmCnn6RHLSHRrBqfLfYiXTDvgFsUcAEfqopwzgxlhh-cqNTCUtKJL1EXfVv-NwjVFw8I/s1600/20140618_130249" height="200" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forget knives! This<br />
Does the trick!</td></tr>
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device? A teaspoon! I have found that a simple teaspoon dug down into the top plucks them out quickly and easily, with very little waste. <br />
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Once you are all cleaned and hulled, I add just a smidgen of water (like 1/4 cup) and start them on medium heat to get the juices flowing. I take a wooden spoon and just stir and mash and break them up until they really start cooking down and getting really juicy. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stick blender =<br />
Best thing EVER!</td></tr>
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Once the strawberries are soft, I use a stick blender to get them smooth. You can leave them a little chunkier if you want. Then turn your heat up on high to get them to a rolling boil that can't be broken by stirring. Add the pectin, stirring constantly. Add your sugar and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.<br />
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Now that your jam is made, use your tongs to remove jars from water. (It should be boiling at this point). Using your funnel, ladle hot jam into hot jars. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you can find a canning funnel - get one! Makes<br />
things so easy!</td></tr>
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Take a wet paper towel and wipe the rims of the jars clean. Place a lid and ring on each jar, turning the rings until their finger tight. Place jars into water bath, cover, and boil for 15 minutes. You may have to do this in a couple batches depending on the size of your canning pot.<br />
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After time is up, carefully remove the lid and remove the jars and place on a tea towel. Let them sit, undisturbed until completely cool. Then, once they are cool, remove the rings, and gently press down on the center of the can. If it pops in and out, then it did not seal. If you don't feel it popping, it's good! Any jars that didn't seal can be put into the refrigerator and eaten first. <br />
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And that's it! Easy strawberry jam. Probably the easiest way to preserve the berries from this too short season. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-32490854617793231672014-06-16T13:11:00.000-07:002014-06-16T13:13:37.209-07:00Brace yourselves.....blog posts are coming!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a super busy time here at the Smith household. I know, I know. It pretty much feels like I dropped off the face of the earth, but, alas, I have not forgotten about my awesome little blog (or my readers!). My only excuses are holidays, work, family, and just life in general. Not to mention, it has been planting season here in good old PA, which has kept me pretty much occupied in every spare moment I have (which isn't many since I work weird hours.... Hopefully that'll be remedied by the beginning of the year!). This year we have constructed flower beds (veggies need their pollinators! Come on, bees!), expanded our garden plot to an 11 x 16 ft patch, maintained our approximately 1 1/2 x 20 ft pepper patch, built a compost bin (Guess who got power tools here for Christmas? Hint: not my husband!), installed a stone path, mulched, installed a pole and bird feeder, maintained overflow in porch containers....I'm tired just thinking about it! But the good news is, we have the most amazing, prolific patch of plant heaven right outside of our back door! Well, except for the pesky groundhogs. I won't lie - after losing 3 heads of beautiful romaine lettuces and 4 cauliflowers, I felt pretty defeated. But, it appears to be under control (for now.....), so we are having our first harvests of lettuce, kale, peas, cauliflower, spinach, and radishes. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnKnjwX2bWBzX7GIISNDVhZvtU4YfQ3ENaqWLEUxUPKZleic5_3qRy-raKRzW6inR2fG2MGxlVRrpqU-HbaERZSU-jP-GC16FlGEUsd5-f_1D4fMb-c4LjQeIckPwKV6-YBilFn12j8I/s1600/IMG_171636247654113.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnKnjwX2bWBzX7GIISNDVhZvtU4YfQ3ENaqWLEUxUPKZleic5_3qRy-raKRzW6inR2fG2MGxlVRrpqU-HbaERZSU-jP-GC16FlGEUsd5-f_1D4fMb-c4LjQeIckPwKV6-YBilFn12j8I/s1600/IMG_171636247654113.jpeg" height="200" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rows of tomatoes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7UHqxAilK0GqF8PIWBQ3TM8-H6zicOxsS7RfEGfSDg-Dg09YvLHuuvols8aJ3s7z8dppjR626l9P70kRm5AO94jrcBZ8mCShqJY5TFmLxa-TwPMqW_whFgIthkrAdvelr7lkF_SF7D8/s1600/IMG_171699061649477.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7UHqxAilK0GqF8PIWBQ3TM8-H6zicOxsS7RfEGfSDg-Dg09YvLHuuvols8aJ3s7z8dppjR626l9P70kRm5AO94jrcBZ8mCShqJY5TFmLxa-TwPMqW_whFgIthkrAdvelr7lkF_SF7D8/s1600/IMG_171699061649477.jpeg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at those peas!</td></tr>
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So.... I'm now feeling the need to share my list of crops. I used a modified version of the square foot gardening method. Modified because I don't use raised beds, but I am using the guidelines for number of plants per square foot. It seems to be working well! Everyone is happy and healthy and producing well. I also experimented with carrots in a deep container, and so far, so good! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPs0HfzQVwdOpaG4hUugXmrSBIdK-S_EAyKvbJwLS9bogxoeA0oJxnfi8wLJFfMY8u9NSt_wN0k6SYfJYmqOSYY37VsZKlnTiAzJEXttJtthYLrIEIcFw_0bPvtuG08ZL9pjECwdNVLU/s1600/IMG_171617511020812.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPs0HfzQVwdOpaG4hUugXmrSBIdK-S_EAyKvbJwLS9bogxoeA0oJxnfi8wLJFfMY8u9NSt_wN0k6SYfJYmqOSYY37VsZKlnTiAzJEXttJtthYLrIEIcFw_0bPvtuG08ZL9pjECwdNVLU/s1600/IMG_171617511020812.jpeg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Container carrots</td></tr>
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Without further ado, are you ready for the list? (You know you are!)<br />
<br />
(Grown vertically on PVC trellises)<br />
Peas<br />
Watermelon<br />
Cantaloupe<br />
Pole beans<br />
Pickling Cucumbers<br />
Regular cucumbers<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(Main garden)<br />
Potatoes<br />
Eggplant<br />
Tomatoes (31 plants, 8 varieties)<br />
Onions<br />
Shallots<br />
Tomatillos<br />
Sweet peppers<br />
Cauliflower<br />
Cabbage<br />
Kale<br />
Carrots<br />
Beets<br />
Yellow summer squash<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kvtvhUwCTc80bEGuzcd2qYY9NEg6B1q9VEMhHx5zc82xKtehFDv2whhLJrEWM_NwvKGqJ5Dg0lZqc2Jd80KWQjHPWhKFSVdodlhf9CXWtZhCcWHXLHxmMxWFk3msB78wGu5GBrseN6s/s1600/IMG_171608250400696.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kvtvhUwCTc80bEGuzcd2qYY9NEg6B1q9VEMhHx5zc82xKtehFDv2whhLJrEWM_NwvKGqJ5Dg0lZqc2Jd80KWQjHPWhKFSVdodlhf9CXWtZhCcWHXLHxmMxWFk3msB78wGu5GBrseN6s/s1600/IMG_171608250400696.jpeg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zucchini, tomatoes, sweet peppers,<br />
eggplant, and potatoes. </td></tr>
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Zucchini<br />
<br />
(Pepper bed)<br />
Habaneros<br />
JalapeƱos<br />
Cayennes<br />
Hot cherries<br />
Sweet cherries<br />
Serranos<br />
Poblanos<br />
Hungarian wax<br />
Tobasco<br />
Scotch bonnets<br />
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I also am experimenting with a shaded lettuce garden, container carrots, and did my radishes in containers as well, which worked<br />
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amazingly! And, of course, my herb garden. Whew! I think that's it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI25L0m_54eRrj6ftTQLGY_XUroeXamOeDePTkJkkZ2a3ug6AycTo-d6ody9mK2xG1RNtqRdF9QMzdx1rQkssoJEYGCuYDxiL-x6lZfzoO8a7Axh_GffLy2hOH3iW__E2roZwyz0L7kAw/s1600/IMG_171594033237610.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI25L0m_54eRrj6ftTQLGY_XUroeXamOeDePTkJkkZ2a3ug6AycTo-d6ody9mK2xG1RNtqRdF9QMzdx1rQkssoJEYGCuYDxiL-x6lZfzoO8a7Axh_GffLy2hOH3iW__E2roZwyz0L7kAw/s1600/IMG_171594033237610.jpeg" height="200" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabbage, anyone? </td></tr>
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But all this amazing produce has me in the mood to cook.... And to share! So, brace yourselves.... Posts are coming!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-22948973030182034902013-10-27T21:05:00.000-07:002013-10-27T21:09:17.097-07:00Feeling CrabbyAlright, folks, I feel I need to come clean. I know in previous posts I have declared things my "favorite thing ever". And it's true that they ARE in fact among my favorite things ever. Peanut butter, chocolate, apple pie, a really good burger, bleu cheese, fountain sodas, coffee - these are all things that if stranded on an island I would really really miss. But here is where I tell you what I hold as my favorite thing ever. Seriously. Are you ready for it? <br />
<br />
IT'S CRAB!<br />
<br />
Something you should know about me - I am allergic to oysters. I found that out the hard way when I used to waitress at Red Lobster and tried oysters for the very first time. Within 15 minutes I was covered in hives. Same thing happens with clams. Lucky for me, though, I only have issues with the mollusks, but crustaceans are still OK. A couple months ago I had a small scare and thought that my days with crustaceans were over, but it turns out it was a false alarm. This would have crushed me! In my world, nothing, and I mean NOTHING beats the sweet and delicate flavor that you can only get from crab. Now most people see lobster as the pinnacle of seafood and I get it, really I do. A perfectly prepared lobster is hard to beat for sure. But if given the choice between a lobster tail and a crab leg, I will choose the crab, hands down. So last night when we were at the store doing our weekly shopping and my hubby asked me frequently asked question "what's for dinner?", I got an idea. <br />
I try to make at least one really special meal a week. That's not to say that it's always expensive or super fancy, but something that I don't have time during the work week to pull off, especially since I work until 11 pm. Sometimes it's a pot roast, sometimes pork and sauerkraut, sometimes a roasted chicken with all the trimmings. One of his favorites (and one that I will blog the next time I make it) is pan seared pork chops with a creamy garlic, tarragon, and white wine sauce. Sometimes it's themed: Asian, German, and Indian have all had their nights here. Tonight was quasi-Mexican with Chalupas and caramel apple empanadas. (Some weeks he gets two special meals!). But I've gotten off track......<br />
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My idea yesterday came while standing at the meat counter at our local grocery store. I decided New York strip steaks were in order. After all, this was the first weekend in a month that we were able to stay home and just relax. While waiting for them to cut me a couple thick steaks (go big or go home!) I glanced to the left and saw the seafood. And then I saw the cans of crab meat. And then my version of surf and turf seemed like the best idea in the world! <br />
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There was one problem - never in my life have I made a crab cake! And I'm SUPER picky about my crab cakes. This is one of those instances where I sat back and asked myself "what do I KNOW?". Well, I know lemon and parsley are good with seafood. I know there is mayonnaise and breadcrumbs in crab cakes to bind them. I know that crab is delicate and easily overpowered. And I HATE crab cakes with too much filler. What's the point? I know just a hint of heat elevates them to the next level. And most importantly, I know a good crab cake should be able to stand on its own. No tartar sauce, no cocktail sauce, maybe a dash of lemon. But they should be flavorful enough that they aren't boring, but balanced enough that the crab shines through. Then, I went with my instincts and created these super simple crab cakes. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuzRHd7KjhIwbc6aB1Nxvgfw0SNfmE53Q1HMc1vAAFn6MckTHMkpKYeZqBwksbmEM2NvO-oP3denibbf9QAee-VNWE7bnXV4MIBkLAKMhrHQYrDBekznm6BS2Ce3LcLL1eK_572naN9I/s1600/crab+cake+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuzRHd7KjhIwbc6aB1Nxvgfw0SNfmE53Q1HMc1vAAFn6MckTHMkpKYeZqBwksbmEM2NvO-oP3denibbf9QAee-VNWE7bnXV4MIBkLAKMhrHQYrDBekznm6BS2Ce3LcLL1eK_572naN9I/s400/crab+cake+1.jpg" width="400" /></a><b>Simple Crab Cakes</b><br />
1 lb back fin crab meat (I used a good quality can from the seafood counter at my local grocery store)<br />
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped fine<br />
1 tsp onion powder<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper<br />
4 tsp lemon juice<br />
1/3 c plain bread crumbs<br />
2/3 c mayonnaise<br />
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3 Tbsp butter (for cooking)<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>Special tools:</i></div>
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<i>A round cookie cutter (optional)</i></div>
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Makes 8 crab cakes</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLgLWxCzFB-qN0V6DS75uXKUbBad1B_X9BZzSPL6HhL2bpJymOSuU4vP_osao22V7SwJk__B7Of7ESvgfBP-6L2tPZk7oITmw6BCUUvZykJkXAPNW2Xtd555rVugiqg-FMNzoBwQteNPk/s1600/20131026_183133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLgLWxCzFB-qN0V6DS75uXKUbBad1B_X9BZzSPL6HhL2bpJymOSuU4vP_osao22V7SwJk__B7Of7ESvgfBP-6L2tPZk7oITmw6BCUUvZykJkXAPNW2Xtd555rVugiqg-FMNzoBwQteNPk/s200/20131026_183133.jpg" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crab mixture</td></tr>
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Mixing the ingredients is E-A-S-Y. Seriously. You ready? Dump all of the above things (except the butter) in a bowl and gently mix with your fingers. There's no order, no wrong way to do it. When it's all mixed together it kind of reminds me of a tuna salad consistency.<br />
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Cover bowl and set in the refrigerator for an hour. I think it helps everything to blend well and the crab cakes to bind together. Honestly, I can't really tell you why. I just know that every time I've seen a recipe for any kind of "cake" (salmon, tuna, risotto), part of the directions have included letting the mixture set for an hour or two. And every time I've skipped that step, my salmon/tuna/risotto cakes have crumbled into a mess. So just do this. You'll thank me later.<br />
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Get a round cookie cutter and set on a plate. Pack crab meat mixture into the cookie cutter and press down so it holds form. Then, simply lift the cookie cutter, and you have the most beautiful, perfect crab cake you've ever seen! Repeat until all the crab mixture is used up. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAA55bH2zMwQJ4wqG8l_EwEHs0mcDoDCRXRTROVAIWAvo_1beuBSyBaPWQVxcCTs6ey_XHnAielcB0TlJNCu3DP7XyxaKzptydrxQcSMmuGdmxK_eNy9p6CN6gz0p62Vm_Vl9Dj8XGcUI/s1600/crabcake2PicsArt_1382932076961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAA55bH2zMwQJ4wqG8l_EwEHs0mcDoDCRXRTROVAIWAvo_1beuBSyBaPWQVxcCTs6ey_XHnAielcB0TlJNCu3DP7XyxaKzptydrxQcSMmuGdmxK_eNy9p6CN6gz0p62Vm_Vl9Dj8XGcUI/s400/crabcake2PicsArt_1382932076961.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy as 1-2-3!</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEnpK4i86DYgOsGRwFXbgkpHcA6kDVyb1-rZL-qQdRK5oEERdD8IAVAl58XsMKEHRCdhM3wGM94IQaHUpb7SoNFJhLcdcBfD_UmFYW-fL9voY3wZgZ3Q0XU-oYvDWcgtrVwvGps7ZMYs/s1600/20131026_193046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEnpK4i86DYgOsGRwFXbgkpHcA6kDVyb1-rZL-qQdRK5oEERdD8IAVAl58XsMKEHRCdhM3wGM94IQaHUpb7SoNFJhLcdcBfD_UmFYW-fL9voY3wZgZ3Q0XU-oYvDWcgtrVwvGps7ZMYs/s200/20131026_193046.jpg" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost there.....</td></tr>
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Heat pan with butter over medium heat. Don't make your heat to high, because butter browns (and burns!) really quickly. I went a little over medium heat on mine and they got a bit brown for my liking. Still GOOD, I was just going for a bit more golden than brown.<br />
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Cook on each side 2 - 3 minutes. <br />
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Serve with a lemon wedge or on its own. (OK, OK, I GUESS if you are insistent, tartar sauce too. But I'm telling you....totally not necessary). <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6aN0eT80CXv4RkueRjGO5Iz4PyDdLW7QsYYClzPh956H5SXeTzVwYzTu0dW-Bi_kPhvcmp-BgNetXgAnpiDExO362EyGKB1sy9T3gzeC523wtcv2vYQ1arJg2SBDUjZDAXFKp0BR9rM/s1600/20131026_194828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6aN0eT80CXv4RkueRjGO5Iz4PyDdLW7QsYYClzPh956H5SXeTzVwYzTu0dW-Bi_kPhvcmp-BgNetXgAnpiDExO362EyGKB1sy9T3gzeC523wtcv2vYQ1arJg2SBDUjZDAXFKp0BR9rM/s320/20131026_194828.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy!</td></tr>
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See what I mean about them being a little more brown than I would have liked? Nonetheless - they turned out crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Best of all, the seasoning did not overpower the crab, yet they were not at all bland! Hope you enjoy!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-86187452934626312482013-10-20T22:14:00.002-07:002013-10-20T22:15:14.167-07:00Pumpkin loveIt seems I've been a bit lax lately with the posts. October has been a super busy month for us! Between working a full time job and all of our social engagements on weekends (parties, weddings, more parties), I have found it hard to find the time to create and write. Yesterday, we had a small gathering with friends to go to. I was told I could bring something if I wanted to. Really? Of COURSE I want to! It's what I do! And seeing as this gathering was a Halloween party, what better way to get in the spirit of the season than with pumpkin!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Now, pumpkin rolls are one of my favorite things in the world. But I really didn't feel like baking and cooling and spreading and rolling, not to mention finger food is much more manageable at a party. This made me create my own version - Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting. All the taste of a pumpkin roll without all the hassle. And it's finger food! These are wonderful for a party, a dinner, or just because. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-kVZlDkm_fo21Soff1z0h94r9JtektfqmX8HaqYmsZMj6JacjEXM5334fWxd_Ynnu4bLMPQMYaNot8CzHCl6h2ESf6rK-bf6BB1hYSi46Mu8RAZhyphenhyphen6BLb0o1aKHhgFOdgLqmGhthUvE/s1600/pumpkin+cupcake+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-kVZlDkm_fo21Soff1z0h94r9JtektfqmX8HaqYmsZMj6JacjEXM5334fWxd_Ynnu4bLMPQMYaNot8CzHCl6h2ESf6rK-bf6BB1hYSi46Mu8RAZhyphenhyphen6BLb0o1aKHhgFOdgLqmGhthUvE/s640/pumpkin+cupcake+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<b>Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting</b><div>
<i>For the cupcakes:</i></div>
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1 c canola oil</div>
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1 c packed brown sugar</div>
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1 c white sugar</div>
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3 extra large or 4 large eggs</div>
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2 c pumpkin puree</div>
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2 1/4 c all purpose flour</div>
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1 tsp baking soda</div>
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1 1/2 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/4 tsp salt</div>
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2 tsp ground cinnamon</div>
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1 tsp ground ginger</div>
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1/2 tsp ground nutmeg</div>
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1/4 tsp ground cloves</div>
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<i>For the icing:</i></div>
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1 stick of butter, room temperature</div>
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1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature</div>
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1 1/2 pounds of powdered sugar</div>
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1 - 3 Tbsp milk</div>
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This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes</div>
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<i>Tools needed:</i></div>
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<i>Cupcake pans</i></div>
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<i>Cupcake liners</i></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxCif8El_JdDMCCvqvY0gfi8_Gmv2bl3AcrV4IrshtL47ftQZEK6-iXkfqwywuoUvjHmnhtM75IG4bg6T6GZKc3X-EvlgxCnr_RlIFH6rEncdYMweFPdPR5mhs-oxOwqfh2dlZE4nQmY/s1600/20131019_131156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxCif8El_JdDMCCvqvY0gfi8_Gmv2bl3AcrV4IrshtL47ftQZEK6-iXkfqwywuoUvjHmnhtM75IG4bg6T6GZKc3X-EvlgxCnr_RlIFH6rEncdYMweFPdPR5mhs-oxOwqfh2dlZE4nQmY/s200/20131019_131156.jpg" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh Pumpkin Puree. Such a<br />pretty color!</td></tr>
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Note: I used fresh pumpkin puree that I made by roasting a pumpkin, peeling and seeding it, and running it through a food processor. Canned pumpkin may be used in its place. If you decide to use canned, make sure it is just pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. </div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. </div>
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Place oil, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs and vanilla into a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. </div>
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Whisk in the pumpkin puree, and beat until mixture is smooth. </div>
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In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until combined. </div>
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Add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix on medium for 2 - 3 minutes. </div>
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Place liners in cupcake pans, and fill with batter about halfway. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosHAQoX60lwwC5XHBT0ugVRZtTZeHbEY5X7k34gfYZ9J1llHXS-vH7rMoCzFvzyfFuTQkRBfvaiJ1w2Dc6rNYAa4PStaEfs7zJG_t3Yl0zFOR0kQisJtq0CwJQzfm3Swe5NaEndqCwH0/s1600/20131019_133345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosHAQoX60lwwC5XHBT0ugVRZtTZeHbEY5X7k34gfYZ9J1llHXS-vH7rMoCzFvzyfFuTQkRBfvaiJ1w2Dc6rNYAa4PStaEfs7zJG_t3Yl0zFOR0kQisJtq0CwJQzfm3Swe5NaEndqCwH0/s200/20131019_133345.jpg" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like this! </td></tr>
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Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for about 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool the rest of the way on a wire cooling rack. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQpM0urxVisjE_E8B9GByaKa8tZLXi4IKwPHwH4kKDMNQlSRRHwcXjT7bKEnsodLl18p8OkQKGgA-ijIvrqDFMcIByk-THaCfOnVlSzIrpZtnjLYcvJ52flovb5aZQu-aD1oam7Pkmmk/s1600/20131020_134520_Richtone%2528HDR%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQpM0urxVisjE_E8B9GByaKa8tZLXi4IKwPHwH4kKDMNQlSRRHwcXjT7bKEnsodLl18p8OkQKGgA-ijIvrqDFMcIByk-THaCfOnVlSzIrpZtnjLYcvJ52flovb5aZQu-aD1oam7Pkmmk/s320/20131020_134520_Richtone%2528HDR%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You KNOW you want to eat these!</td></tr>
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While the cupcakes are cooling, make the icing. Combine butter and cream cheese in a bowl and beat until fluffy. </div>
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Add powdered sugar slowly in batches. The icing will be very thick and crumbly. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the icing reaches the desired consistency. </div>
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Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe onto cupcakes. </div>
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I didn't even have the lid off the container for 30 seconds before the first one disappeared. And my hubby confessed to me that he's eaten about 5 between yesterday and today. So, yeah, they're that good! I promise, these will not disappoint.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-88083360959140296972013-10-07T21:46:00.003-07:002013-10-07T21:47:20.730-07:00Better with Chocolate!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have a theory. I'm not sure if it's a sound theory, but I do spend a lot of time trying to prove it. What is this theory, you might ask? Well, I pretty much think that there is no problem in this world that chocolate can't solve. Or at least make you feel slightly better about. And if you don't have any problems? Then you should definitely celebrate your problem free existence with some chocolate. I would say that it is on my list of the world's most perfect foods (right up there with apple pie, crab, and peanut butter). And besides - it's high in antioxidants, so I'm practically doing my body a favor! At least that's what I'm telling myself.....</div>
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I've been noticing a trend lately of flourless chocolate cakes. I know, I know. The increase in recipes for these cakes is probably due to the gluten free necessity of a lot of people, and the low carb demands of others. But I see flourless chocolate cake, and all I can think is "how rich is THAT?". That's like chocolate overload, without the pesky filler. I'm in! But, of course, I couldn't stop there.</div>
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Here is my other obsession - cheesecake. I. Love. Cheesecake. If there is no chocolate or cheesecake involved I call it a "dessert tease". Sure, it appeases your sweet tooth, but if I'm going to eat dessert, I want decadence. So I figured, why not a flourless chocolate cake with a cheesecake layer? (Genius, I say!). So, off to the kitchen I went to make this decadent dessert adventure happen. (Warning: this is not for the faint of heart or diet conscious. The mere amount of butter is enough to send Paula Deen into a happy fit, y'all.) </div>
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<b>Flourless Chocolate Tuxedo Cake</b></div>
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<i>For the crust:</i></div>
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2 c chocolate graham cracker crumbs</div>
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1 stick of butter, melted</div>
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1 Tbsp sugar</div>
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<i>For the cheesecake:</i></div>
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8 oz cream cheese, softened</div>
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1/3 c sugar</div>
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1 egg</div>
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1/2 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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<i>For the chocolate cake:</i></div>
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1 stick of butter</div>
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8 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped roughly</div>
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1 Tbsp vanilla extract</div>
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5 eggs, separated</div>
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1/2 c sugar</div>
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<i>Tools needed: </i></div>
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<i>Springform pan (9")</i></div>
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As always, start by preheating</div>
your oven to 350 degrees.<br />
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Place graham crackers in a food processor and grind to a fine crumb. Add melted butter and sugar and mix well. Press buttery, graham crackery goodness into the bottom of your spring form pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes to set. Remove from oven and allow to cool. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghC4wctxexsiasNzSSCkdGGh5kxydkUp9H2Ml7_fuOLH-wPUKgKsY4k13Lo4dgNi84diY0QwiwEzG45NJIrbETzbKMcI6KBPVOaTMdvT0g3IcWDUa7yhYFa1tZRkOqViBGPHb_loHQrjo/s1600/20130928_191121-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghC4wctxexsiasNzSSCkdGGh5kxydkUp9H2Ml7_fuOLH-wPUKgKsY4k13Lo4dgNi84diY0QwiwEzG45NJIrbETzbKMcI6KBPVOaTMdvT0g3IcWDUa7yhYFa1tZRkOqViBGPHb_loHQrjo/s200/20130928_191121-1.jpg" width="200" /></a>Once your crust is out of the oven, it's time to start that cheesecake! In your mixer, place cream cheese and sugar, and beat on medium until well combined and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla, and continue mixing until everything is incorporated and smooth. Be sure to scrape down the sides and scrape up the bottom of the bowl so that you don't get chunks of cream cheese that haven't been incorporated. Now, take that velvety cheesecake and pour into the middle of your cooled crust, spreading outwards towards the edge leaving about a half inch of space between the cheesecake and the sides of the pan. Set this aside while you build the chocolate layer. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRnmuY3pWpb7lSNE-LGY8Jf_91eJB08PJuhNfRm_Sx5yryqs1eU_hu3iLRCGVbJ2ED6kWu8yZcQoPGg22jMBcVp1ErBOxCesaBVSW_-F8fuZSMd64CU_HIUZstuZQbGV60Tsi-9Cj0JE/s1600/20130928_190857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRnmuY3pWpb7lSNE-LGY8Jf_91eJB08PJuhNfRm_Sx5yryqs1eU_hu3iLRCGVbJ2ED6kWu8yZcQoPGg22jMBcVp1ErBOxCesaBVSW_-F8fuZSMd64CU_HIUZstuZQbGV60Tsi-9Cj0JE/s320/20130928_190857.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a>I'm not going to lie: this part is FUN! You get to employ many baking techniques here, and, of course, I will have pictures. (Did you expect anything less?) First, place a sauce pan on medium heat and plop a stick of butter into it. Once that butter is melted, reduce heat to low and add your chopped chocolate. Once the chocolate starts melting, remove pan from heat and keep stirring to melt the rest of the way. <b>Here's an important tip - make sure the spoon you are going to use to stir the chocolate is completely dry. Make sure your pan is completely dry. Make sure if you've washed your hands, they are completely dry. </b>I cannot stress this enough. The problem with chocolate is that it is temperamental. If you get water in your chocolate, it will seize up. If you heat it too high, it will seize up. And once that happens, you're done. There's no coming back. I know this from experience. You will have a lumpy, curdled looking brown mess on your hands, and no one wants that! You want a velvety smooth chocolate/butter mixture. And if you are patient and pay attention and keep stirring, that is exactly what you will have. Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, set aside to cool a little while you go on to your next step. </div>
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Get out your five eggs. These need to be separated. I do this by grabbing two bowls and my mixing bowl. The easiest way I have found to separate an egg is to crack it into your hand, then slightly separate your fingers to let the whites run through into the bowl. I then place the yolk in the other bowl, then dump the white into my mixing bowl. Repeat this four more times. I always put each egg white into the mixing bowl so I have an empty bowl each time I crack and separate. There is nothing more frustrating to me than getting four eggs in and having a bit of yolk drip into your pristine egg whites. This will mess up your meringue. Again, I know this from experience. This way you know if you break one yolk, you're wasting ONE egg, not multiple eggs. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cLLrJNnUdHZq8de-pTMqkbeM_taBOwSBNB84VQ_C63yjZTOB_Ld5E3Nd3D8Meox2RIabeC9V5gKYD2i9mcsMXCq1gbLEtI4lU7ADRGtwepD8SvJHnSsGjKxh4MrnFvIaaKg9jV8Brhs/s1600/PicsArt_1380429538945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cLLrJNnUdHZq8de-pTMqkbeM_taBOwSBNB84VQ_C63yjZTOB_Ld5E3Nd3D8Meox2RIabeC9V5gKYD2i9mcsMXCq1gbLEtI4lU7ADRGtwepD8SvJHnSsGjKxh4MrnFvIaaKg9jV8Brhs/s640/PicsArt_1380429538945.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Separating eggs can be easy....I promise!</td></tr>
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Once all your eggs are separated, set aside the mixing bowl full of egg white, and dump the yolks into a large mixing bowl. Whisk the yolks, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Now, add the chocolate. Because the chocolate is still slightly hot, you need to temper it. If you were to dump the warm chocolate into the egg mixture, you'd get chocolate scrambled eggs. (EW!). So, take a scoop full of chocolate (I usually just use a dry measuring cup), and pour into chocolate mixture while stirring constantly. This will cool down the chocolate mixture. You can do this a couple times to be safe, then pour the cooled down chocolate mixture into the remaining egg mixture in your mixing bowl. Stir until well combined and set aside. </div>
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Now,we make meringue. I know, this all sounds pretty complicated, but I promise it's not! Just breathe....this will all be worth it in the end. Place the whisk attachment onto your mixer and whisk those egg whites! Same principle as making whipped cream. The aeration will stiffen up the whites and give you meringue. So, place your mixer as high as it will go, and watch the eggs go from liquid to a fluffy little egg cloud. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXn1KvBnI-HTu21hPG-3jTucW7gUM6um_YuBvMlp49xGl_ugJp6q-Xnh4WdrmJcMG1vWv6HMaiXxdWzJpnjGUaQ_Kl4aTeNhEcvVnakZz6iY0E8SQDlv4D5nU7xQUfb2Ia61CH2Ovx24/s1600/PicsArt_1380420730241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXn1KvBnI-HTu21hPG-3jTucW7gUM6um_YuBvMlp49xGl_ugJp6q-Xnh4WdrmJcMG1vWv6HMaiXxdWzJpnjGUaQ_Kl4aTeNhEcvVnakZz6iY0E8SQDlv4D5nU7xQUfb2Ia61CH2Ovx24/s400/PicsArt_1380420730241.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to believe that egg whites turn into THIS!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjd1Z0sVD83I5Zq0gEFPS5Whg9oteQG5R6iWr4ENUmhiKq9J2G8xfkynDwCFOrAKnvmiKSYjrzjEXVLrK9D-xTfmzG2k03oEQrkKDWdWOHIg9Poa19qIKLlW3buprdcxrZZj-HKNwOpLw/s1600/20130928_192455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjd1Z0sVD83I5Zq0gEFPS5Whg9oteQG5R6iWr4ENUmhiKq9J2G8xfkynDwCFOrAKnvmiKSYjrzjEXVLrK9D-xTfmzG2k03oEQrkKDWdWOHIg9Poa19qIKLlW3buprdcxrZZj-HKNwOpLw/s200/20130928_192455.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See how it almost looks fluffy?</td></tr>
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Once you have stiff peaks, it's time to add to the chocolate mixture. I took about a quarter of the egg white and just stirred it in the chocolate with a whisk. I then dumped the remaining egg whites into the chocolate, and with a rubber spatula, gently folded it in until well combined. Then carefully pour the chocolate on top of the cheesecake layer and spread evenly in the pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. You'll be able to tell that it's done by gently shaking the pan. If the outside is set and the center jiggles ever so slightly, you're good to go. <br />
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Once the cake is done baking, remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cakecools a bit, run a butter knife around the edge and gently remove the side of the pan. Allow to cool completely before serving. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3Oc3EK7jYLT9NYVMDrQ389eA-oU9-Zdcc64oji7kHisqUDSTyd9mDMADaQOeWGv3VJ5e0cahEQIs4P76TnGUikDpwy_GUZerVbUFaum_x1mLpuwxXIWOFRXpk5yo1rtS8JD8lRQT46k/s1600/20130929_001008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3Oc3EK7jYLT9NYVMDrQ389eA-oU9-Zdcc64oji7kHisqUDSTyd9mDMADaQOeWGv3VJ5e0cahEQIs4P76TnGUikDpwy_GUZerVbUFaum_x1mLpuwxXIWOFRXpk5yo1rtS8JD8lRQT46k/s200/20130929_001008.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh my!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfRexXgdWTCLCVmMlDWndtJ6tnoEfHd9GBQRI3AFxTLSK8TmRo8gGTjkejwRAAxikrONX8ACIs_byA1rHSOgHUTqcIzjC-SkNq07RxlViJUi0KLIu41kHfDNdRvfQu5EMBf1GlrB6h7c/s1600/20130929_001016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfRexXgdWTCLCVmMlDWndtJ6tnoEfHd9GBQRI3AFxTLSK8TmRo8gGTjkejwRAAxikrONX8ACIs_byA1rHSOgHUTqcIzjC-SkNq07RxlViJUi0KLIu41kHfDNdRvfQu5EMBf1GlrB6h7c/s400/20130929_001016.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWn8v4QyYyTX92Uf0i8kAqaRxOxcXpdcGaAVO3QBYu0_lsUHKIzBiG5-bcFe_wC72JVWHL8NAhfIw8GYhtjzAGzZXWpYKKzpsOJ75yuBvicm03xxNGfuz1GdUn_8hZ-w4g5gKp0SyotA/s1600/20130929_192005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWn8v4QyYyTX92Uf0i8kAqaRxOxcXpdcGaAVO3QBYu0_lsUHKIzBiG5-bcFe_wC72JVWHL8NAhfIw8GYhtjzAGzZXWpYKKzpsOJ75yuBvicm03xxNGfuz1GdUn_8hZ-w4g5gKp0SyotA/s320/20130929_192005.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>I'm not going to lie, when I was taking the ring off the spring form pan, I was a little nervous. All I could think was "did this work?". I was half wondering if I was going to remove the ring and have a molten chocolate cake effect. But, lo and behold, I could not have asked for a more beautiful cake! The texture is amazing. It's light and decadent all at the same time. It's kind of like a mousse, kind of like a custard, kind of like a cake. The crunch of the graham cracker combined with the creaminess of the cheesecake with the lightness of the chocolate is absolutely perfect. And the top of the cake kind of cracks and forms yet another crunchy layer. I served mine plain, but you could also top with whipped cream or raspberries or strawberries, or even just a sprinkling of confectioner's sugar. This cake could definitely get me through a bad day. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-11825430877260395972013-09-29T23:15:00.003-07:002013-09-29T23:16:14.952-07:00Oh, the pasta-bilities!I have a confession to make - I love carbs. LOVE them! As in I have an unhealthy love of anything starchy and would be very grumpy if I ever attempted one of those low carb diets. I've been trying to offset my cravings for a crusty french bread or heap of mashed potatoes by substituting whole grain breads for white bread and spaghetti squash instead of pasta, but I stil indulge my obsession. One of my favorites is pasta. And when I say pasta, I don't just mean of the Italian variety (although it IS yummy). Vietnamese noodles with pork, Japanese soba noodles, Thai cellophane noodles with peanut sauce, German spaetzle....any of these are a perfect meal for me. Last night I gave into that yearning with linguine. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnfDSA9S1hXtAE2oViACMoXDEh4P1AzCVO5FedKfOwrK4Od424u5OaDOYs81qKFyjelRYqNn67i9InTVJCjEziAzHFRWgW3LFVv5iNUltvp_EmLEGZ5rwkJEpOvQXmJ5We50_HJZA4Y4/s1600/20130928_203525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnfDSA9S1hXtAE2oViACMoXDEh4P1AzCVO5FedKfOwrK4Od424u5OaDOYs81qKFyjelRYqNn67i9InTVJCjEziAzHFRWgW3LFVv5iNUltvp_EmLEGZ5rwkJEpOvQXmJ5We50_HJZA4Y4/s320/20130928_203525.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade "sun-dried" tomatoes</td></tr>
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Growing up, my mom had a dish that she made pretty regularly. It was a simple sauce, that wasn't a sauce really. She sauteed chicken and broccoli in some olive oil, added sun-dried tomatoes and white wine, and tossed it in with linguine. Because I just made "sun-dried" tomatoes (I put that in quotes because the sun was really my food dehydrator) out of the abundance of large cherry tomatoes I picked from my garden, I figured this was the perfect time to take my mom's recipe and give it my own twist. So, off to the kitchen I went to give it my take. Here's what I came up with.<br />
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<b>Shrimp and Broccoli Linguine in a Creamy White Wine Sauce</b><br />
2 Tbsp olive oil<br />
1 pound shrimp, peeled<br />
1 nice size head of broccoli, cut into florets<br />
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped finely<br />
1 8 oz package of sliced white mushrooms<br />
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped roughly<br />
Salt to taste<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 c white wine<br />
1 c heavy cream<br />
1/3 c shredded parmesan cheese, plus a little extra for the top. <br />
1 box linguine<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minced garlic and tomatoes</td></tr>
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This recipe works best if you prep everything ahead of time. It cooks so quickly, once you get that heat going it'll be done before you know it.<br />
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Fill a large pot with water and a dash of salt and bring to a boil. Once the water hits a rolling boil, add linguine. You'll want the pasta to be done but not soggy (what we call "al dente"). Once it is done, drain in a colander and put back in a pot. I drizzle a little olive oil over the top and toss the pasta to keep it from sticking (plus olive oil....YUM!)<br />
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In the meantime.....<br />
Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Toss the broccoli into the heated oil and stir fry until it gets a bright green color. Add garlic, basil, salt, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms and continue cooking over medium heat until veggies start softening. Keep an eye on this and stir very often - minced garlic can scorch VERY easily. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmm...shrimp! </td></tr>
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Add wine and continue cooking until veggies are about done. Add shrimp and keep cooking until they turn pink and opaque. (Side rant about cooking with wine - do not, I repeat DO NOT buy cooking wine. It's all salt and it tastes bad. My rule of thumb is if I wouldn't drink it, I'm not cooking with it. Believe me, your taste buds will thank you. Plus, if you buy an inexpensive yet tasty bottle of wine to cook with, you can pour yourself a glass or two while you make dinner!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLpLYLTTFPfgd2HmhBHcdvZ2FRhxVTsFWjkRk8R3v3ofKnUodihD-xmF2n7D0RjCRdlVdi4gWP9nJ6w5jZQo0xWUUbViQfH11b4_ri0Hc1V1IbabRZxgFolGAOGnTuvG_nLQTzVbbrJo/s1600/20130928_204631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLpLYLTTFPfgd2HmhBHcdvZ2FRhxVTsFWjkRk8R3v3ofKnUodihD-xmF2n7D0RjCRdlVdi4gWP9nJ6w5jZQo0xWUUbViQfH11b4_ri0Hc1V1IbabRZxgFolGAOGnTuvG_nLQTzVbbrJo/s200/20130928_204631.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veggies starting to soften up</td></tr>
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Now is when you add heavy cream. Yes, it HAS to be heavy cream. Because the wine is acidic, the higher fat content will keep your milk from curdling. Plus, it thickens up nicely and it's delicious! Simmer until the cream slightly thickens. This isn't an alfredo sauce so it's not going to be really thick. Think of it as more of a coating for the pasta. <br />
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Once the sauce thickens a little, add the parmesan cheese and give it another quick stir to incorporate the cheese. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You KNOW you want to eat this!!!!</td></tr>
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Place some of the linguine on a plate and pour some of the sauce over the noodles. Garnish with fresh grated parmesan cheese. <br />
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This dish is proof that good food doesn't have to be complicated or take forever. This is a good dinner for the weekdays when you don't have 3 hours to stand in the kitchen. The surprising thing about this meal is that despite the heavy cream, it is pretty light. The acidity of the wine cuts through the richness of the cheese and cream and gives a really good balance. Of course, this one also got the hubby seal of approval. I also made a flourless chocolate tuxedo cake for a decadent dessert, but that is a blog for another day. Stay tuned....<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-43068521920948224442013-09-25T18:53:00.002-07:002013-10-09T21:50:24.518-07:00Accidental stuffing<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">
Because I am me, and I am accident prone, I somehow managed to pull my back out this weekend (and no, I don't know how.....). I was able to muscle through my work day on Sunday, but by the time I woke up on Monday morning I was hurting. Long story short, after a warm bath (and a couple muscle relaxers), I was feeling almost normal. Which is why when my husband asked me "what's for dinner", I gave him an answer instead of a dirty look. The cooler weather plus the general ouchiness of my back made me want just simple, stick to your ribs comfort food. And I can't think of better comfort than chicken and stuffing (and potatoes, and corn, and gravy, and cranberry sauce......I needed a lot of comfort that night, apparently!). </div>
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The previous paragraph of me whining about my back was my round about apology for not photographically documenting every single step of this process. The good news is that I think you can handle ripping bread, and dicing and sauteeing onions without pictures (I have faith in you!). </div>
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So, why did I call this post "accidental stuffing?". Because it truly WAS an accident. I found out on Monday that my husband hates celery in his stuffing. Really? After 3 years, he decides to tell me NOW that he hates this? You know, after I've been making it that way for the entire duration of our relationship? *sigh* Luckily, I decided not to get annoyed and chalked this up to a learning experience (I love you, baby!) and decided I needed to get creative. I started brainstorming what I could possibly do to plain white bread to make it interesting. OK, let's back it up for a second so I can also tell you that I did not stuff the bird. Now we're dealing with bread and onions cooked OUTSIDE of the chicken....what can I possibly do to jazz this up? After rifling through my cupboards and grabbing miscellaneous things, I had the "aha!" moment and came up with this:</div>
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<strong>Stuffing with dried cherries and walnuts</strong></div>
1 large loaf plain white bread<br />
1/2 stick butter<br />
1 medium onion, diced<br />
1 T fresh parsley, finely chopped<br />
1/4 c dried cherries, chopped<br />
1 c chicken stock<br />
2 T chopped walnuts<br />
Salt and Pepper to taste<br />
ļ»æļ»æļ»æ
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9QwaphIVJuJhP-Hc-5pnDmqg4QMKO-s60H7Y0clcMh85vgdt5-ri6Yv-2chrgJHSPKJloTjMzm2rXQzw9TjDpFas4TlBp7v5C5xdWkr5-G56HsWVkMlV0vg0npSsIXlRfwLCiluw4qQ/s1600/20130923_213637-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9QwaphIVJuJhP-Hc-5pnDmqg4QMKO-s60H7Y0clcMh85vgdt5-ri6Yv-2chrgJHSPKJloTjMzm2rXQzw9TjDpFas4TlBp7v5C5xdWkr5-G56HsWVkMlV0vg0npSsIXlRfwLCiluw4qQ/s200/20130923_213637-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This stuffing is sexy!! </td></tr>
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. That's the temp I cooked my chicken at, so I just put it in the oven with my chicken. <br />
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Start by ripping bread into small chunks and putting into a medium casserole dish. Set aside. </div>
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Melt butter in a medium saucepan and add onions and parsley. Cook over medium high heat, stirring often, until onions are transparent and slightly brown. Remove from the heat and pour over the bread. Add chicken stock, salt and pepper, and dried cherries to mixture. Stir well. <br />
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ļ»æ
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnh6dr3csRt_TztpU3GJ8jM6ahLFO_ez9FbYz36GYK6r5Keym_93JXjqq314vMQCZhnprAcs-pLAHBFYiQ8drEyOVsUKV_WrMyFiHHLvzIFfrfMWdTlUo3Sum5xlEb_u1g1CTry_KN94/s1600/20130924_230943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnh6dr3csRt_TztpU3GJ8jM6ahLFO_ez9FbYz36GYK6r5Keym_93JXjqq314vMQCZhnprAcs-pLAHBFYiQ8drEyOVsUKV_WrMyFiHHLvzIFfrfMWdTlUo3Sum5xlEb_u1g1CTry_KN94/s200/20130924_230943.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy!! It's even good cold!<br />
Now, that's skill......</td></tr>
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Sprinkle chopped walnuts over the top.</div>
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Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes, until heated through and top gets a little brown. </div>
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Honestly, when I made this, I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I mean, it SOUNDS good, but without the celery I was afraid it would be missing something. Boy, was I wrong!! I looked at my hubby and asked how it was and got the "happy food dance" (I get that a lot. Someday I should post a video of this.....). He then informed me that this is how I make stuffing now. And only this way. I'd say I nailed it! </div>
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Edit:
I LOVE this recipe, and decided to submit this to:
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<a href="http://www.joybeewhatsfordinner.blogspot.com" title="Joybee, What's for Dinner?"><img src="http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag13/Krista_Low/2d59056e-a962-4a79-bbef-b7f05a43dea9_zps94a044c8.jpg" alt="Joybee, What's for Dinner?" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-42287922234707659612013-09-24T09:45:00.001-07:002013-09-24T18:52:46.692-07:00Not quite pumpkin pieThis Sunday while I was working, my father in law came over to hang out with my hubby/watch football/raid my fridge. No, no, it's not his secret plan to wait until I'm gone and eat all my food. He appreciates my cooking, and therefore I give him free reign over the contents of my refrigerator. My husband is a bit more stingy, telling him "No, that's MINE!" about everything in there, but I keep threatening that I will quit cooking if he doesn't play nice and learn how to share. It's not limited to his father, though...every time he sees me leaving the house with something I've made he panics. It's kind of funny, really. In talking to my other female friends that cook, I found this is a common thing among the males in our life. I keep reminding him that this isn't the last pie/jam/quickbread/beef stew that I'll ever make, but I don't think it's quite sunk in yet. In any case....in exchange for the food that he took (and LOVED! Score one for me!!!!!), my amazing father in law brought me apple cider (my favorite!) and two of the biggest butternut squashes I've ever seen! <div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedIRDbjz5YL9VR9cASzOK1BQdwnkwYau05yqP94PFIKEb4ECOycjreA8j6_y_X2aXEWPNotShsyULFG_jnoA_Ape8jee0DhGaWBhtvDCNph3xqVcQ4L_R6o2D40aZcjAgm-adW1jbwhw/s1600/20130923_151158%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedIRDbjz5YL9VR9cASzOK1BQdwnkwYau05yqP94PFIKEb4ECOycjreA8j6_y_X2aXEWPNotShsyULFG_jnoA_Ape8jee0DhGaWBhtvDCNph3xqVcQ4L_R6o2D40aZcjAgm-adW1jbwhw/s320/20130923_151158%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biggest squash EVER!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFnGgn0Fk5_8A2qERtluRUz8lJZBNnChJ__TD36asYfSfdSumQfvrgQGsudqPaZAY9NttdX4K1uzHmYPv_QSgNyXOhJFK8Y4nxxnGuLJCcwF2sDzuW1uTbo3m5uHLhTRLBSEkho7ux6I/s1600/20130923_151221%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFnGgn0Fk5_8A2qERtluRUz8lJZBNnChJ__TD36asYfSfdSumQfvrgQGsudqPaZAY9NttdX4K1uzHmYPv_QSgNyXOhJFK8Y4nxxnGuLJCcwF2sDzuW1uTbo3m5uHLhTRLBSEkho7ux6I/s320/20130923_151221%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously, look at the size of these things!</td></tr>
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Even though I JUST made an apple crumb pie, my hubby's first request was "You should make me a pie out of these". I didn't see any good reason not to, and besides, I've never had a butternut squash pie before. And since it is so close to pumpkin, I figured it couldn't be that bad, right? So, off to the kitchen I went and started on my next project/invention. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Yv8NoVU-iTkpLvHaAoCv6pvekuaPlVbVs8IExhieudJgMkcTdEevXUKpAvk3VKje46jzvy3EwCNHmvPjxGaGLPk124tn-54HzE4MxXxL9DPvOIvIqxPbH-NHIruUsthdBbmnqAWuXGI/s1600/20130923_181605%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Yv8NoVU-iTkpLvHaAoCv6pvekuaPlVbVs8IExhieudJgMkcTdEevXUKpAvk3VKje46jzvy3EwCNHmvPjxGaGLPk124tn-54HzE4MxXxL9DPvOIvIqxPbH-NHIruUsthdBbmnqAWuXGI/s200/20130923_181605%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150"></a></div>
First things first - roast those beautiful squashes! The roasting makes removing the skin totally easy. Once they're roasted and cooled a bit, just scoop out the seeds (SAVE THEM!! Roasted squash seeds are both delicious and nutritious!). Then just throw the peeled and seeded squash into a food processor until you have a smooth velvety puree. <br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty!</td></tr>
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I then line a strainer with a paper towel, dump the puree into it and place it over a bowl. This will help some of the excess water to drain out. I set this aside while I am doing the prep work. So, I guess now is a good time to unleash the recipe. <br>
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<b>Butternut Squash Pie with Vanilla Cinnamon Whipped Cream</b></div>
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<i>For the pie:</i></div>
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1 can sweetened condensed milk</div>
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2 large eggs</div>
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2 1/2 cups butternut squash puree</div>
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1 Tbsp cinnamon</div>
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1 tsp ground nutmeg</div>
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1/2 tsp ground ginger</div>
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1/4 tsp ground cloves</div>
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1 pie shell (get the recipe and tutorial <a href="http://notthatmrssmith.blogspot.com/2013/09/an-apple-day.html">HERE!</a>)</div>
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<i>For the whipped cream:</i></div>
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1 c heavy whipping cream</div>
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4 tsp confectioners sugar</div>
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1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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1/4 tsp cinnamon</div>
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees.</div>
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Make your pie shell and set aside. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FWZheArJ_roHaMWPt-jguXFyWsoDQJ17ERaJIzp28bCxyFoacIruuCdR75L-wFkq6GNtZTqsOqatJ78wrugff1JdPBHpswQxg8TB6YyNnOjY7DKXDmDYkhm9Ir1rVXt29q-jOUfdXDw/s1600/20130923_183344%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FWZheArJ_roHaMWPt-jguXFyWsoDQJ17ERaJIzp28bCxyFoacIruuCdR75L-wFkq6GNtZTqsOqatJ78wrugff1JdPBHpswQxg8TB6YyNnOjY7DKXDmDYkhm9Ir1rVXt29q-jOUfdXDw/s320/20130923_183344%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look familiar?</td></tr>
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Place eggs in mixer and lightly beat. Add condensed milk and butternut squash and mix on medium until well blended. Finally, add your spices, and mix until well incorporated. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOy7q6xf871ECRGRg1vrGFGXOLwZsvd2-KxQJ9oDnnq1UMKJ_PVwNgDL3xrWuBUGyCMLAHCHsNIiDrB6uYdXtWJj_gU5J-4Wg15_txv7d8F5Z76aBVGEeEonnMTJ7oeb-nm7HY38XYzoo/s1600/20130923_184154%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOy7q6xf871ECRGRg1vrGFGXOLwZsvd2-KxQJ9oDnnq1UMKJ_PVwNgDL3xrWuBUGyCMLAHCHsNIiDrB6uYdXtWJj_gU5J-4Wg15_txv7d8F5Z76aBVGEeEonnMTJ7oeb-nm7HY38XYzoo/s200/20130923_184154%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Action shot!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzHrmI7u4zp9ToyM6y1nze6x23szFs6zAAWLyRNOD0kxj5iPFnR0_dL3cEINi_xNezuhNoDAFUiHTzgte9JwnmeykxtYnaaOL4cAnBbot9D-Ckafw3nZ6o9Fn0iuBRG31aBQJ_3FHckA/s1600/20130923_184705%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzHrmI7u4zp9ToyM6y1nze6x23szFs6zAAWLyRNOD0kxj5iPFnR0_dL3cEINi_xNezuhNoDAFUiHTzgte9JwnmeykxtYnaaOL4cAnBbot9D-Ckafw3nZ6o9Fn0iuBRG31aBQJ_3FHckA/s400/20130923_184705%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Should end up looking like this</td></tr>
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Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCULGfd7FeMTV6TJ91II5T7rVInecPzejyu715_MpkrzccsooQhVjxpLyZwmfACUoZCEevsm8kEwTGFKSU2SsmZx7NQsj7IGnOkqgIg3Yu32VdoPF8CxKnGoG1_VHEAglmyZkwEDd3F8/s1600/20130923_184750%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCULGfd7FeMTV6TJ91II5T7rVInecPzejyu715_MpkrzccsooQhVjxpLyZwmfACUoZCEevsm8kEwTGFKSU2SsmZx7NQsj7IGnOkqgIg3Yu32VdoPF8CxKnGoG1_VHEAglmyZkwEDd3F8/s200/20130923_184750%255B1%255D.jpg" width="200"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-baking</td></tr>
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After 15 minutes, adjust oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 35 - 40 minutes, or until pie is mostly set and the center is slightly jiggly. No worries, that sassy center will set up once the pie cools. </div>
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<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the pie is done baking, set on a wire rack to cool.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNM8SWqL_sFSaC5yDMyEC6tjhQWG4WA_LFjyURtUbIo-5XV-mmSiJoMQZOOlr-2_xHw2t86CLC-k59KmyUkE9JPhAmHUskxJY1-J3cg2GYcpjtjb3vRZGtkaTXw-tNzpz8HRIHofti8M/s1600/20130923_200320%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNM8SWqL_sFSaC5yDMyEC6tjhQWG4WA_LFjyURtUbIo-5XV-mmSiJoMQZOOlr-2_xHw2t86CLC-k59KmyUkE9JPhAmHUskxJY1-J3cg2GYcpjtjb3vRZGtkaTXw-tNzpz8HRIHofti8M/s320/20130923_200320%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Say it with me - OOOOOOHHH!</td></tr>
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That's it for the pie! Seriously simple. </div>
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While the pie is cooling, make the whipped cream. Pour heavy cream and confectioners sugar into mixer with wire whisk attachment. Beat on high until soft peaks form. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyF8F9vQxJNSU9l5L37sFMf73kPfUeHW_A8BcI3UcXJgRpZRG8pG_5CcpsJsJ0qUc9zIwAPLh56A45_jFk_mYyL4IvE4u3yfe56i95JfNp8ekvIB9hAKcrayluBtTbe0aqeSanFcjaAM/s1600/20130923_210817%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyF8F9vQxJNSU9l5L37sFMf73kPfUeHW_A8BcI3UcXJgRpZRG8pG_5CcpsJsJ0qUc9zIwAPLh56A45_jFk_mYyL4IvE4u3yfe56i95JfNp8ekvIB9hAKcrayluBtTbe0aqeSanFcjaAM/s320/20130923_210817%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's your soft peaks</td></tr>
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</div><div>Use caution when working with cream - you can go from milk to butter very quickly if you don't watch it closely. Once it gets to that point, you're stuck with it. But with a little vigilance, this is not hard. I promise.<br>
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Turn off mixer and add vanilla. Turn back on high and mix until you get stiff peaks. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP8l8RxaDgOqKtCZOP7QeacZZQvuXuU4P2xzMyCbaq4T3L1k_i_n6totBwOLjKrjOUAl5b_lUQ6bJGR2d-4smSLHV94upEB2OxGCTErmpFWf9ARwfvkz7lJtGFBJb7eUqYqIGoZlSWE0/s1600/20130923_211033%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP8l8RxaDgOqKtCZOP7QeacZZQvuXuU4P2xzMyCbaq4T3L1k_i_n6totBwOLjKrjOUAl5b_lUQ6bJGR2d-4smSLHV94upEB2OxGCTErmpFWf9ARwfvkz7lJtGFBJb7eUqYqIGoZlSWE0/s320/20130923_211033%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And stiff peaks</td></tr>
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Turn off and add cinnamon, and give it a couple more turns with the mixer. Remove from the bowl and put into a covered container and stick it in the fridge. </div>
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Once the pie is completely cool, it is ready to serve! Cut a slice and serve with a dollop of whipped cream. I was surprised at how good this is! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3kBnsrky2oVequh3p-F_EIfvhajkmuWAdpyGqb0gSDlIRJfEHQWnHv8zUIOSqiqe7EfMdca2oW4JlSHyhHf8DUSjO61Bumuu5KPL0G2P8eHUgSD1KIvtZFXG0l250roeGTigqvLL2Bk/s1600/20130924_003035%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3kBnsrky2oVequh3p-F_EIfvhajkmuWAdpyGqb0gSDlIRJfEHQWnHv8zUIOSqiqe7EfMdca2oW4JlSHyhHf8DUSjO61Bumuu5KPL0G2P8eHUgSD1KIvtZFXG0l250roeGTigqvLL2Bk/s320/20130924_003035%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh my that's BEAUTIFUL!! </td></tr>
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And it's not sickeningly sweet, which I liked. So, I guess the next step is to call my father in law so he can try what his gift inspired. I'll have to leave instructions with my husband so he knows he needs to share.....<br>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-89507443329141704672013-09-20T22:23:00.000-07:002013-09-20T22:23:55.367-07:00An apple a day....THIS! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLW1QHXu4fH1HXfPBPu3_YH5s2_a5m_T7uqzrnEAfjypW3KPqWMw1_PtZKMmJzSeQJbgdoZ2vIcBu6wkETOyfFIKxzR5nCQGecZDfZFz4LRi7O_s0hhiQ3hVncOBjdAnGOqByk9Dj5zt8/s1600/20130920_183254%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLW1QHXu4fH1HXfPBPu3_YH5s2_a5m_T7uqzrnEAfjypW3KPqWMw1_PtZKMmJzSeQJbgdoZ2vIcBu6wkETOyfFIKxzR5nCQGecZDfZFz4LRi7O_s0hhiQ3hVncOBjdAnGOqByk9Dj5zt8/s400/20130920_183254%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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These (carefully placed and photographed) pumpkins can mean one thing and one thing only.....FALL IS OFFICIALLY HERE!! Ok, technically Saturday, but still....<br />
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For those of you who don't know me, here's a tip. I love fall. Love it! Currently, my lima beans have been replaced with my kale patch, my spinach is thriving, my fall peas are peeking out of the soil, lettuces have been planted in my window boxes. Everything is new again and it's exactly the pick-me-up that I needed. Now, don't get me wrong, I will miss the long days of summer, playing in my garden, trips to the orchard, the hot sun shining, night time thunderstorms, long evenings sitting on my deck with the grill going and drinking a beer with my hubby. These are the things I live for! But a change of season is always exciting for me, and part of the reason I love the region I live in. (I mean, why ELSE would you willingly live in PA? Seriously? Nothing happens here! Unless you're in Philly or Pittsburgh.) Just when you are getting a little bored with the season you're in....POOF! New season! I'd say the only time of year I can do without is from about mid-January until mid-March. But, being a "glass half full" kind of gal, that's only two months out of twelve. Not too shabby in my opinion. Plus, those two very cold, very brown, very rainy/icy/snowy, very gloomy months makes that first day of spring time weather even better. And then, before you know it, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and it's time to start working the soil to get the first crops of the year going, and suddenly all is right in the world again. But, it seems I've gotten off track.....<br />
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Back to fall! One of the things I always associate with this time of years is apples. They're everywhere! It's the time of year that brings you some of my favorite things: caramel apples, apple cider, and, of course, apple pie. Now, I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that if I was only allowed, say, five foods to eat for the rest of my life, apple pie would definitely make the cut. (And peanut butter. I could eat ANYTHING with peanut butter on it!). There is nothing more comforting and wonderful than sitting down to a slice of homemade apple pie, fresh out of the oven and still slightly warm. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have perfection. Now, I started out today hoping to bring you a super impressive recipe of my own design, but sadly I had a kitchen fail. Yes, it happens! And it happens to everyone. DO NOT EVER LET THIS DISCOURAGE YOU! These things help you to learn and grow as a cook. I started out with the idea of a Caramel Apple Crumb Pie. The fail? I BURNT THE CARAMEL! And not super burnt, just enough that it had that bitter after taste. It started off tasting delicious, then the aftertaste hit. If I would have taken it off the heat thirty seconds sooner, I would be posting pictures and a recipe. But, alas, it was not meant to be, and I learned something for my next attempt so I refuse to be upset. (OK, maybe a LITTLE upset. I don't take failure well.....). <br />
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This failure got me to thinking, though. Why be fancy? Sure, it's fun, and I love seeing the look on my hubby's face when I pull something like that off. But so many people want to get right to that "how in the world did you do that" dessert, and forget to master a basic apple pie. Or any pie, for that matter. So, consider this post a recipe and tutorial all in one. We are going to learn pie making. Home made crust and all. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg512CJ9LyZR0r56SltQ13XElulvBP1BO0DTM60Wt4C2v-5kaLBlyfV4LK5p8zYA9DFpMYMx9jZSEkfZnIcooW-P-7SaDDRgRXACNkSp-dbqFVOf35Xnsjz3EDBYQudBxy1ZlwLfbtt97s/s1600/20130920_164123%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg512CJ9LyZR0r56SltQ13XElulvBP1BO0DTM60Wt4C2v-5kaLBlyfV4LK5p8zYA9DFpMYMx9jZSEkfZnIcooW-P-7SaDDRgRXACNkSp-dbqFVOf35Xnsjz3EDBYQudBxy1ZlwLfbtt97s/s320/20130920_164123%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And, Really. How can you have a pie plate<br />this pretty and not want to put a pie<br />in it? </td></tr>
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First and foremost, let's talk crust. Nothing infuriates me more than store bought pie crust (Ok, that might be an overstatement, but still...). I have actually turned down free pie on the sole premise that the crust was made in a factory and not someone's kitchen. I just don't like it! I blame my mother and grandmother. Never did a pre-made pie crust pass my lips until I was old enough to procure my own pie. And it was disappointing. My father has the theory that mediocre pie is better than no pie at all, but I have to differ with that one. With my insatiable sweet tooth, I cannot in good consciousness waste my time on a dessert that is merely OK. Which means in my world, homemade pie crust is crucial. And easy! It only takes a few simple ingredients and a little patience. I will not lie - the first couple times I did this on my own, it was frustrating. I'd either get the crust too "short" (dry) or too wet and I ended spending more time patching it than actually making the pie. Because I am stubborn and refuse to be beaten by flour and shortening, I finally got it right. Once you get that first perfect one, you remember it. You can FEEL when it's right. That's the funny thing about pie crust - you can have the best recipe in the world, but it will never ever ever take exactly the same amount of water each time. Temperature and humidity actually do play a part in how much you add. But once you "feel" that first perfect one, you know. Trust me. And once you get the crust in place, the rest is smooth sailing. So, let's get on with this recipe! (Are you excited? I'm excited!)<br />
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<b>Not That Mrs Smith's Apple Crumb Pie</b><br />
<i>Crust:</i><br />
2 c Flour<br />
2/3 c Shortening<br />
3 T Sugar<br />
Ice water<br />
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<i>Filling:</i><br />
6-8 apples<br />
3/4 c Sugar<br />
Cinnamon<br />
1 T Corn starch<br />
3 T butter<br />
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<i>Crumb Topping:</i><br />
1 stick Butter (room temp)<br />
1 c Flour<br />
1/2 c Brown sugar<br />
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<i>Tools:</i><br />
<i>9" pie plate</i><br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRlAjmOOhIzZD4dSVLl4Hcr2fedmTYHHf0rMUGinXIO6Jo6h53ETU2kzKX9vKVMXVYyBy9guQI98oH9eQwYO1fFrmI_Sf1U9qnhnKsrroj5pbITu_IOovDXVIXpo-CQB-U0YegxM9-2w/s1600/20130920_164451%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRlAjmOOhIzZD4dSVLl4Hcr2fedmTYHHf0rMUGinXIO6Jo6h53ETU2kzKX9vKVMXVYyBy9guQI98oH9eQwYO1fFrmI_Sf1U9qnhnKsrroj5pbITu_IOovDXVIXpo-CQB-U0YegxM9-2w/s200/20130920_164451%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastry Blender. <br />Consider this your new best<br />friend.</td></tr>
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We're going to start by making the crust. Get a small glass and plop a couple ice cubes in it. Fill the glass with water. Set that aside. The ice is important! When you mix your other ingredients into a crumb (spoiler alert!), it cools the shortening while binding everything together. When you bake the crust, that cooled shortening is essentially going to "pop" making your crust flaky. Flaky is good! I promise.<br />
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Get a big bowl and dump the flour, shortening and sugar into it. Blend with a pastry blender or a fork.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27OXUPoYn4ThXA4-E2umfZ1wPogggxHDRODXEy06xbFVSHQIPx1tzsaKQ2kBYtV7zhr8IUqAfbBMJpnZmgKUhZQRw5er5OFmHLryaTJNaSpgJZQ8mog80Dxjp55tFA8-qOaGNw9kzPpk/s1600/20130920_164608%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27OXUPoYn4ThXA4-E2umfZ1wPogggxHDRODXEy06xbFVSHQIPx1tzsaKQ2kBYtV7zhr8IUqAfbBMJpnZmgKUhZQRw5er5OFmHLryaTJNaSpgJZQ8mog80Dxjp55tFA8-qOaGNw9kzPpk/s200/20130920_164608%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coarse crumb</td></tr>
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Yes, you can do this with a fork, and I did for a long time. But I got a pastry blender as a bridal shower gift, and honestly, I don't know how I lived without it. It makes it so much easier. (Plus, you can use it to chop eggs for egg salad. True story!) Blend these ingredients together until they are a coarse crumb. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmcyALNBN-4LqLB-FuNLKyHfENlPJu5naa-06blkn4kZAg1PxyEItqa393xmYp9blF5KmVJBB3rQbY3nL4h_t4JuwnCl__Gj1uv1t9KsSK6RfAak-brzH5oxfbBJWd9vc1QsE3LjNxhw/s1600/20130920_164929%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmcyALNBN-4LqLB-FuNLKyHfENlPJu5naa-06blkn4kZAg1PxyEItqa393xmYp9blF5KmVJBB3rQbY3nL4h_t4JuwnCl__Gj1uv1t9KsSK6RfAak-brzH5oxfbBJWd9vc1QsE3LjNxhw/s200/20130920_164929%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ball o' dough</td></tr>
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Add ice water, a teaspoon at a time. Blend with your fingers and add more as needed. You'll want it to form a dough ball, not too sticky, not too dry. You don't want it to be crumbly or soggy. Be careful not to overwork dough, or it will get tough and you will lose that flake. <br />
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Once the dough is formed and in a ball, turn out onto a lightly floured pastry cloth. At this point I give it good squish with the palm of my hand to flatten it and get it started. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it is about 1/8" thick, alternating directions so you get a circular shape. Doesn't have to be perfect, you can always tear and patch if you have to. You just don't want to get a long oval. That'll just make your life difficult.<br />
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Transfer dough into pie plate. The easiest way I have found to do this is to fold in half, and then in half again so it's a kind of triangle. I then put the center of the triangle in the center of the pie plate and unfold. This is pretty foolproof. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaDu4zhNTNoAI9PlMeS62BIuFaj54esl3Vkum52pn0NO8dHtHz9QmS3XepuOMe7j0KCVtIsVzwexFH7eNCUKSXTPIjZoI2GT0z9VSSSYWG-VKMEiJHswFq2gYT9sYjngerRoWv9hT8IE/s1600/20130920_165640%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaDu4zhNTNoAI9PlMeS62BIuFaj54esl3Vkum52pn0NO8dHtHz9QmS3XepuOMe7j0KCVtIsVzwexFH7eNCUKSXTPIjZoI2GT0z9VSSSYWG-VKMEiJHswFq2gYT9sYjngerRoWv9hT8IE/s200/20130920_165640%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Press into pie plate</td></tr>
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Once dough is unfolded, make sure it is molded against the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Go around the edge and fold the extra that is hanging off the sides under and press. Go around the entire plate using your thumb to crimp the dough. Take a sharp knife, and press against the side at a 90 degree angle. Use the knife to remove excess dough hanging over the edge. I then go around and touch up my crimps so it looks pretty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEbdRwTk4ts_hHjKHA3wZBz8IaNFPBcgOUXeKjapMyrAvB6SP55vCR8OIy303ujLL1s02yUsFlV8Tk-8MuFfOnZkv2hVdewhC79G-Bdja4BaTOgon488bTeU8Eb1ZBOmxc8vlh2LzTMY/s1600/20130920_170009%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEbdRwTk4ts_hHjKHA3wZBz8IaNFPBcgOUXeKjapMyrAvB6SP55vCR8OIy303ujLL1s02yUsFlV8Tk-8MuFfOnZkv2hVdewhC79G-Bdja4BaTOgon488bTeU8Eb1ZBOmxc8vlh2LzTMY/s200/20130920_170009%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuck and roll!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhKmAhzsSjw4UprsXKiMc9MSFKUxs5kka_KJ_wXKqEnW1fYNgKXVcsXbn6EmIqHmJiNOZXtopn1kyY34965vMJPFYihBWHWU4LWymlcREogRFr4Yk8s5gF-Wx-wRTiVPlCm9XgnEAKT0/s1600/20130920_170305%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhKmAhzsSjw4UprsXKiMc9MSFKUxs5kka_KJ_wXKqEnW1fYNgKXVcsXbn6EmIqHmJiNOZXtopn1kyY34965vMJPFYihBWHWU4LWymlcREogRFr4Yk8s5gF-Wx-wRTiVPlCm9XgnEAKT0/s320/20130920_170305%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's the stuff!</td></tr>
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Set the dough aside. <br />
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Next up - Filling.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNI5Ji4-Ry058PRlJws1JH9G9QmqdDZkss32VJv8wRo96jYg9I7MPIefqGH76isbb0J0apzIZfhyphenhyphenRxXAUBIbb-X9ZQzdzz89P-AYR4PiXRQbKeVedsIThPNtL7aoIFYRDjjkUz6arsD3I/s1600/PicsArt_1379720966476%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNI5Ji4-Ry058PRlJws1JH9G9QmqdDZkss32VJv8wRo96jYg9I7MPIefqGH76isbb0J0apzIZfhyphenhyphenRxXAUBIbb-X9ZQzdzz89P-AYR4PiXRQbKeVedsIThPNtL7aoIFYRDjjkUz6arsD3I/s400/PicsArt_1379720966476%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy apple cutting</td></tr>
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Wash and peel apples. I'm going to pass on the easiest way I know to core and slice an apple. I actually learned this by watching Master Chef. I've picked up a lot of helpful things watching that show, and in addition to how to pan sear and cook the perfect steak (baste with hot butter, my friend), I learned this handy trick that really sped up the apple cutting process. First, sit the apple upright, core perpendicular to your cutting board, and cut one side off of it, getting as close as you can to the core without cutting into it. Turn your apple a quarter turn, and do it again. Another quarter turn, another cut. Do this until you have a little rectangle of core and 4 sides of core-less apple. Then slice. Easy!<br />
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Once your apples are sliced, placed half of them into the pie plate. Sprinkle half the sugar and some cinnamon over top of the apples (this is where personal preference comes in to play, put as much as you like!). Slice the butter and distribute over top of that, then sprinkle corn starch on top of that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoZlISPpCrfD06A8WEMpIznKKfkB2lmPjYIRQDIoTxVRCF-9wwjez3fJugVVcbxgmY-wJH54LHEvXp5lttqnm7hY288itdJb1oqOjq0EOiOG9eNUr0ZYw6jWO8XmWld2lFQcBKw8WpUk/s1600/20130920_180223%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoZlISPpCrfD06A8WEMpIznKKfkB2lmPjYIRQDIoTxVRCF-9wwjez3fJugVVcbxgmY-wJH54LHEvXp5lttqnm7hY288itdJb1oqOjq0EOiOG9eNUr0ZYw6jWO8XmWld2lFQcBKw8WpUk/s200/20130920_180223%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halfway there</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-czl5NKrL_Z7RCzxW5ZEFKCkiGCHfZxLvErIU7PbStLc68dkAV2YVdCvX8uDOH9EqoN3loF5iPIwNBhKtgXf-2xj_hetmci9e3HozUmGtNWxMVsHt6swdjdgD3MHcBAw8fj-Hskwcg8/s1600/20130920_180804%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-czl5NKrL_Z7RCzxW5ZEFKCkiGCHfZxLvErIU7PbStLc68dkAV2YVdCvX8uDOH9EqoN3loF5iPIwNBhKtgXf-2xj_hetmci9e3HozUmGtNWxMVsHt6swdjdgD3MHcBAw8fj-Hskwcg8/s200/20130920_180804%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filling complete!</td></tr>
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Top with the remaining apples. Your pie will be FULL, but you want that. Apples cook down a lot, so if it's not full, you will end up with a sad, flat pie. Sprinkle remaining sugar and a little more cinnamon on top. Set aside.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBx4wIhKo7-l_yaZwe7PCA2w6U0Mv2HNlIW-mzTzZC9e6qfQ-Ye25Z13__Jx4PKIA-jwXyRk6N9Wc25iyhSzKWm_z1spHb6RLn07xzxsA5x7W8xi6DZ4BX6QsVkiSFjXTrEah_udezfE/s1600/20130920_181144%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBx4wIhKo7-l_yaZwe7PCA2w6U0Mv2HNlIW-mzTzZC9e6qfQ-Ye25Z13__Jx4PKIA-jwXyRk6N9Wc25iyhSzKWm_z1spHb6RLn07xzxsA5x7W8xi6DZ4BX6QsVkiSFjXTrEah_udezfE/s200/20130920_181144%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Course crumbs for topping</td></tr>
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Oooooooh, it's crumb topping time!! (My favorite!)<br />
Get your pastry cutter out again. Put softened butter, flour, and brown sugar into a bowl. Blend until it makes a coarse crumb. At the end, I use my fingers to finish the job.<br />
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Sprinkle over top of the pie. <br />
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Put the pie in the oven for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. I start frequently checking my pie at about 50 minutes (just in case) and pull it out when the crust is brown and I can see the filling bubbling. <br />
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Once done baking, remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYjf9kI-qBJlk8NenjzYOeOOwIop_z2zMRxgajHi4L-0H-cEQ9CUfvCSipLA7gq0VqtvowDUmzkZxpIvi8xzCsofbzOsNkp2kgi8Kf_b_yYH8Z50YDOemQMngQNuOChR8oXGQSABro8o/s1600/20130920_181243%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYjf9kI-qBJlk8NenjzYOeOOwIop_z2zMRxgajHi4L-0H-cEQ9CUfvCSipLA7gq0VqtvowDUmzkZxpIvi8xzCsofbzOsNkp2kgi8Kf_b_yYH8Z50YDOemQMngQNuOChR8oXGQSABro8o/s200/20130920_181243%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before oven</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdplSz6WeEBEKno-aZ7lc0U8Rdeikj5z7StIXs9_ONWGR8i67YMaTHSFrGTbifOuEGYbfyxbIto4H7Pkg57JnKZ7aPRMQRNnMhnNcqmG1KRRYhk2UeaJgKKTb4mGbSHgv-UIpDdko2j3E/s1600/20130920_193107%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdplSz6WeEBEKno-aZ7lc0U8Rdeikj5z7StIXs9_ONWGR8i67YMaTHSFrGTbifOuEGYbfyxbIto4H7Pkg57JnKZ7aPRMQRNnMhnNcqmG1KRRYhk2UeaJgKKTb4mGbSHgv-UIpDdko2j3E/s320/20130920_193107%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta da! So pretty! </td></tr>
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Hopefully, you now have the most beautiful apple pie you ever saw! You can change things up a bit and put some chopped pecans in with the filling or the crumb, add some almonds on top, drizzle caramel over it when you serve it.....Just because this is basic doesn't mean you can't jazz it up a bit! This just screams fall, and is the most perfect dessert/breakfast/late night snack ever!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-62453557243135403292013-09-17T09:42:00.001-07:002013-09-20T09:15:40.994-07:00The perfect pear....This week, a trip to my favorite local orchard got me a half peck of pears for $8. EIGHT DOLLARS!! The reason I got them so cheap is because they were "seconds" - not aesthetically perfect and very very ripe. Which was PERFECT for my purposes! I really really wanted to try my hand at pear butter, so off to the orchard I went and came home with the most delicious, sweet fruit. The first round of pears I got this season from my gracious coworker (for free!) was put into pear bread. Which, yes, I did share with her. (Funny side note - this year I have been gifted a lot of fruits and veggies. I think people are on to the fact that if they give me stuff, I will turn it into delicious food and share it with them. I'm fine with this!)<br />
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Now, there are many good recipes out there for pear butter. But I found (as I often do) that one had elements that I liked but lacked something that I wanted, or sounded good except for one ingredient that I didn't care for for this purpose. So I did what I always do: I "invented" my own pear butter recipe! Now, here's a glimpse in to the Krista vernacular - my hubby will frequently find me in the kitchen looking very intent and deep in thought (usually in my super cute cherry apron!) and ask me, "Whatcha doin?", even though he KNOWS the answer. To which I usually just respond "inventing __________". Which he also knows means that he is either in for an amazing meal or dessert, or I will end up swearing and ordering pizza. Usually it's the first one, sometimes the second. But, hey, a lot of cooking is trial and error. You'll never have the big victories if you don't have the big failures. <br />
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So, the hardest part about making this recipe is peeling and coring and cutting the pears. If you can do that, you can make this! The biggest thing you need for this recipe is patience. If you have that, you're golden! Of course, I canned mine, since you can only eat so much pear butter in a short amount of time. I got nine 8 ounce jars out of this recipe. Yield may vary slightly, however, depending on the size of your pears.<br />
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<b>Brown Sugar Vanilla Spiced Pear Butter</b><br />
1/2 Peck of pears<br />
1 c Brown sugar<br />
1/2 c White sugar<br />
1/3 c Lemon juice<br />
2 T Vanilla<br />
1 T Cinnamon<br />
1 t Ground Ginger<br />
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<i>Tools needed:</i><br />
<i>Big pot</i><br />
<i>Canning equipment</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbD2AgBNeMqEziHorlryaRHKldsEEnLxEL-ekZYS9hUO_UqKny10JK05ttbnD0I32YqLDeH8egatI0KvW6C9jgMzKdS7cfwZi4kvEIN5x9gxweziE9k9Bm3G1xYT_0onCACbr5mLuDaB8/s1600/20130914_220630%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbD2AgBNeMqEziHorlryaRHKldsEEnLxEL-ekZYS9hUO_UqKny10JK05ttbnD0I32YqLDeH8egatI0KvW6C9jgMzKdS7cfwZi4kvEIN5x9gxweziE9k9Bm3G1xYT_0onCACbr5mLuDaB8/s200/20130914_220630%5B1%5D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Silky smooth!</td></tr>
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Wash, peel, core and cut pears into large chunks. Place pears on medium heat, stirring constantly. When mixture starts getting hot. Once it heats up a bit (boiling is not necessary), turn down on low. You don't want the pears to scorch. Stir often. <br />
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Once the pears are soft and cooked, run them through a food processor until smooth. Return puree back into pot and return to heat.<br />
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Add the lemon juice, sugars, vanilla and spices. Keep cooking and stirring the mixture until it thickens.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9h8z821NO6D3PPAmNAOhrbBsAAM_aOGbQCff4JzPgtmnjaloQwTp2btfquBiJAqyoe3kdBR_TDdLAUPM8gr6dq2NBwpy0fZBtUAeFMMKoGZuYa1k2co-6-O3s9kkmZNCI3j6rGe5jHDg/s1600/20130914_220852%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9h8z821NO6D3PPAmNAOhrbBsAAM_aOGbQCff4JzPgtmnjaloQwTp2btfquBiJAqyoe3kdBR_TDdLAUPM8gr6dq2NBwpy0fZBtUAeFMMKoGZuYa1k2co-6-O3s9kkmZNCI3j6rGe5jHDg/s320/20130914_220852%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This thickens up quite nicely. All it takes is patience.</td></tr>
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Remove from heat and can, ladling hot pear butter into hot jars and boiling covered on high for 10-15 minutes. You can also store in refrigerator. If you do can, any jars that do not seal, place directly into the refrigerator and use within a few weeks. <br />
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And there it is. So easy! I just ate some on an English muffin and it was AMAZING!! There are so many different elements in this recipe - the lemon adds brightness (and acidity for safe canning), the vanilla and brown sugar adds richness and warmth, and the cinnamon and ginger adds spice. It is a perfect balance of flavors, in my opinion. This will definitely be a yearly canning project! <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-88929308452163976902013-09-15T08:08:00.000-07:002013-09-20T09:15:28.769-07:00Hot stuff!Yesterday I had a very sad thought. Summer is almost over. Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE fall. It's one of my favorite seasons. But I have had so much fun playing in my garden this summer that I'm sad to see it go. This year, however, I have been on a quest. I have been rotating and timing my crops so that I can achieve my very feasible goal of having fresh, homegrown veggies from about May until November. As summer is winding down I am looking forward to cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, kale, spinach, lettuce, bok choy, peas, arugula, raddichio, daikon radishes, turnips, and beets. But, sadly, pepper and tomato season is coming to an end, so it's time to harvest harvest harvest! <br />
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My biggest experiment of the season has been my plethora of hot peppers. I thought since I planted so many varieties, some were bound to not work. Imagine my surprise when ALL OF THEM WORKED! I've had to get really creative with my canning and find and "invent" recipes to utilize my plentiful harvests. Because, really, who just snacks on hot peppers? I mean, I guess people DO, I'm just not one of them. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5NNr-eStV50FcrXqKRXMCVOprIESarmNwqjn4bQ9FLjedMJpzs1DoXn72PY8XPNFJQQvIX5hmxjjGrwAGP9opQhq0z5iNDboeMa5WjPU88XrI_DBPmck-3HlOrx0QfKCjfqYrgAfsCg/s1600/20130914_125351%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5NNr-eStV50FcrXqKRXMCVOprIESarmNwqjn4bQ9FLjedMJpzs1DoXn72PY8XPNFJQQvIX5hmxjjGrwAGP9opQhq0z5iNDboeMa5WjPU88XrI_DBPmck-3HlOrx0QfKCjfqYrgAfsCg/s320/20130914_125351%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the prettiest sights in the world. This is when you<br />start feeling accomplished as a gardener!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the hot peppers I planted was a hot cherry pepper. These are really good for pickling. Once I got a decent amount off my plant (And, yes, I only had one plant. This guy PRODUCED!), I was then faced with the choice of canning them whole or making relish. I opted for relish, since I thought that would get used way more in our house. This could be used on anything: hot dogs, sausages, sandwiches....the possibilities are endless! And since cherry peppers, while hot, are also very sweet, I thought it was a good choice. The recipe is very simple, but sometimes the most delicious recipes are. Brace yourselves.....it's about to get hot in here!<br />
<br />
<b>Hot Cherry Pepper Relish </b><br />
About 3 cups of diced cherry peppers (about 20 peppers, depending on size)<br />
<i>-Note: I threw in a couple ripe jalapenos because I had them on hand and they needed to be used. Remember - it's all about using your harvests!</i><br />
1/2 Medium white onion<br />
1 Clove garlic<br />
2 c white vinegar<br />
1 c water<br />
1 T kosher salt<br />
1/2 c sugar<br />
2 t powdered pectin<br />
<br />
<i>Special tools:</i><br />
<i>Vinyl food service gloves (remember : hot peppers!)</i><br />
<i>Canning equipment</i><br />
<i>4 oz glass jelly jars</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Fill a canning pot with enough water so that it will cover jars. Turn on high and add jars and lids and bring to a boil. I leave jars in boiling water until ready to fill. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWxo_2KGxaJakVRUMpPLNfpcJ9TlJ46H6Z6bXXcFAbdC8XUeX6mUqtjzWn0-MBkrd0YQUwFUlqLZBw4MnxGgsiBYexVxGJqekWP93A1z848YLtPjhZwtXLoTWfvGVqLahOuv1tJdDcJM/s1600/20130914_131649%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWxo_2KGxaJakVRUMpPLNfpcJ9TlJ46H6Z6bXXcFAbdC8XUeX6mUqtjzWn0-MBkrd0YQUwFUlqLZBw4MnxGgsiBYexVxGJqekWP93A1z848YLtPjhZwtXLoTWfvGVqLahOuv1tJdDcJM/s200/20130914_131649%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like a party in a bowl!</td></tr>
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<br />
Now put on your gloves and core the peppers and dice into small bits (seeds and ribs, too! This is HOT relish!). I did this by hand. Set <br />
aside.<br />
<br />
<i>Here's a friendly side note:</i><br />
<i>If, for some reason, you either don't have gloves or are too stubborn to put them on, wash your hands with Dawn dish soap after handling the peppers. Here's why - The thing that makes your hands burn, and in turn your eyes, nose, mouth, or any other mucous membrane you may accidentally touch while handling them is the capsaicin (the thing that makes the peppers hot). Capsaicin is an OIL. And remember the Dawn dish soap commercials with the baby duckies and the oil spills and the amazing people using their product to remove the oil from the birds? Well....do the math. I've done it and it takes the oils off your hands, leaving you burn free. </i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRwIx84zS4knLmXUBqVDB7NQe26drzboIdY_5BWM_LtCFU-Q8mIcKb53bfnKze_E9uIu7YLhkmhqBFUwIRBgABteSmpn7c3n5upjVvyc74BNdaOFiWU8j5Jvjxv-OZM_JIfbzjq1sj7E/s1600/20130914_134029%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRwIx84zS4knLmXUBqVDB7NQe26drzboIdY_5BWM_LtCFU-Q8mIcKb53bfnKze_E9uIu7YLhkmhqBFUwIRBgABteSmpn7c3n5upjVvyc74BNdaOFiWU8j5Jvjxv-OZM_JIfbzjq1sj7E/s200/20130914_134029%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Onion paste.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now, back to business. Rough chop the onion and peel garlic. Put in food processor and make a kind of paste out of it. I wanted the onion and garlic flavor in the relish without biting into an actual onion. The big reason for this for me was because my hubby loves the onion flavor but hates crunching into a raw onion. So I take the approach like I'm dealing with a kid - hide it and he won't complain. (Love you, honey!)<br />
<br />
Add vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a small pot. Bring these to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar and salt completely. <br />
<br />
Once these are boiling, add onion and garlic mixture and peppers. Let the mixture get back up to boiling, and boil for 2-3 minutes.<br />
<br />
Add pectin and allow to boil for another minute or two. Back the heat down so that the relish is simmering. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9btPXL0mrRYYvkqI75-mvrj6h7LhyphenhyphenX2gIN2g0u-CmYG_AUQ2egl0ZKcUcw2_0tW__i6AS0JXfPeyvaA2q7HqeT1Jh4JF05vFhXIXEqnwu4xbcXm8jmKddowtlNPRPxD9QbuLlqt61LpI/s1600/20130914_135159%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9btPXL0mrRYYvkqI75-mvrj6h7LhyphenhyphenX2gIN2g0u-CmYG_AUQ2egl0ZKcUcw2_0tW__i6AS0JXfPeyvaA2q7HqeT1Jh4JF05vFhXIXEqnwu4xbcXm8jmKddowtlNPRPxD9QbuLlqt61LpI/s320/20130914_135159%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before cooking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwdalxPmMv4fXUqM3Miut4PFn45s5UTiFed4oWHzDBYyHr8NEluPmHGl0VU4Cz5ipvQ4aeqvQqsCVRnasnS67iknkTm-AXIGwROBVhYHwcN_8n3F780iYaUcSXBLRo1uIiTZxFh_GMBI/s1600/20130914_145507%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwdalxPmMv4fXUqM3Miut4PFn45s5UTiFed4oWHzDBYyHr8NEluPmHGl0VU4Cz5ipvQ4aeqvQqsCVRnasnS67iknkTm-AXIGwROBVhYHwcN_8n3F780iYaUcSXBLRo1uIiTZxFh_GMBI/s320/20130914_145507%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After cooking. See the difference?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Remove jars and lids from water. Carefully fill jars with hot relish (you want to add hot relish to hot jars or you risk cracking the jars) and leave about a half inch of headspace. Wipe the rim of the jars with a damp paper towel to remove anything you may have spilled or splattered on the rim. You want to have a tight seal, and having clean jars is the way to ensure this. Place lids on the jars and then rings until finger tight. Place jars in the hot water bath, making sure there is at least an inch or two of water covering the jars. Cover and boil for 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
Remove from water and transfer to flat surface and let cool on top of a dish towel. After the jars are COMPLETELY cooled, Unscrew rings and test for sealing. You'll want to push down on the lid and make sure it doesn't "pop" when you do. I also will pick up the can (carefully!) by the lid to ensure it doesn't come off. I store mine with the rings on, although some have said that it is not necessary. If you do, just put them on finger tight (Don't screw them down super hard because that could cause the seal to break). <br />
<br />
And there you have it. I got eight 4 oz jars from this recipe. Easy easy easy! And so yummy! The cherry peppers are sweet and hot and have a great flavor. I can't wait to try this on a sandwich!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQZoDNMlExrPqq8iUFiZQBq5qdlQzN3o2uXWgXOoDrzAbJb6a-IwGI2QBXKf970BBSOEhFlnzqj_BGuvmiRq565IpJieFsC-r5ynk6RNdjw-TqoUtjvOvqbrvsYOD15QjvhFcxl-dR1A/s1600/20130914_154014%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQZoDNMlExrPqq8iUFiZQBq5qdlQzN3o2uXWgXOoDrzAbJb6a-IwGI2QBXKf970BBSOEhFlnzqj_BGuvmiRq565IpJieFsC-r5ynk6RNdjw-TqoUtjvOvqbrvsYOD15QjvhFcxl-dR1A/s400/20130914_154014%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cue feeling of accomplishment!</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-85922122017523943992013-09-12T09:36:00.002-07:002013-09-20T09:16:08.543-07:00Sometimes, you just need a little bit of comfort (food)! Here in the Smith household, Monday nights in fall mean one thing - FOOTBALL!! And since I was fortunate enough to have the night off, and my week 1 fantasy win wouldn't be secure until my running back played (thank you, Morris!), I didn't want to be standing in the kitchen cooking when I could be sitting in the living room talking smack and watching my points. So.....dinner was going to be E-A-S-Y. I wanted to throw something on the stove and occasionally check on it. And since my parents, sister, husband and I just cooked, cut and froze 24 dozen ears of corn (yes....24!), I figured tonight would be a perfect night for chicken corn soup. Now, here's something that you need to know about me and soup. Soup out of a can = GROSS! My husband found this out about one month into our relationship when he was sick and I asked if he wanted me to bring him anything. He answered "chicken corn soup" expecting me to show up with a can. Imagine his surprise when I showed up with bags full of ingredients and told him to give me an hour or so. But, I digress....<br>
<br>
One thing that baffles me is that many people are surprised when I tell them I make homemade soup all the time. One person even confessed that she wouldn't know how to make soup if she wanted to. The thing people don't realize is how easy it is! If you can boil water, you can make soup. I swear! And chicken corn soup is one of my favorites. Living in PA, this is one that I have eaten my entire life. It is a big Pennsylvania Dutch recipe, along with shoo fly pie, whoopie pies, fastnachts, pork and sauerkraut, and chicken pot pie (the kind with the noodles. The one with the crust is simply a chicken pie. I don't care what you say, it's true). And soup is so forgiving. You can add and delete ingredients as you see fit. As long as it tastes good, nothing is wrong! Of course, I couldn't just make the soup. My favorite thing to eat with any soup is homemade corn bread. Consider this post a two for one! First things first, though. Let's make some soup!<br>
<br>
<b>PA Dutch Chicken Corn Soup</b><br>
To make the stock:<br>
Two whole bone in, skin on chicken breasts<br>
3 Medium Carrots, cut in big chunks<br>
1/2 White onion, skinned and cut in big chunks<br>
1-2 T fresh parsley<br>
1-2 t fresh thyme<br>
Salt to taste<br>
Water<br>
<br>
For the Soup:<br>
5 pints of frozen corn. Or you can use a couple dozen of fresh corn, blanched and cut off the cob. <br>
<br>
And finally, let's make rivlets! (which are pretty much like little dumplings)<br>
2 c Flour<br>
Pinch salt<br>
2 Eggs<br>
<br>
<i>Tools needed:</i><br>
BIG pot<br>
Gravy separator (optional)<br>
<br>
To make the stock, add the chicken, herbs, salt, carrot, onion, and enough water to cover the chicken breasts together in a big pot and boil. No, seriously. That's chicken stock. You want the veggies and chicken to flavor the stock, and, of course, fresh herbs to add even more flavor. You want to boil it down until the stock turns a pretty yellow color. Warning - at first it will be gray and pretty unappetizing looking. This will pass, I promise! <br>
<br>
Once the stock is pretty and yellow, turn off the heat and remove the chicken and set it aside to cool. <br>
<br>
Run the stock through a strainer into a big bowl to remove the veggies. You can snack on the carrots or throw them out, it's up to you. I just tossed them.<br>
<br>
Let stock sit and skim fat of the top. I use a gravy separator (I promise if you don't have one of these you need one. It makes life easy!). Put stock back in big pot and cook over medium heat.<br>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6a9DcQyCUE4oi1qcgfpjUW6Y2r0avZo2LhCnASzNwG-JeK-2ufZ49SIqULP5UgENu6z4urkDgphH9Q_YC4LubMp6XcaLci0eNYJxdq58B1kxl3hC9ihCcwIVSMWnVLh8sB1gX5gfZOkY/s1600/20130912_104743%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6a9DcQyCUE4oi1qcgfpjUW6Y2r0avZo2LhCnASzNwG-JeK-2ufZ49SIqULP5UgENu6z4urkDgphH9Q_YC4LubMp6XcaLci0eNYJxdq58B1kxl3hC9ihCcwIVSMWnVLh8sB1gX5gfZOkY/s320/20130912_104743%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the most colorful, but boy is it good!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>In the meantime, remove the skin from the chicken and pull meat off bone. Either tear or cut into bite sized pieces and add back into the stock. Add the corn and bring the entire mixture to a boil. I turn the heat up a bit until it gets there, and then back it off to medium.<br></div><div>
<br>
Once the soup is boiling, make the rivlets. Rivlets are pretty much like little dumplings. No chicken corn soup is complete without these, in my opinion. To make the rivlets combine flour and salt in a bowl and crack eggs into the flour. Mix with your fingers until flour is moistened, and just gradually sprinkle and stir mixture into the boiling soup. If you need more salt at that point, add it! Remember, soup is forgiving. You can tailor it to your liking. And that's it! I let it continue to simmer while I make the cornbread. (or for 5 minutes, or for an hour.....you're not going to mess this up. I cannot stress this enough). <br>
<br>
Now, on to the cornbread. Homemade corn bread is kind of like an addiction for me. And my biggest complaint with cornbread recipes is it can end up being too dry pretty easily. So I found and tried a couple corn bread recipes and then found one that was close to what I wanted. Then I tweaked it. My additions worked! I came out with a moist, sweet cornbread that I ate with the soup, ate the next day for breakfast, ate as a snack. I seriously can't get enough of this!<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Sweet Corn Bread</b><br>
1/2 c Canola oil<br>
2/3 c Sugar<br>
1 Egg<br>
1 c 2% Milk (I like 2% because the slightly higher fat content makes the bread moist. If you're feeling especially sinful, you could use whole milk. Just avoid anything less than 2%)<br>
1 c Flour<br>
1 c Yellow corn meal<br>
3 t Baking powder<br>
Pinch of salt<br>
<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4AhUS1uZvBeselxVInfjYvrzts1GXHNEzZlTx7sdtfl0THTS_B8V6t3eMQdAxmqKXWp0M-Ga28F0TKlpyDZavuV29I5eKgoNjXEqtj6_UTPfWFKMzhm8UZ-0y1QXgg55Jd5kJ-NDtEE/s1600/20130912_104644-1%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4AhUS1uZvBeselxVInfjYvrzts1GXHNEzZlTx7sdtfl0THTS_B8V6t3eMQdAxmqKXWp0M-Ga28F0TKlpyDZavuV29I5eKgoNjXEqtj6_UTPfWFKMzhm8UZ-0y1QXgg55Jd5kJ-NDtEE/s320/20130912_104644-1%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Favorite. Thing. EVER!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Preheat oven to to 400 degrees. Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray (I like Crisco).<br>
<br>
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, egg, and milk. Once that is well mixed, add flour, corn meal, baking powder and salt. Stir together until just mixed. <br>
<br>
Pour batter into baking pan and bake for 25 minutes. <br>
<br>
Viola! Home made soup and corn bread, it really doesn't get any better. It's comfort food at its finest. And, I got to watch the game.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-65418183172892226882013-09-02T20:09:00.001-07:002013-09-20T09:23:23.234-07:00Things are turning out just peachy....It has occurred to me that my entire blog has been focused on cooking. Tonight, we're going to switch it up a bit. Tonight, we focus on.....BAKING!! That's right, kids! One thing that you should know about me is that I have an ENORMOUS sweet tooth. I can have a bag of potato chips sitting in my cupboard for months and I won't even give it a second glance Well, at least I could before I met my husband. Now he eats them all....But, you put a cake, cookies, ice cream, donuts, or any other sweet thing in my house (except baklava. I have a hatred of baklava) I WILL EAT THE CRAP OUT OF IT UNTIL IT IS GONE!!! Whenever there is sugar involved, I suddenly lose all self control and willpower. Correction - I have all the self control in the world with candy, but all bets are off when baked goods and ice cream are involved. OK, OK....it's not quite THAT bad. But I would be lying if I said I didn't have a little something sweet every day. And since baking is such a precise art form, the science nerd in me loves it! Plus, it makes me nostalgic for the days when I was little, standing in the kitchen with my Grandma, learning how to make cakes, cookies, pizelles, pies (and homemade pie crust!), and all kinds of sweet goodies. And I think about how every time we baked something, she'd always tell me how you mixed the wet ingredients then added the dry, and not to turn on the mixer too high when adding the flour or it will go everywhere. Then she'd proceed to turn it on too high and flour went everywhere, we'd giggle, and she'd say "Like that. Don't do that". Found out she did the same thing with my sister, because she remembers having this exact conversation with her. <br />
<br />
So, tonight I got adventurous. All it took was about 5 minutes without adult supervision (my husband jumped in the shower), and when he came out into the kitchen he asked me what I was doing. I replied "inventing peach bread" and went about my business. See, I had peaches in the fridge that I got from the farmer's market (surprise!) for super cheap because they were really ripe (double surprise!!) that I needed to use before they became moldy mush. And because I was so intent on perfecting this recipe, I neglected to take any pictures (forgive me!) until the end when the most beautiful loaves of peachy, sweet quick bread came out of my oven. And now, I must share my recipe, because boy is it good! Be warned - it makes a lot (4 loaves!), but you can half it, or make them and give them away or freeze them. I have been doing both....because, remember, no willpower! And, again, sorry for the lack of pictures, but i promise this is easy!!! If you can measure and stir, you can make this. <br />
<br />
<b>Peaches and Cream Bread with Cinnamon Swirl</b><br />
<i>For the bread:</i><br />
3 c Diced peaches<br />
1 1/2 c Canola oil<br />
6 Eggs<br />
3 c Sugar<br />
1 1/2 c Sour cream<br />
3 tsp Vanilla extract<br />
6 c All purpose flour<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
3 tsp Baking powder<br />
Cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle on top<br />
<i>For the cinnamon swirl:</i><br />
1/3 c Sugar<br />
2 tsp Cinnamon<br />
1 Tbsp water<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 4 8" loaf pans. Prepare the cinnamon swirl mixture and set aside.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl combine oil, eggs, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. <br />
<br />
In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add combined dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir until just moistened. Add peaches and stir one more time. <br />
<br />
Distribute about half of batter into the four loaf pans. Stir cinnamon and sugar mixture (in case it settled) and drizzle over top of the batter in the pans. Distribute the other half of the batter into the pans on top of the cinnamon swirl and spread out to cover the cinnamon layer<br />
<br />
Top each loaf with cinnamon and sugar. (I literally just take a tablespoon or so of sugar, sprinkle some cinnamon in it, and stir it around and sprinkle it on top). This gives it a sweet, crunchy upper crust.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just out of the oven!</td></tr>
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Place loaf pans on large baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. <br />
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When done baking, remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Run knife around outer edge of loaf and remove from pan. Let cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack. <br />
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Of course, once the loaves were cool enough that I could turn one out of the pan without burning my fingers, I HAD to try it. This was a new recipe, after all. Plus, if I was going to pass on it here, I had to test for quality, right? I even had my hubby try, just for good measure. I think he secretly encourages this blog just so he gets to be my food guinea pig. So we eagerly cut into the loaf, and this is what we saw:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDG_4szNqxI1O3Kq-_gOSC2vHrK4aktWRbQ_qxPLCxRaNDPCLAnPWaPK9NUyMzES6V3W3tHQeM6qVI48mmlfEC-IVFaj6DOUmio6ngZUl-9alg9BF1UnxQfBoNo8uRYBJzNT8JNed3_c/s1600/20130902_222055%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDG_4szNqxI1O3Kq-_gOSC2vHrK4aktWRbQ_qxPLCxRaNDPCLAnPWaPK9NUyMzES6V3W3tHQeM6qVI48mmlfEC-IVFaj6DOUmio6ngZUl-9alg9BF1UnxQfBoNo8uRYBJzNT8JNed3_c/s200/20130902_222055%5B1%5D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PERFECTION! I'm not gonna lie....<br />
I was a little nervous....</td></tr>
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And the verdict was.....delicious! It was moist and creamy with a chunks of sweet peaches. And the cinnamon swirl was perfect! This would be really amazing with a cup of coffee at breakfast time or an afternoon snack or a late night snack.....who am I kidding? It's just perfect. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-40148258509321413812013-09-01T20:21:00.000-07:002013-09-20T09:21:19.963-07:00Happy Fall!Today is the first day of September, which in my brain means it is fall. Yes, I know, I know. Fall starts officially on September 21st. But, as most people who know me know, following rules is not exactly my forte. In my mind winter is December through February, spring March through May, summer June through August, and fall September through November. So, yes. It's fall. Never mind the fact that it's 90 degrees here in PA this week. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not quite ready to admit that summer is coming to an end yet and my garden <i>is</i> still in full swing, but I am looking forward to the days of crisp weather, turning leaves, pumpkin EVERYTHING, and wearing hoodies. For now, I guess I'll just have to settle for getting into the spirit of the season through my kitchen. <br />
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With the increased awareness lately of GMO's and the pitfalls of factory farming, my husband and I have made the choice to keep most of our produce selections locally sourced (and sometimes so local, that it comes from our own back yard!). The result is eating things that are fresh and in season. Sure, that means no fresh strawberries in February, but those usually taste like exactly nothing anyway. Of course, there are things I absolutely cannot live without that are never in season here like bananas, avocados, pineapples, mangoes, etc. But for the most part, I try to eat as locally as I can. This results in a weekly trip to my favorite farmer's market ever and obscene amounts of fresh produce in my kitchen. My market does differentiate between homegrown, locally grown, and shipped in, which is nice. Not all of them do that, so be aware - just because it is at a farmer's market does not mean that it is grown locally. Don't be afraid to ask where your food comes from!! Any market worth its salt will be more than happy to share. But, it seems I've gotten off track here.....</div>
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So what does my farmer's market rant have to do with anything? Why, acorn squash of course!! My market has the most beautiful array of squash right now, and so reasonably priced ($0.65/lb!!). And I have yet to meet a squash I don't like. So I happily picked out spaghetti squashes and acorn squashes and brought them home to add to my produce collection. The nice thing about squash is that they keep FOREVER!! So I stared at them for about a week looking so cute in my hang-y produce basket and contemplated what I should do with them exactly. And then, I came up with this:</div>
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<b>Acorn Squash stuffed with Sausage, Quinoa, and Apples</b></div>
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3 Acorn squashes</div>
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1 lb Loose hot Italian sausage</div>
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2 c Cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa, but it doesn't matter what kind you use)</div>
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Vegetable stock</div>
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2 T Olive oil</div>
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1/2 White onion, diced</div>
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2 Apples, peeled, cored, and diced</div>
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1 tsp Fresh rosemary</div>
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1 tsp Fresh parsley</div>
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1 tsp Fresh thyme</div>
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Shredded cheddar cheese</div>
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chopped walnuts</div>
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Tools needed:</div>
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Just the basics</div>
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Preheat oven to 375. Cut acorn squash in half vertically.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_9uWut6bmO_ArdyxzKtXbaOW8gCgdvLH71Cevvmdb-kpny-CCd8gXee41wpV6bv_iX5i7C5P8dLlgn6NW5eJ5nMq7rYQMKj0nBsCKnLHQBu6znOGPqPDoWKO9c71L7Tffz2M1eNlOZQ/s1600/20130901_195047%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_9uWut6bmO_ArdyxzKtXbaOW8gCgdvLH71Cevvmdb-kpny-CCd8gXee41wpV6bv_iX5i7C5P8dLlgn6NW5eJ5nMq7rYQMKj0nBsCKnLHQBu6znOGPqPDoWKO9c71L7Tffz2M1eNlOZQ/s320/20130901_195047%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmmm....squashy goodness!</td></tr>
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Scoop out the seeds and trim just a smidge off the back so that it will lay flat on the tray. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrns6eueGguZNOY6CFQE5Dvg9fRgvjPHf8vEdfS8wGTl4iK010a_54EKz-YUkSfJWQOy1idy8wAtQTJ6A2T2LbKoKztfeHTrhoTxXjZtA94E_mwcoO3zrqu2FxUCuPSvWbEs4Yq-7A0Nw/s1600/20130901_195334%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrns6eueGguZNOY6CFQE5Dvg9fRgvjPHf8vEdfS8wGTl4iK010a_54EKz-YUkSfJWQOy1idy8wAtQTJ6A2T2LbKoKztfeHTrhoTxXjZtA94E_mwcoO3zrqu2FxUCuPSvWbEs4Yq-7A0Nw/s200/20130901_195334%255B1%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All clean!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO69fZOSHioy5FQDfnVr0fSwo5xnx5OGzIDZ1KwCm3Wp4vPfO9iw6oQ6drcXtNkoo2GGVmuVKpMjakWAqVqPMtau93gKZsYPiIba9J8NkiNub14V2-dy291NWxlW15I4PKjqJ8sw7zCgM/s1600/20130901_195340%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO69fZOSHioy5FQDfnVr0fSwo5xnx5OGzIDZ1KwCm3Wp4vPfO9iw6oQ6drcXtNkoo2GGVmuVKpMjakWAqVqPMtau93gKZsYPiIba9J8NkiNub14V2-dy291NWxlW15I4PKjqJ8sw7zCgM/s200/20130901_195340%255B1%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You're literally just shaving a little off the bump.<br />Just enough so that it won't wobble while baking.</td></tr>
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If you feel so inclined, save the seeds! You can clean them, dry them, and bake them just like pumpkin seeds. (Yum!) Place cleaned squash on baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until soft. You can test done-ness with a fork. If the fork pierces the squash meat with little to no resistance, you're ready to rock! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cn1ySY4OxlYkyEGUI1dTd7gHQRCEfy1UgKUSPv4_Z7rbbVZVw6nD2q7Fmi9lz07kYzQrsF1Vfv3SlqVPd1DDvoC3_LiqF86LRPvzTAzV7-7XQjINesUiywIJjtgnqOzZpmHbeqRNOFw/s1600/20130901_203758-1%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cn1ySY4OxlYkyEGUI1dTd7gHQRCEfy1UgKUSPv4_Z7rbbVZVw6nD2q7Fmi9lz07kYzQrsF1Vfv3SlqVPd1DDvoC3_LiqF86LRPvzTAzV7-7XQjINesUiywIJjtgnqOzZpmHbeqRNOFw/s320/20130901_203758-1%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even this looks amazing!</td></tr>
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While your squash is in the oven, cook your quinoa according to directions on the box, substituting vegetable stock for water (unless you have cooked quinoa hanging out in your fridge, in which case just grab it. But, seriously, who does that?). While the quinoa is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the apple, onion, rosemary, parsley, and thyme. <span style="text-align: center;">Saute until onions are soft. The apples will all but disintegrate, but that's OK. We really just want the apples to add a sweetness to the dish. </span></div>
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Once the onions are soft, add the sausage to the pan and cook while breaking it up. (Think: browning ground beef for sauce or chili). Once the sausage is done, remove from heat and stir in the cooked quinoa. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelE1OeBfHM_LB3MdpCWpAZ5nxb73JVCNmQp5YD1_CFUCLd9BsQpBYsIsgcfesQ6XqplBObq0TFZAbM5BZ-ck-Q7ZM0EvAKF68K-TlssVHJ3HXATGd5ft_k07r2UxdGa6PIyrmd2Fphvs/s1600/20130901_204552%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelE1OeBfHM_LB3MdpCWpAZ5nxb73JVCNmQp5YD1_CFUCLd9BsQpBYsIsgcfesQ6XqplBObq0TFZAbM5BZ-ck-Q7ZM0EvAKF68K-TlssVHJ3HXATGd5ft_k07r2UxdGa6PIyrmd2Fphvs/s200/20130901_204552%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy filling, ready to be added to the squash</td></tr>
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You'll probably notice I did not add salt to this dish. The reason for that is that the sausage is salty enough that I really didn't think it was needed. But, of course, if your sausage doesn't add the desired amount of saltiness, feel free to add. Remember - cooking is way more forgiving than baking! You can tweak a recipe any way you see fit. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtUWbkKYOv6fzeJuryy3DjCUgoLggvbV6CBo78C-REg75zP77cVWF-qOmpnwrcfKe57y9CICtpMj0GveD75v4EsPlax8Hxt-PL_3vGxE32f6xKU7ny18CLklVQmMxh7SdmEL6dZyrSS8/s1600/20130901_205910-1%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtUWbkKYOv6fzeJuryy3DjCUgoLggvbV6CBo78C-REg75zP77cVWF-qOmpnwrcfKe57y9CICtpMj0GveD75v4EsPlax8Hxt-PL_3vGxE32f6xKU7ny18CLklVQmMxh7SdmEL6dZyrSS8/s200/20130901_205910-1%255B1%255D.jpg" width="186" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Extra.</td></tr>
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Now spoon the sausage mixture into the cooked acorn squash. You'll notice in my pictures, I only made two squashes, but ended up with extra filling (enough for one more squash, hence the instructions to do 3). <br />
Top with shredded cheddar cheese and sprinkle with walnuts. Put back in the oven for about 7-8 minutes, until cheese is melted. </div>
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And that's it! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTbmuFMgpFR0mPR9K7xYCwL1qlpOxD0dTnsRvVai_JiXxkIGd_8MMgkL0hFmMLFEPC7sx29aznu8IvfeAbIEzuIDB4JgbTH1ceYhT1rbrJb5NJa0YRbb2yYFE5nU68OIdLok1gvfAJQY/s1600/20130901_210422-1%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTbmuFMgpFR0mPR9K7xYCwL1qlpOxD0dTnsRvVai_JiXxkIGd_8MMgkL0hFmMLFEPC7sx29aznu8IvfeAbIEzuIDB4JgbTH1ceYhT1rbrJb5NJa0YRbb2yYFE5nU68OIdLok1gvfAJQY/s320/20130901_210422-1%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So pretty! This just screams "FALL!"</td></tr>
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This is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. My hubby actually made me a little nervous when he tried it. He took his first bite and just looked at me. I thought he hated it...then his eyes damn near rolled back in his head while he exclaimed "this is so GOOD!". As I was eating mine, I was surprised at how with every bite I took, I loved it a little more each time. This one is definitely on the "do it again" list! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-59005944194777883842013-08-30T22:52:00.003-07:002013-09-20T09:21:45.311-07:00The Habanero Strikes Back!It's peach season here in good ol' PA!! (That's Pennsylvania for all you folks who aren't from here. While the rest of the country refers to their state of residence by its proper name, we tend to use the postal abbreviation. Don't know why....it's a thing.....) This excites me for many reasons, but mainly because I love peaches. Although, I love most fruits, especially fresh, local, in-season ones. And as a bonus, our local orchard has a table where they sell "seconds", which is the fruit that is slightly imperfect, maybe a little bruised, and really really ripe and should be used ASAP, which serves my purposes perfectly. And they sell these for super cheap! YAY! I've gotten quarts of peaches for $1 each. I made a dozen jars of peach jam using about $5 worth of fruit. Not bad, if you ask me! This has relevance, I promise...<br />
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Right now I have a common theme to my recipes. And that theme is....THE PEPPER!! Because it is also pepper season. Now, this year I went crazy with pepper plants. I started with 6 sweet bell, 3 jalapenos, 3 cayenne, a habanero and a poblano. That was supposed to be it. But I kept adding one more, then 3 more, then one more, etc until I had a plethora of peppers (try saying THAT three times fast). I just couldn't help myself! So now my pepper inventory looks like this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJPcVjZoP0JW-JWVLA3rGg08UDd8mhsXJERWS_61ICcVnA5jhtGyVEQw26rWXFyH_YoU-yU36nYiw1PZzNAyJHo7duIJGdraY1VLv3z_B8qkVMJtgpdr6Run74IDnKi_07oDJedAUkvU/s1600/20130510_174514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJPcVjZoP0JW-JWVLA3rGg08UDd8mhsXJERWS_61ICcVnA5jhtGyVEQw26rWXFyH_YoU-yU36nYiw1PZzNAyJHo7duIJGdraY1VLv3z_B8qkVMJtgpdr6Run74IDnKi_07oDJedAUkvU/s200/20130510_174514.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jalapenos, Habaneros, Poblano, and Cayenne</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SYrTlNnbwpIP1sj9FjQLqpEThvi9SLQCFmZ13ypiYsMq9kg1bpC4ys5tV28dP0yBsojqqUib8CYPMhCRbqflzs2-ujtUMCtmEn1ipYQDxbuFsDSDKJViDWPKep5vqvSBmYJb47CcPA8/s1600/20130727_141333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SYrTlNnbwpIP1sj9FjQLqpEThvi9SLQCFmZ13ypiYsMq9kg1bpC4ys5tV28dP0yBsojqqUib8CYPMhCRbqflzs2-ujtUMCtmEn1ipYQDxbuFsDSDKJViDWPKep5vqvSBmYJb47CcPA8/s200/20130727_141333.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Banana</td></tr>
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3 Jalapenos<br />
1 Habanero<br />
3 Cayenne<br />
1 Poblano<br />
1 Serrano<br />
1 Anaheim Chili<br />
1 Mexibell<br />
1 Cherry Hot<br />
2 Hungarian Wax<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiowIFvPwgrhwemLVqLJhxkCTg7Klu7U_m6A5vf9AFfw5rDmpcjQwqc71X3rKAva5jx2tLSRkaywycqai0J7WBpBIMOahoXaMZJykXv1N7NowNdB4nJddf-lX33hGeWHpa06NE178d_IE/s1600/20130625_171542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiowIFvPwgrhwemLVqLJhxkCTg7Klu7U_m6A5vf9AFfw5rDmpcjQwqc71X3rKAva5jx2tLSRkaywycqai0J7WBpBIMOahoXaMZJykXv1N7NowNdB4nJddf-lX33hGeWHpa06NE178d_IE/s320/20130625_171542.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot peppers all lined up</td></tr>
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1 Sweet Banana<br />
1 Thai Dragon<br />
2 Cubanelle<br />
6 Bells (yes...SIX....I know....)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1jDWKZksd0AAtR1xMZp3r-834AsHUoPYZDOAdRXAkbHIyvycoEA-qqHBCPON7Cr50zFa-BrcZvUmfJ3INyKrAazBdjE2ZVJVJWLoNVxA-L0Cs6RDqtZi-E7pjD7dAPN0WLQ9WyoBSGw/s1600/20130727_141523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1jDWKZksd0AAtR1xMZp3r-834AsHUoPYZDOAdRXAkbHIyvycoEA-qqHBCPON7Cr50zFa-BrcZvUmfJ3INyKrAazBdjE2ZVJVJWLoNVxA-L0Cs6RDqtZi-E7pjD7dAPN0WLQ9WyoBSGw/s200/20130727_141523.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Bell, specifically "Blushing Beauty"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKZ74dJb6jOQHkBJeuVihBhBbbr2KuM4PAvU2pVtk4ju5d9CBUquyUhGcmTAttXE_lFS5ZeE6Lcgm2YVrnm7j5RL_tY-AsWyTlwxnOAOyoB-tORhqYUTYTxV5tvaleDLiNmeAOL4nAdc/s1600/20130727_141341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKZ74dJb6jOQHkBJeuVihBhBbbr2KuM4PAvU2pVtk4ju5d9CBUquyUhGcmTAttXE_lFS5ZeE6Lcgm2YVrnm7j5RL_tY-AsWyTlwxnOAOyoB-tORhqYUTYTxV5tvaleDLiNmeAOL4nAdc/s200/20130727_141341.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai Dragon</td></tr>
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So, since I have so many peppers, I obviously want to use them. And what better way to incorporate pepper season AND peach season than with peach habanero hot sauce!!<br />
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The sauce I managed to create is hot, don't get me wrong. But it's not SO hot that it's painful. In my humble opinion, anyway. But I've said it before...I like spicy food. If you are not used to spicy, habaneros are probably not for you. <br />
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Once again.....this is so easy! You literally just throw things in a pan, cook them down, and liquefy in blender. You cannot mess this up! <br />
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<b>Peach Habanero Hot Sauce</b><br />
6-8 Ripe peaches washed, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks<br />
4 Cloves of garlic, peeled and smooshed<br />
1 Anaheim chili, seeded<br />
4 Habaneros, seeded<br />
1/2 Medium onion, roughly chopped<br />
1-2 Medium carrots, roughly chopped<br />
1 1/4 c Vinegar<br />
Water<br />
1 T sugar<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
<br />
Tools needed:<br />
VINYL FOOD SERVICE GLOVES (I cannot stress this enough.....)<br />
Blender<br />
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Now....here's how easy this is. Add water to the bottom of a small skillet about an inch deep, and bring to a boil. Place habaneros and anaheim in there just to cook until soft. Turn off heat and remove peppers from water, setting the water aside. GET YOUR GLOVES AND PUT THEM ON BEFORE HANDLING THE PEPPERS!!!! Run the peppers under cold water to cool. Once cool, remove the stems and seeds from the peppers. If any skin is peeling, you can remove that too, but it's not necessary. I kept most of my skin on and it was just fine. Set seeded peppers aside. <br />
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Add the water that the peppers were blanching in into a bigger skillet. (That water picked up some of the pepper flavor and heat, so that's why I used it. Gotta keep as much flavor as possible!) Add garlic, onion, carrots, peaches, and peppers into the skillet. Cook on medium to medium high heat until veggies are soft. Add water if it is needed. Remember, you can always reduce the sauce and evaporate the water out if you accidentally add too much. <br />
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Once veggies are soft, pour mixture into a blender and blend for about 5 minutes. You want this to be smooth. <br />
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After blending, add back into the pan and add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Simmer (not boil!) on medium heat, stirring often, for 30 - 45 minutes. If it looks to thick, add water until you get to the desired consistency. Mine looked like this:<br />
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Once again, you have the option of storing in the refrigerator for a few weeks. I, of course, canned mine. I got a yield of nine 4oz cans. This can vary slightly depending on the size of your peppers. This is a good sauce for chicken. (Especially wings!)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voila! The finished product!</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-18103494995158663942013-08-26T09:41:00.001-07:002013-09-20T09:22:10.978-07:00It's not easy being "verde"......no, wait....yes it IS! First and foremost, there is one thing you should know about my family. We grow our own vegetables and herbs. It's true! All it takes is a little time, a little patience, a little research, and a little space and what some people find to be intimidating is actually pretty easy. That's not to say that I haven't had some failures (squash vine borers and cabbage worms, anyone?) Coupled with the frequent trips to our local orchard/farm market and generous sharing by my parents and my uncle (thanks, guys!), in the spring, summer, and fall months we always have an abundant supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. And if you have the time, energy, and patience to preserve them, you can have homegrown and local produce year round. I have a chest freezer, pressure canner, and vacuum sealer, all purchased to preserve our harvests. It saves money, tastes way better, and you can avoid all those pesky chemicals that are in some grocery store produce. When I say my veggies are organic, I actually mean it. (No pesticides or artificial fertilizers here....which is why I've had some failures. I added in some natural remedies for them and cleared it right up!) At some point, I will compile a list of gardening tips that I have learned through research and trial and error, and post it here. But, for today, our focus will be on.......<br />
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THE TOMATILLO!! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEZd19Ag5oO3VoJhDlsIgRVfGDY20b1M3MC629N4DILxb3NWu6ic0NQvqtHif8U15nI-47OBWSmDqFIE-T7iPOZwtdff569eOyRezlLwa_tytVzG_MbZMRb22dPrN1JKiKbJEr9J22Uo/s1600/20130825_141404%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEZd19Ag5oO3VoJhDlsIgRVfGDY20b1M3MC629N4DILxb3NWu6ic0NQvqtHif8U15nI-47OBWSmDqFIE-T7iPOZwtdff569eOyRezlLwa_tytVzG_MbZMRb22dPrN1JKiKbJEr9J22Uo/s320/20130825_141404%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Da!!</td></tr>
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Now, don't be fooled. Even though the name SOUNDS like tomato, it is not. The tomatillo, also called the husk tomato, is a distant cousin to the tomato and part of the nightshade family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant). But unlike it's saucy cousin, the tomatillo is self infertile. This is important to know if you plan on growing any of these bad boys. You must have 2 or more plants to have fruit set, or hope that someone near you is growing one too and that you are lucky enough to have insects that carry their pollen to yours. Either way, I made the rookie mistake of only planting one, and by the time I went back to get another, our local nursery was out. But....I am part of that fortunate group of people that SOMEHOW got pollinated and I am getting little fruits! Yay! This tomatillo ,however, is not mine. This one was acquired from the local orchard because I am impatient. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYs8P8w4C_vMW17QrRFgq3oaBuGUIEiZMip-981crtOga_Mwqtj6JrKdElkTenrCrkVqev67YThyphenhyphens73m8T1PGVdyLsNMkKt3KTk0tuoaDQRwRcO4s7vbhcWri1QSqZwYMSvOHx_nUTJdI/s1600/20130825_141426%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYs8P8w4C_vMW17QrRFgq3oaBuGUIEiZMip-981crtOga_Mwqtj6JrKdElkTenrCrkVqev67YThyphenhyphens73m8T1PGVdyLsNMkKt3KTk0tuoaDQRwRcO4s7vbhcWri1QSqZwYMSvOHx_nUTJdI/s320/20130825_141426%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top is husked, bottom is unhusked</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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When working with these little guys, first thing you have to do is remove the husks. This is really easy, because the only place they are actually attached is at the top, so just grab, peel, and tear, and you will have a tomatillo ready to use. And what do we use them for? Salsa verde, of course! <br />
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Now, I have had salsa verde (literally means "green salsa") many different ways. Salsa verde is, in fact, one of my favorite things in the universe! And even though I have eaten it a thousand times, I have never actually MADE it. Or ever cooked with a tomatillo. So, the one thing I was not prepared for is the aroma of the tomatillo. It wasn't bad...not at all! It's just that even though I realized it is a tomaTILLO, not a tomaTO, you expect a tomato-y smell because of how they look. What you are hit with instead is a floral, citrusy smell that is completely unique. Blended with the other flavors (like a medley of our homegrown peppers), you come out with an acidic, spicy, lime-y, cilantro-y flavor that is completely unique and muy delicioso! Since I was a salsa verde virgin, I had to play with the flavors a bit to get the desired taste, but wrote down what I did so I could share. All in all, I'd say it was a success! Which means...recipe time! (You had to know this was coming....)<br />
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Senora Smith's Salsa Verde (ha! See what I did there?)<br />
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1 Cup Water<br />
2 Dozen Tomatillos, husked, washed, cored, and quartered<br />
10 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and smooshed<br />
1 Poblano Pepper rough chopped, seeds and all<br />
6 Jalapeno Peppers, rough chopped, seeds and all<br />
6 Serrano Peppers, rough chopped, seeds and all<br />
1 Medium White Onion, rough chopped<br />
1 Cup Cilantro, lightly packed<br />
Juice and Zest of 2 Limes<br />
Salt to taste<br />
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Tools needed:<br />
Food Processor<br />
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Now for the hard part. Dump all of these things in a pot. I like to keep seeds and ribbing to keep the heat. Bring to a boil and simmer until veggies are soft.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GxhcuNaJskuCe-Bs6DDgz8zG_sLWftkq6CT7md7SOrC9Ev308Q2QXMEfEef9LwQbdTu6aGvFSJM0Y6ArrO_dwotvc_vq5vrwSYdj9jVlFSK8cXr32HKayWUpIKbxASo0AO0XN59G-QI/s1600/20130825_150101%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GxhcuNaJskuCe-Bs6DDgz8zG_sLWftkq6CT7md7SOrC9Ev308Q2QXMEfEef9LwQbdTu6aGvFSJM0Y6ArrO_dwotvc_vq5vrwSYdj9jVlFSK8cXr32HKayWUpIKbxASo0AO0XN59G-QI/s200/20130825_150101%5B1%5D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was pre-food processor </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Dump in food processor and pulse until desired consistency. No seriously. That's IT! I smooshed the garlic and roughly chopped all the veggies so it would infuse while cooking, but all of your chopping and blending will take place in the food processor. Once the salsa is run through the food processor, put it back in the pot and simmer for about 30 - 40 minutes. Enough to reduce it a bit and thicken it up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished product! Ole!</td></tr>
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I canned mine using 8 oz jars. From this recipe I got 8 jars. Not bad for about $11 worth of produce! (plus my homegrown peppers, but, hey, those are free!)<br />
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The verdict? My hubby LOVED it! And I couldn't stop dipping pieces of tortilla in
the warm salsa. To taste and test for quality and freshness, of course! I'm sure if I actually get any of my own tomatillos, I will be making more of these. Cause, you know, Christmas gifts! <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-53398281019773758332013-08-12T20:53:00.000-07:002013-09-20T09:22:28.466-07:00All hail the mighty habanero!!Ahhhh, the habanero. These little beauties are full of flavor and full of heat. When I was first learning how to cook, I made the unfortunate mistake of putting three of them (seeds and all) into a pot of Jambalaya, because ya know, they're small, right? And since I put all the time and effort into making it, I was determined to eat it (even if it meant drinking a half gallon of milk and eating 3 pieces of bread while doing it....). This was years ago, and since I haven't used them in quite some time, I had forgotten exactly how hot they actually were. Imagine my excitement when I pulled that first little orange guy off my pepper plant. I was so excited I decided to make salsa with it. Now, my husband and I both like spicy food. I, however, tolerate mine a bit spicier than he does. I love love LOVE sriricha sauce (that Asian hot sauce with the rooster on the bottle). I eat hot pepper flakes on my pizza. I've been known to just pop a piece of jalapeno or two in my mouth while cooking. So when I decided to use my first little habanero in the fresh salsa I was making, I decided I needed to test the heat so as not to kill my hubby's taste buds. I painstakingly roasted it on the grill along with my other veggies and brought it inside. I then took the tiniest most microscopic little taste of it. Out of my mouth comes "Oooh, that's del - OHMYGOD!". Cue the binge milk drinking and eating sour cream directly out of the container with a spoon. I was actually talking funny and my mouth burned for roughly an hour. Believe me when I say habaneros are not toys. I repeat - Habaneros. Are. NOT. Toys. These little buggers are hot hot HOT. Their Scoville scale rating is 100,000 - 300,000. Bear in mind that a jalapeno is rated about 2,500 - 10,000 and the dreaded ghost chili comes in at a whopping 330,000 - about 1,000,000, if that puts it into perspective. Bottom line - they are hot. As hot as they are, unless you like things really spicy, you do not need more than half of one to spice up a dish. So, imagine my "problem" when I looked at my beautiful habanero and saw this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hkcnKrMEYKQ/UgmgjGL3q0I/AAAAAAAAADs/eHM15l2mVoU/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hkcnKrMEYKQ/UgmgjGL3q0I/AAAAAAAAADs/eHM15l2mVoU/s320/13+-+1" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So pretty!</td></tr>
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What in the world is a girl to do with this many habaneros? Sure, I could freeze them, but am I really going to use all those? Remember, this is just the beginning of my harvest - pepper season is now in full swing and I have so many more hanging, waiting to ripen. I contemplated putting them in my food dehydrator and making habanero flakes, but I feared what concentrating those oils mixed with the heat of the dehydrator would do to my eyes and nose. So I settled on the next logical thing - hot sauce! I started researching recipes, seeing how others made use of these little guys. So many possibilities! What I was looking for was something sweet and hot, but not so hot that I wouldn't want to eat it. I decided to cut the habaneros with hungarian wax peppers and carrots. The wax peppers kept the pepper flavor I wanted and the carrots added body and sweetness and maintained the beautiful orange color. I managed to concoct what I think is the perfect blend of spice, flavor, sweetness, and heat - hot enough to feed my craving for spicy food, but not so hot that don't want to actually eat it. So without further ado, here is my version of Honey Habanero Hot Sauce!<br />
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Honey Habanero Hot sauce<br />
8 Habanero Peppers<br />
3 Hungarian Wax Peppers<br />
1 Medium Onion<br />
1-2 Carrots<br />
1 Head of Garlic<br />
1/2 cup Brown Sugar<br />
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar<br />
1/8 cup molasses<br />
Honey to taste<br />
Dash of salt<br />
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Tools needed:<br />
Blender<br />
Vinyl food service gloves <br />
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Yields:<br />
About 16 oz of delicious hot sauce, give or take. It depends on how big your peppers are. <br />
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- Roast the peppers, onion, carrot and garlic. I built a small fire on my charcoal grill and roasted them over coals. You could also do it in the oven. Roast until veggies are soft and skin is slightly brown. Let veggies cool. (Not completely, but enough that you can tolerate handling them). And now, the gratuitous pictures of roasting veggies because they're pretty.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7EL2IVXcFWO-oEvCsyewQLbXk_lFtCnQZK1VVO6F2vrz-gMJ7A1KGyRd9PRKZGkV_hpIhBwsbYYd4kbMduf16DJF6AwFpkoYX8MuIhiaJ90IlW9p0RRs9-TguIDcSqP4Mu2XWPbXaGg/s1600/20130808_152653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7EL2IVXcFWO-oEvCsyewQLbXk_lFtCnQZK1VVO6F2vrz-gMJ7A1KGyRd9PRKZGkV_hpIhBwsbYYd4kbMduf16DJF6AwFpkoYX8MuIhiaJ90IlW9p0RRs9-TguIDcSqP4Mu2XWPbXaGg/s320/20130808_152653.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? I told you they were pretty!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iKnKLPeQOkxynYs11SH8N00j7FF-2GKbPdDtQWyR2gQfm2UbylX5mg69NggJTE-01Dq-MQaY1tkWb3IKr_qseL8eAFPgvwdsqQmi2FQT1UO7y-aX1eiTa9ApqkFEdt5jcdLmD4NbLDY/s1600/20130808_152525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iKnKLPeQOkxynYs11SH8N00j7FF-2GKbPdDtQWyR2gQfm2UbylX5mg69NggJTE-01Dq-MQaY1tkWb3IKr_qseL8eAFPgvwdsqQmi2FQT1UO7y-aX1eiTa9ApqkFEdt5jcdLmD4NbLDY/s200/20130808_152525.jpg" width="200" /></a>- This next step is extremely important. DO NOT skip this step. Put on vinyl food service gloves. I promise you will regret it if you don't. When handling habaneros (or any hot pepper for that matter) the oils will get on your hands. And they will not come off, no matter how much you wash, scrub, beg, bargain, or soak. And eventually you will do something that is ordinarily harmless like rub your eye or scratch your nose, or if you're a guy....well.....you get the point. And it will hurt. Trust me - I speak from experience. <br />
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- Now that your GLOVES ARE ON (I'm serious!), carefully peel the skin off your peppers. You can run them under cold water to help the skin come off. Once the skin is peeled off, just kind of tear the pepper open and run the pepper under water, running your (GLOVED!) finger over the inside to remove the seeds. Put the skinned and seeded peppers in your blender. I also skinned my carrots (just took the brown outside off. Really I just cut them in half and scraped out the soft inside), my onion (again, just took off the outside layer), and garlic and put in blender with the peppers. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree for about 5 minutes. You want to make sure this is a liquid.<br />
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- Transfer the mixture to a sauce pan and bring to a boil on medium to medium high heat, stirring constantly. Remember, there is sugar in this. You don't want to accidentally make habanero hard candy. As soon as it starts boiling, turn it on low and simmer, stirring often, for about 45 minutes to an hour. The color will change a bit as it cooks, so don't be alarmed.<br />
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And that's it. No, seriously. That is really it. Now, you can store it one of two ways. You can put it in the fridge in a container or jar if you are planning on using it within the next couple weeks. You can also can it, which is what I did. I used 4 oz canning jars and processed in a boiling water bath, covered for 10 minutes. I got 4 4oz jars of the stuff. My result looked like this:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come on....say it with me! "Ooooh! Aaaaaah!" You know you want to....</td></tr>
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Last night I made wings for dinner. And I coated some of them with my hot sauce. And it was delicious! The habaneros actually taste like habaneros instead of just burning. The sweetness was amazing! I could really taste the honey in this, which I loved. Now, don't get me wrong, 5 wings in I could really feel the heat. But it wasn't unbearable. And besides - it gave me the perfect excuse to eat ice cream right after dinner. I had to cool my mouth down, after all. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2998148966354938359.post-71423468003667590582013-06-30T21:40:00.001-07:002013-09-20T09:22:59.592-07:00Goulash! So, it's summer time, and the garden is beginning to pay us back for all the hard work we put into it in the spring. Today's small harvest - hungarian wax peppers. When I saw these at the local nursery, they looked so beautiful that I just HAD to add them to my hot pepper garden. Today, when I picked the two largest ones, a funny thing occurred to me - what do I actually DO with these? True, you can stuff them, grill them, grill them AND stuff them (now we're just getting zany!), pickle them....so many possibilities! But the sad truth is, it's the beginning of pepper season and I got two. <br />
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But......LOOK AT THEM!! <br />
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So beautiful! (Yes, I get excited over produce). There are a couple of things you need to know about hungarian wax peppers. First, they have a HUGE range on the Scoville scale. For those who don't know about this scale, it is how the heat of peppers is measured. The numbers go from 0 (bell peppers) to OHMYGOD I'M DYING, or, you know, 15,000,000 (pure capsaicin). The wax pepper can go from 1,000 (a little hotter than tobasco) to 10,000 (a little hotter than a jalapeno). If you pick them when they're still green like this, they will be lower in heat. But, know this - those little ribs on the inside of the pepper are still hot. It's a good idea to remove as many ribs as you want and taste this little baby so you know what your tastebuds are up against, and adjust accordingly. <br />
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But again I ask, what do you DO with two hungarian wax peppers? I was at a loss until my husband suggested goulash. Now, I have a vast mental inventory of recipes, but while I've heard of goulash, I've neither cooked nor eaten it. Even more intimidating is the fact that this is a dish that my husband's mother and grandmother made for him a lot, so this was his warm, fuzzy comfort food. And I had no idea where to start! I knew meat, pasta, tomatoes - and that's where my knowledge ended. So, I did the logical thing - I hit the interwebs searching for goulash recipes. I needed to find the base flavors, the spices, the essence of what this dish is. I found that it's meaty, it's hearty, it's simple yet complex all at the same time. It's heavy on paprika and sweet. Some people use veggies, some don't. No two recipes are alike, so I took the gist of what I liked from several different recipes, and omitted what I didn't. I basically created my own by using the basics. I whipped this up, happily chatting with my husband while creating a piece of his childhood, all the while nervous that somehow I'd get it all wrong. After all, I'm a goulash virgin! But after about 40 minutes, I nervously handed him my creation and waited for his thoughts. Verdict? NAILED IT! And I loved it so much that I had a second helping. So good, in my opinion, that the title warranted an exclamation point. I ran to my recipe book and immediately wrote it down, because I didn't want to forget what I did. So, without further ado....<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Best Goulash EVER!</span><br />
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1 box elbow macaroni<br />
1.5 lbs ground beef<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 T fresh oregano, minced<br />
2 hungarian wax peppers, diced<br />
3 medium carrots, cut into "half moon" slices<br />
1 package sliced white mushrooms, roughly chopped <br />
1 6 oz can tomato paste<br />
1 28 oz can tomato sauce<br />
Salt to taste<br />
1 T onion powder<br />
4 T paprika<br />
1/2 c water<br />
1/3 c sugar <br />
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Boil water seasoned with salt. Add macaroni until al dente. Drain and set aside.<br />
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Brown ground beef in dutch oven (I use an enamel coated, cast iron one). Add 1/2 cup water, garlic, peppers, salt, mushrooms, carrots, and oregano. Simmer on medium to medium high until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally. <br />
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Add tomato paste and stir. If it's really thick, add a little more water. (just a smidge. Maybe 1/4 cup)<br />
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Add tomato sauce, paprika, sugar, and onion powder. <br />
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Simmer for 10-15 minutes until flavors combine. <br />
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Remove from heat and stir in macaroni.<br />
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Here it is!<br />
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So fast, so easy, so delicious! And, the leftovers! Great for next day lunches. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14208226492389968512noreply@blogger.com0