So I pride myself on being able to make a mean chocolate chip cookie. I used the Nestle Toll House cookie recipe for a long time and it served me extremely well. They make great cookies. You have to add a little extra flour sometimes, but a great cookie nonetheless. I more recently found a recipe from my Great Grandmother. My dad's mom's mom. My grandmother has recently given me a lot of her recipes, not all of which I have tried. My grandma Rice has really been much of my inspiration for cooking and wanting to cook because she was a really great cook when I was growing up and she was so good with me, always getting me involved in the kitchen and always talking to me like we were on the same level, which as a child I appreciated. That was a serious run-on sentence. Sorry.
I tried this recipe and Sam told me that it was good. So good in fact, that he said he didn't want me to share them because he wanted to eat them. And I tend to trust his opinion because he's not a real "eater." "Eater" being someone who eats for fun, someone who loves food. Kind of like a "foodie," but not discriminatory. Basically, Sam eats when he is hungry and isn't really into sweets. (I envy this because I look at a brownie and its like I am a crackhead staring at the last rock on Earth or something.) Anyway, here's the recipe and if there are any readers or tryers of recipes out there then let me know what you think or if you've liked any of my recipes so far or if you would like to know how to make something.
Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 cup butter flavored oleo
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tblsp milk
1 tblsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour plus more
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat to 375. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. Mix oleo, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix in egg. Add dry mix to wet mix a little at a time. Add more flour if needed. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon onto baking sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 1 minute. Take off sheet and set on cooling rack.
So first of all, oleo is crisco. People used the term oleo for crisco in the 1940s. This was basically a marketing scheme to keep people from buying butter and get them to buy shortening instead, but its what the recipe says and my grandma said oleo all when I was growing up so it stuck. I did a little research on it when I got older and realized that nobody else said it. Second, you will probably have to add a half cup extra flour if you use an electric mixer because the mixer whips the batter. I also found that living on the west coast, you need to add a little more flour to things than in the midwest. I am not sure why. This batter will also not be the normal consistency of cookie batter (extremely thick). Don't add more than a half cup extra flour without baking your first batch to make sure. This recipe makes 3 or 4 cookie sheets worth of cookies so you will still have cookies if your first batch turns out flat (which is what happens when dough is over handled or whipped or there isn't enough flour). Also, to be fair, I don't always measure everything exactly. The whole 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda thing? Really? Do we think an extra 1/4 teaspoon is going to make that much of a difference. I don't know. My grandma always used a coffee cup to measure cups of flour or sugar and used actual teaspoons and tablespoons from the silverware drawer to measure instead of the teeny tiny level scoops everybody has now. I do a little of both. I'd be interested to know how long these cookies lasted at your house! Two batches lasted 3 days at mine.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Chelsea's Bang for Your Buck Dinner
Our dinner plans tonight are for Chili Mac. This recipe makes two huge pots of food that is AWESOME as leftovers. I got this chili recipe from my friend Leah Buchanan and Sam introduced me to the idea of chili-MAC and I loved it! This recipe is so cheap because it is all from canned food and boxed mixes. I know I said that I was into fresh food, and I am, but you can get organic canned vegetables or can your own vegetables if you wish. I also use a box mix for my chili seasoning, but it is all natural (and let's be honest here, who gives a shit whether your cumin and masa flour are organic? just keepin' it real here.) First, for the chili.
Black Bean Chili
2 large cans (28 oz I think) diced tomatoes (the plain jane regular kind)
1 small can (12 or 14 oz?) black beans (use two cans if you want a beanier chili)
1 small can red beans (I like red beans because they are smaller than kidney beans, but sometimes stores don't carry the smaller red beans so kidney beans are fine)
1 small can corn
1 pkg Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Brand Chili Kit. This is the best chili seasoning package ever and they sell it almost everywhere.
Directions:
Throw it all in the pot! The diced tomatoes go in with the liquid intact. The beans and the corn get drained. I usually save the water from the corn in case I want to add some more liquid later. It's just a little more flavorful and salty than plain old tap water. Throw in all the packets in the chili kit except for the masa flour. Stir it up. Decide how thick you want it and add that much masa. I usualy use half of the packet of masa and add a little bit of the water from the corn. You may ask, "Why add more water when you are going to just add masa to thicken it??" Because it makes the chili saucier and saucy is almost always a good thing.
After you get your chili all mixed together cook it on med or slightly below until it boils, then turn it down and cook it for a while longer. The longer the better, but I am a little impatient so I usually don't wait too long.
After I get my chili heating up I start another large pot of boiling water. In this pot you are just going to boil some macaroni. After the macaroni boils I drain it and then put it back in the pot. I stir in about 1/8c or whatever of oil (olive oil can be a little too flavorful for this one, although it is my go-to oil so maybe use grapeseed or canola--note: these three oils are the only basic oils that I use, most vegetable oils are gross and really bad for you). The oil just keeps the pasta from sticking together. Do not put it back on the same burner while it is hot. Not that you would necessarily, but I have done this and it is SO bad. You don't usually notice until it starts to smell because the bottom of the pasta is burning. No good.
I also like to make corn muffins to go with this dish. This is where I say "BRING ON THE PRESERVATIVES!!" Mostly because I am about to recommend that you buy Jiffy brand corn muffin mix. I grew up on the stuff and I think it tastes awesome. Its super dry, which I love in cornbread and its less than a dollar a box I think. Mix the stuff according to package directions and then divide it between 6 muffin cups. I love using those paper muffin cups for some reason. I think it reminds me of getting cupcakes when I was a kid or something. You can make these ahead of time, but I usually end up throwing it together while I wait for the water to boil for the mac so they are nice and warm when it's time to eat.
Now for the big finish! Get a bowl. I like to use my big bowls that are larger than cereal bowls but smaller than serving bowls, but whatever. Scoop some macaroni on the bottom, ladle some chili on the top and smother in cheddar cheese. The cheesier the better. Eat with your corn muffin. SO GOOD!!
Alternate: If you like meaty chili, and I have only done this once but it was awesome: The same chili seasoning brand I talked about earlier makes a white chicken chili seasoning packet that is equally as good. It has meat products in it so you can't make it for vegetarians, but it tastes good with or without chicken in it. I just made the same recipe with a different packet and didn't add any actual chicken, but you probably could and it would be awesome.
Black Bean Chili
2 large cans (28 oz I think) diced tomatoes (the plain jane regular kind)
1 small can (12 or 14 oz?) black beans (use two cans if you want a beanier chili)
1 small can red beans (I like red beans because they are smaller than kidney beans, but sometimes stores don't carry the smaller red beans so kidney beans are fine)
1 small can corn
1 pkg Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Brand Chili Kit. This is the best chili seasoning package ever and they sell it almost everywhere.
Directions:
Throw it all in the pot! The diced tomatoes go in with the liquid intact. The beans and the corn get drained. I usually save the water from the corn in case I want to add some more liquid later. It's just a little more flavorful and salty than plain old tap water. Throw in all the packets in the chili kit except for the masa flour. Stir it up. Decide how thick you want it and add that much masa. I usualy use half of the packet of masa and add a little bit of the water from the corn. You may ask, "Why add more water when you are going to just add masa to thicken it??" Because it makes the chili saucier and saucy is almost always a good thing.
After you get your chili all mixed together cook it on med or slightly below until it boils, then turn it down and cook it for a while longer. The longer the better, but I am a little impatient so I usually don't wait too long.
After I get my chili heating up I start another large pot of boiling water. In this pot you are just going to boil some macaroni. After the macaroni boils I drain it and then put it back in the pot. I stir in about 1/8c or whatever of oil (olive oil can be a little too flavorful for this one, although it is my go-to oil so maybe use grapeseed or canola--note: these three oils are the only basic oils that I use, most vegetable oils are gross and really bad for you). The oil just keeps the pasta from sticking together. Do not put it back on the same burner while it is hot. Not that you would necessarily, but I have done this and it is SO bad. You don't usually notice until it starts to smell because the bottom of the pasta is burning. No good.
I also like to make corn muffins to go with this dish. This is where I say "BRING ON THE PRESERVATIVES!!" Mostly because I am about to recommend that you buy Jiffy brand corn muffin mix. I grew up on the stuff and I think it tastes awesome. Its super dry, which I love in cornbread and its less than a dollar a box I think. Mix the stuff according to package directions and then divide it between 6 muffin cups. I love using those paper muffin cups for some reason. I think it reminds me of getting cupcakes when I was a kid or something. You can make these ahead of time, but I usually end up throwing it together while I wait for the water to boil for the mac so they are nice and warm when it's time to eat.
Now for the big finish! Get a bowl. I like to use my big bowls that are larger than cereal bowls but smaller than serving bowls, but whatever. Scoop some macaroni on the bottom, ladle some chili on the top and smother in cheddar cheese. The cheesier the better. Eat with your corn muffin. SO GOOD!!
Alternate: If you like meaty chili, and I have only done this once but it was awesome: The same chili seasoning brand I talked about earlier makes a white chicken chili seasoning packet that is equally as good. It has meat products in it so you can't make it for vegetarians, but it tastes good with or without chicken in it. I just made the same recipe with a different packet and didn't add any actual chicken, but you probably could and it would be awesome.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Holiday Boozin'
Well it's a little over a week until Christmas and that means time for holiday parties. And holiday parties mean boozin'. My friend Caitlyn came up with this really amazing recipe for white sangria. Its pretty delicious and drunktastic. So here it is and happy holidays!
Holiday White Sangria
3 bottles sparkling wine (something cheap like Cook's)
1 bottle Chardonnay
1/2 a fifth of E&J Brandy
5-10 oranges sliced
5-10 meyer lemons sliced
Dump it all into a large pitcher with ice. Makes about 2 gallons.
Holiday White Sangria
3 bottles sparkling wine (something cheap like Cook's)
1 bottle Chardonnay
1/2 a fifth of E&J Brandy
5-10 oranges sliced
5-10 meyer lemons sliced
Dump it all into a large pitcher with ice. Makes about 2 gallons.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Pickled Pickles
It has been a crazy long time since I posted! I am a little disappointed in myself, but to my credit, I do have finals next week and a full time job. Today I am going to post my recipe for bread and butter pickles. I love bread and butter pickles; they are by far my favorite type of pickle. This recipe is from the cookbook "Blue Ribbon Preserves" by Linda J. Amendt. The author has won countless state fair prizes in preserving and all of the recipes I have tried in the book are great. She also has a lot of pointers that are extremely useful. If getting into canning and pickling is something you are really interested in I would highly recommend this book. I will most likely eventually be sharing several recipes from this cookbook since it is one of my favorite cookbooks.
First I will go over some of the basics of pickling. Most, if not all of this information is also in the book (my check is in the mail). First, you have to make sure to follow the recipe because if you screw up the amount of salt or vinegar, you are risking foodborne illness. So don't get too creative and don't assume that 1 1/2 c will be plenty of vinegar if the recipe calls for 2 c. Nobody likes food poisoning, especially if you plan on gifting your pickles. Your gift will already keep giving so no need to go overboard.
Second, choosing the cucumbers is important. Ideally you will get cucumbers that are firm and picked that day. Old cucumbers make soggy pickles. Grocery stores can almost never be trusted in this regard. If you do buy cucumbers at the store check the stem. If it is still attached and still green and slightly wet on the inside, then you should be safe. Wilty and hard/dry stems mean that the cucumbers are too old to get the desired result. You also want to be looking for smaller cucumbers. Smaller fruits and vegetables in general are usually better. Smaller apples, tomatoes and oranges are juicier and more flavorful. The idea behind the smaller cucumbers, though is that you will have fewer and smaller seeds, which means more meaty pickles and less of a chance that the center will fall out of your pickles. Organic is also very important, not just certified organic, but really organic. The wax that gets put on most cucumbers can't be scrubbed off and inhibits the brine so that you will get soggy pickles.
Third, alum is a common ingredient in a lot of pickling recipes. If you follow a good recipe and use the freshest of ingredients, you won't need the alum, but this time of year (winter) you will be unable to come across pickles that have been picked that day and although you may still get pickled with a holey center, which is not perfect, alum will allow you to at least have flavorful and crispy pickles. Alum is short for aluminum, which makes it kind of a controversial ingredient. If you straight up eat some alum, then you will die. I am not joking; people have definitely died from eating alum. But if you throw 2 tsp into the salt/water mixture that you are going to rinse off anyway, it can make your pickles crispy. Alum is believed by some to cause Alzheimer's; this is why some people don't wear deoderant, as almost all commercial deoderants contain alum. I have been eating home pickled pickles made with alum my whole life and although I don't generally make pickles out of season, I seriously doubt that a tiny bit of alum is going to hurt. Alum can be found in the spice aisle of the grocery store. I have a store brand alum that I have used and it works great. I bought mine at Fred Meyer (Kroger in the Midwest).
Lastly it is important to use distilled water. Tap water can cause dingy coloring or sogginess in your pickles. Seriously, no reason not to do this. Gallons of distilled water are less than a dollar.
Everything else should be explained in the recipe, but don't be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure of something and are really interested in pickling. I would also read the pointers in my last post about relish.
Bread and Butter Pickles
Makes about 6 pint jars or 3 quart jars (I would prep 8 pint or 4 quart jars just to be safe)
-15-18 1-1 1/2 in. diameter firm fresh cucumbers
-2-3 medium onions
-1/2 c coarse ground kosher salt
-2 tsp alum (optional)
-2-3 quarts distilled water, chilled
-3 c sugar
-2 c distilled white vinegar
-2 c cider vinegar
-2 tsp mustard seeds
-1 tsp celery seeds
-1 tsp ground turmeric
1. Using a soft vegetable brush, gently scrub the cucumbers, being careful not to scratch the peel. Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly changing the water each time after rinsing. Pat dry with a towel. Cut the cucumbers into 1/4 in. slices, discarding the ends. Measure 2 quarts sliced cucumbers.
2. Peel the onions and cut them into 1/4 in. slices. I like them to be about half the size of a french fry: small, but big enough to eat because these onions taste delicious after they have been pickled. Measure 1 quart of onion slices.
3. In a very dry bowl, combine the salt and 2 tsp of alum if needed. In a larger bowl layer cucumbers, onions and salt. After layering all of the cucumbers, onions and salt, add enough cold distilled water to cover the vegetables. Let stand for 2 hours.
4. Drain the salt water from the vegetables. Rinse the vegetables very, very thoroughly to remove the salt. Drain well. I actually lay them out over a towel for just a moment before putting them back into the bowl.
5. In a large pan (like a big 'ol spaghetti pot) combine sugar, vinegars, mustard seeds, celery seeds and turmeric. Put the pot over med-low heat and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to med-high and bring the syrup to a boil. Add the drained vegetables to the syrup and heat for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. This is important. Do not just turn the burner off. Move the pot to a burner that is not on or onto a potholder. You do not want to overcook the mixture.
6. Ladle the hot vegetables into your prepped jars (see my last post on "The Art of Canning and Pickling" for information on how to prep and seal jars.) Basically you want to fill the jars with the vegetables and use the syrup to fill the air holes. You want to leave 1/2 in head space in the jars. If you run out of vegetables on the last jar and it is only 1/2 full of vegetables, fill it with syrup in order to maintain the 1/2 in headspace. Put jars back into hot water to seal.
This is truly a crowning achievement of mine. This recipe is not extremely hard, but it is kind of complicated if you are new to the process. I was so excited when I first finished this recipe and tasted how good the pickles are. I hope that if someone actually makes this recipe that you will share with me how it went.
After Thanksgiving a week or so ago and with Christmas right around the corner I have a ridiculous number of recipes rolling around in my head. I can't wait to finally be done with this quarter so I can start to make and share more recipes on a more consistent basis. Maybe someday I will figure ot how to add pictures on here, but we will see. I am so shitty at computers. Anyway, hopefully it won't be another 2 weeks before I post again!
First I will go over some of the basics of pickling. Most, if not all of this information is also in the book (my check is in the mail). First, you have to make sure to follow the recipe because if you screw up the amount of salt or vinegar, you are risking foodborne illness. So don't get too creative and don't assume that 1 1/2 c will be plenty of vinegar if the recipe calls for 2 c. Nobody likes food poisoning, especially if you plan on gifting your pickles. Your gift will already keep giving so no need to go overboard.
Second, choosing the cucumbers is important. Ideally you will get cucumbers that are firm and picked that day. Old cucumbers make soggy pickles. Grocery stores can almost never be trusted in this regard. If you do buy cucumbers at the store check the stem. If it is still attached and still green and slightly wet on the inside, then you should be safe. Wilty and hard/dry stems mean that the cucumbers are too old to get the desired result. You also want to be looking for smaller cucumbers. Smaller fruits and vegetables in general are usually better. Smaller apples, tomatoes and oranges are juicier and more flavorful. The idea behind the smaller cucumbers, though is that you will have fewer and smaller seeds, which means more meaty pickles and less of a chance that the center will fall out of your pickles. Organic is also very important, not just certified organic, but really organic. The wax that gets put on most cucumbers can't be scrubbed off and inhibits the brine so that you will get soggy pickles.
Third, alum is a common ingredient in a lot of pickling recipes. If you follow a good recipe and use the freshest of ingredients, you won't need the alum, but this time of year (winter) you will be unable to come across pickles that have been picked that day and although you may still get pickled with a holey center, which is not perfect, alum will allow you to at least have flavorful and crispy pickles. Alum is short for aluminum, which makes it kind of a controversial ingredient. If you straight up eat some alum, then you will die. I am not joking; people have definitely died from eating alum. But if you throw 2 tsp into the salt/water mixture that you are going to rinse off anyway, it can make your pickles crispy. Alum is believed by some to cause Alzheimer's; this is why some people don't wear deoderant, as almost all commercial deoderants contain alum. I have been eating home pickled pickles made with alum my whole life and although I don't generally make pickles out of season, I seriously doubt that a tiny bit of alum is going to hurt. Alum can be found in the spice aisle of the grocery store. I have a store brand alum that I have used and it works great. I bought mine at Fred Meyer (Kroger in the Midwest).
Lastly it is important to use distilled water. Tap water can cause dingy coloring or sogginess in your pickles. Seriously, no reason not to do this. Gallons of distilled water are less than a dollar.
Everything else should be explained in the recipe, but don't be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure of something and are really interested in pickling. I would also read the pointers in my last post about relish.
Bread and Butter Pickles
Makes about 6 pint jars or 3 quart jars (I would prep 8 pint or 4 quart jars just to be safe)
-15-18 1-1 1/2 in. diameter firm fresh cucumbers
-2-3 medium onions
-1/2 c coarse ground kosher salt
-2 tsp alum (optional)
-2-3 quarts distilled water, chilled
-3 c sugar
-2 c distilled white vinegar
-2 c cider vinegar
-2 tsp mustard seeds
-1 tsp celery seeds
-1 tsp ground turmeric
1. Using a soft vegetable brush, gently scrub the cucumbers, being careful not to scratch the peel. Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly changing the water each time after rinsing. Pat dry with a towel. Cut the cucumbers into 1/4 in. slices, discarding the ends. Measure 2 quarts sliced cucumbers.
2. Peel the onions and cut them into 1/4 in. slices. I like them to be about half the size of a french fry: small, but big enough to eat because these onions taste delicious after they have been pickled. Measure 1 quart of onion slices.
3. In a very dry bowl, combine the salt and 2 tsp of alum if needed. In a larger bowl layer cucumbers, onions and salt. After layering all of the cucumbers, onions and salt, add enough cold distilled water to cover the vegetables. Let stand for 2 hours.
4. Drain the salt water from the vegetables. Rinse the vegetables very, very thoroughly to remove the salt. Drain well. I actually lay them out over a towel for just a moment before putting them back into the bowl.
5. In a large pan (like a big 'ol spaghetti pot) combine sugar, vinegars, mustard seeds, celery seeds and turmeric. Put the pot over med-low heat and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to med-high and bring the syrup to a boil. Add the drained vegetables to the syrup and heat for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. This is important. Do not just turn the burner off. Move the pot to a burner that is not on or onto a potholder. You do not want to overcook the mixture.
6. Ladle the hot vegetables into your prepped jars (see my last post on "The Art of Canning and Pickling" for information on how to prep and seal jars.) Basically you want to fill the jars with the vegetables and use the syrup to fill the air holes. You want to leave 1/2 in head space in the jars. If you run out of vegetables on the last jar and it is only 1/2 full of vegetables, fill it with syrup in order to maintain the 1/2 in headspace. Put jars back into hot water to seal.
This is truly a crowning achievement of mine. This recipe is not extremely hard, but it is kind of complicated if you are new to the process. I was so excited when I first finished this recipe and tasted how good the pickles are. I hope that if someone actually makes this recipe that you will share with me how it went.
After Thanksgiving a week or so ago and with Christmas right around the corner I have a ridiculous number of recipes rolling around in my head. I can't wait to finally be done with this quarter so I can start to make and share more recipes on a more consistent basis. Maybe someday I will figure ot how to add pictures on here, but we will see. I am so shitty at computers. Anyway, hopefully it won't be another 2 weeks before I post again!
Friday, November 13, 2009
The Art of Canning and Pickling
Today I want to share one of my favorite hobbies: canning and pickling. I think that canning is really important for two reasons that I can think of right now. First, it is kind of like folk art. It is utilitarian and pragmatic, but it is also creating something that many people can enjoy. It is something that almost everyone overlooks because it is easier to buy jars of jam at the store. Which brings me to my next point, that canning is a good way to battle consumerism. I purchase many of my materials for canning and pickling from a farmer's market, which is perfect because when you are pickling, especially, you want to get your ingredients that day, picked that day or your pickles or pickled whatever will become soggy (something I will discuss when I eventually post about making pickles). Of course I am purchasing spices and jars and you do have to have a very large pot for sealing jars, but you are not buying pickles and jam and relish and whatever else you make from the store. The recipe I am going to share with you today makes 6-10 jars of relish for around 15 dollars, including the jars, which are reusable. With canning and pickling you are creating something wonderful from raw materials and that sure as hell is art to me.
I was originally going to share a recipe for blueberry lime jam that I have, which is really good, but I couldn't find that particular cook book so we are going another way. I wanted to post a recipe that isn't too terribly difficult and this, now that I think about it, is probably the best way to go. I am going to share my recipe for zucchini relish. This is a pretty tough one to screw up if you follow the directions. You don't have to worry too much about freshness of ingredients, although, no matter what I am canning, I always try to get the best and freshest of all my ingredients. I do this partially because of principle, but also because, lets be honest, it's going to be a while before you eat up 6-10 jars of relish so you want it to be good. You also don't have to worry about using foreign ingredients like pectin (a gelling agent used in making jam) or watching the pot extremely carefully looking for certain characteristics as you do with some recipes. It is also not as complicated as pickling, which there are many extraneous things you have to watch for beyond the recipe. Anyway, first I am going to give the recipe and then explain the process of sealing the jars.
I got this recipe from my grandmother and it is especially good, I think. It definitely has a homemade taste, which is something that I love. It also calls for cinnamon which adds a lot of depth to the character of the relish. I would certainly call this a sweet relish and even though this is technically a pickled item because it has a brine (a mixture of water and salt, a delicate balance which cannot be screwed up for risk of foodborne illness) it is an easy recipe and can be eaten right away. It does not need time to pickle (a verb here) in the jars for a couple of months because you will be cooking it together and that is how the pickling will occur. I believe this is called something like "quick pickling" but I don't really remember.
Zucchini Relish
-3 lbs zucchini (will make 7 c chopped)
-4 bell peppers (will make 2 c chopped), I usually get 2 red and 2 green
-1c chopped onion
-1/4c salt
Chop vegetables to approximate size of relish pieces. Mix together with salt and let it stand in the fridge overnight. The next day rinse the mixture well and drain it well. Let it set for a while on some towels to draw out the moisture.
Syrup:
-4c. sugar
-2 1/2c cider vinegar
-1/2 tsp turmeric
-2 tsp celery seed
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp spicy mustard
-2 tsp corn starch
Combine and heat all of these ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Add zucchini mixture and cook for 30 minutes. Keep it below a boil, but just below.
TIPS:
-Onions come in different sizes but if you are getting a crazy hormone onion from the grocery store, then you probably only need one, or less than one. If it is fresh and hormone free, then you will need 1 or 2, depending on size.
-You can use a food processor, but I would be careful because you don't want them to get too small. I use a hand chopper. Here is an example: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ZTLY2Y. Sorry I don't know how to do links yet. I am working on it.
-I use course ground kosher salt for my brine. I found course ground salt is the best so you don't retain the salty flavor too much and are able to rinse it better. Kosher salt is important because it is the most naturally processed of the salts and because it more effectively draws moisture from food sources. It is also iodine free, which is good because iodine can discolor foods in pickling. Something about sea salt also makes in untrustworthy in pickling. I read about it more in depth somewhere, but I don't remember where.
Sealing jars:
You want to have a very large pot. I got one at goodwill for 6 bucks. It is huge. You want it to be wide and deep so you can fit all of your jars inside of it. This is going to be the first step in your canning process, because it takes the longest. You are going to get your jars going before you start your recipe. I always run the jars and lids through the dishwasher to sanitize them first. Then I put the jars in the pot and keep the lids (these are two piece lids) off to the side. Put the pot on the stove and turn the burner on as hot as it goes. You are going to bring the water to about 185-190 degrees, which is just below boiling. It HAS to be above 185 or it won't work. You want the jars to be hot so that the hot liquid you put in them won't break the jars.
After you finish your recipe you take the jars out of the water and fill them with your recipe. Place the lids on the jars and make sure they are on extremely tight. Put the jars back into the hot water and keep them in there for 20 min. Take the jars out of the pot after the 20 minutes is up and put them on a towel. After a while you will hear the lids on the jars pop. This means they are sealed. You can tell because when a jar is sealed you press on the top and it is down, doesn't make a sound. If a jar isn't sealed you will be able to pop the lid up and down. If a jar is sealed it does not need to be refrigerated, but if it isn't it will need to be refrigerated (the whole "refrigerate after opening" deal).
Now you are all done.
I was originally going to share a recipe for blueberry lime jam that I have, which is really good, but I couldn't find that particular cook book so we are going another way. I wanted to post a recipe that isn't too terribly difficult and this, now that I think about it, is probably the best way to go. I am going to share my recipe for zucchini relish. This is a pretty tough one to screw up if you follow the directions. You don't have to worry too much about freshness of ingredients, although, no matter what I am canning, I always try to get the best and freshest of all my ingredients. I do this partially because of principle, but also because, lets be honest, it's going to be a while before you eat up 6-10 jars of relish so you want it to be good. You also don't have to worry about using foreign ingredients like pectin (a gelling agent used in making jam) or watching the pot extremely carefully looking for certain characteristics as you do with some recipes. It is also not as complicated as pickling, which there are many extraneous things you have to watch for beyond the recipe. Anyway, first I am going to give the recipe and then explain the process of sealing the jars.
I got this recipe from my grandmother and it is especially good, I think. It definitely has a homemade taste, which is something that I love. It also calls for cinnamon which adds a lot of depth to the character of the relish. I would certainly call this a sweet relish and even though this is technically a pickled item because it has a brine (a mixture of water and salt, a delicate balance which cannot be screwed up for risk of foodborne illness) it is an easy recipe and can be eaten right away. It does not need time to pickle (a verb here) in the jars for a couple of months because you will be cooking it together and that is how the pickling will occur. I believe this is called something like "quick pickling" but I don't really remember.
Zucchini Relish
-3 lbs zucchini (will make 7 c chopped)
-4 bell peppers (will make 2 c chopped), I usually get 2 red and 2 green
-1c chopped onion
-1/4c salt
Chop vegetables to approximate size of relish pieces. Mix together with salt and let it stand in the fridge overnight. The next day rinse the mixture well and drain it well. Let it set for a while on some towels to draw out the moisture.
Syrup:
-4c. sugar
-2 1/2c cider vinegar
-1/2 tsp turmeric
-2 tsp celery seed
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp spicy mustard
-2 tsp corn starch
Combine and heat all of these ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Add zucchini mixture and cook for 30 minutes. Keep it below a boil, but just below.
TIPS:
-Onions come in different sizes but if you are getting a crazy hormone onion from the grocery store, then you probably only need one, or less than one. If it is fresh and hormone free, then you will need 1 or 2, depending on size.
-You can use a food processor, but I would be careful because you don't want them to get too small. I use a hand chopper. Here is an example: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ZTLY2Y. Sorry I don't know how to do links yet. I am working on it.
-I use course ground kosher salt for my brine. I found course ground salt is the best so you don't retain the salty flavor too much and are able to rinse it better. Kosher salt is important because it is the most naturally processed of the salts and because it more effectively draws moisture from food sources. It is also iodine free, which is good because iodine can discolor foods in pickling. Something about sea salt also makes in untrustworthy in pickling. I read about it more in depth somewhere, but I don't remember where.
Sealing jars:
You want to have a very large pot. I got one at goodwill for 6 bucks. It is huge. You want it to be wide and deep so you can fit all of your jars inside of it. This is going to be the first step in your canning process, because it takes the longest. You are going to get your jars going before you start your recipe. I always run the jars and lids through the dishwasher to sanitize them first. Then I put the jars in the pot and keep the lids (these are two piece lids) off to the side. Put the pot on the stove and turn the burner on as hot as it goes. You are going to bring the water to about 185-190 degrees, which is just below boiling. It HAS to be above 185 or it won't work. You want the jars to be hot so that the hot liquid you put in them won't break the jars.
After you finish your recipe you take the jars out of the water and fill them with your recipe. Place the lids on the jars and make sure they are on extremely tight. Put the jars back into the hot water and keep them in there for 20 min. Take the jars out of the pot after the 20 minutes is up and put them on a towel. After a while you will hear the lids on the jars pop. This means they are sealed. You can tell because when a jar is sealed you press on the top and it is down, doesn't make a sound. If a jar isn't sealed you will be able to pop the lid up and down. If a jar is sealed it does not need to be refrigerated, but if it isn't it will need to be refrigerated (the whole "refrigerate after opening" deal).
Now you are all done.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Dinner Tomorrow:
So tomorrow is my Friday, which is really exciting because I am going to go out and buy fabric and fun decorating things to make stockings for the four of us (Sam and I plus Jarod and Caitlyn, our roommates). It's going to be epic because I am a horrible seamstress. If I can figure it out I will post some pictures of how they turn out. I have high hopes.
Today I am going to post a recipe for Tofu Satay Fried Rice. This recipe was adapted from a Pampered Chef recipe for Beef Satay Fried Rice. It is definitely delicious and I have eaten it as a main course, but I felt that it was lacking as a main dish. I have a pretty good recipe for crab rangoon that I can't find at the moment that I think it would be good with, but maybe that's just because those are the only two asian inspired dishes that my recipe box has to offer. Is that recipe-racism? Anyway, here it is.
Tofu Satay Fried Rice
-vegetable oil
-1 lb extra firm tofu
-2 carrots
-1 med bell pepper
-4 green onions with tops
-3 cereal spoonfulls of Thai Red Curry Paste, maybe more
-6 cups cooked rice
-3/4 c peanut sauce
1/2 c dry roasted peanuts
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp coarse pepper
Prepare rice ahead of time. It doesn't need to be hot. Prepare and cook tofu in oil and soy sauce. I usually cut the tofu into small cubes and use as much oil as I need (maybe 3 tblsp) and probably between 2 and 4 tblsp of soy sauce. I just think this is an easy way to give the tofu a little flavor and still let it mesh with the rest of the dish. I didn't get creative with the tofu although I could have and you might want to. I also usually cook my tofu a little well done. I like one or two sides of the cubes to be kind of crispy, but that's up to you. Julienne the carrots and thinly slice the bell pepper and green onions. Cook the vegetables in a few tblsp of oil and the curry paste 1-2 minutes or until it becomes apparent that the flavors are mixing (it becomes fragrant). Add the rice and stir while cooking for 3-4 minutes until the rice is coated with the oil and the vegetables are tender. Add the tofu, peanut sauce, peanuts and salt and pepper and cook 1-2 more minutes before serving.
TIPS
- It is important not to add the salt before the very end because salt breaks down food in a way that it loses its crunch a lot faster. This is good when you are cooking onions down, but in this recipe you want the vegetables to be tender, but not soggy so lay off the salt until the end.
- I like to use basmati rice with pretty much everything; its not very creative but it tastes good. I also NEVER use minute rice and you shouldn't either. Have you ever looked at that stuff before you cook it?? I don't even know what that is. I also recommend getting a rice cooker. They are really inexpensive and totally worth it. The only rice I have ever cooked on the stove is sushi rice and that is how it should be. Why make things more difficult if you can't taste the difference?
-Try Trader Joe's Satay Peanut Sauce. It comes in a container that is the perfect size for this recipe and it is totally delicious. If you don't live by a Trader Joe's I am so sorry for your loss.
Today I am going to post a recipe for Tofu Satay Fried Rice. This recipe was adapted from a Pampered Chef recipe for Beef Satay Fried Rice. It is definitely delicious and I have eaten it as a main course, but I felt that it was lacking as a main dish. I have a pretty good recipe for crab rangoon that I can't find at the moment that I think it would be good with, but maybe that's just because those are the only two asian inspired dishes that my recipe box has to offer. Is that recipe-racism? Anyway, here it is.
Tofu Satay Fried Rice
-vegetable oil
-1 lb extra firm tofu
-2 carrots
-1 med bell pepper
-4 green onions with tops
-3 cereal spoonfulls of Thai Red Curry Paste, maybe more
-6 cups cooked rice
-3/4 c peanut sauce
1/2 c dry roasted peanuts
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp coarse pepper
Prepare rice ahead of time. It doesn't need to be hot. Prepare and cook tofu in oil and soy sauce. I usually cut the tofu into small cubes and use as much oil as I need (maybe 3 tblsp) and probably between 2 and 4 tblsp of soy sauce. I just think this is an easy way to give the tofu a little flavor and still let it mesh with the rest of the dish. I didn't get creative with the tofu although I could have and you might want to. I also usually cook my tofu a little well done. I like one or two sides of the cubes to be kind of crispy, but that's up to you. Julienne the carrots and thinly slice the bell pepper and green onions. Cook the vegetables in a few tblsp of oil and the curry paste 1-2 minutes or until it becomes apparent that the flavors are mixing (it becomes fragrant). Add the rice and stir while cooking for 3-4 minutes until the rice is coated with the oil and the vegetables are tender. Add the tofu, peanut sauce, peanuts and salt and pepper and cook 1-2 more minutes before serving.
TIPS
- It is important not to add the salt before the very end because salt breaks down food in a way that it loses its crunch a lot faster. This is good when you are cooking onions down, but in this recipe you want the vegetables to be tender, but not soggy so lay off the salt until the end.
- I like to use basmati rice with pretty much everything; its not very creative but it tastes good. I also NEVER use minute rice and you shouldn't either. Have you ever looked at that stuff before you cook it?? I don't even know what that is. I also recommend getting a rice cooker. They are really inexpensive and totally worth it. The only rice I have ever cooked on the stove is sushi rice and that is how it should be. Why make things more difficult if you can't taste the difference?
-Try Trader Joe's Satay Peanut Sauce. It comes in a container that is the perfect size for this recipe and it is totally delicious. If you don't live by a Trader Joe's I am so sorry for your loss.
Friday, November 6, 2009
A midwest favorite
I spent all day today procrastinating on my Managerial Accounting class and daydreaming about Thanksgiving and Christmas. I can't wait to get a tree since I have never had a tree of my own. This is also our first Christmas in a house and I am going to make stockings to put over our fireplace (since I've never had a fireplace before) and do all kinds of exciting Christmasy things. So I thought I would share one of my favorite holiday recipes. Perfect for any fall occasion this is a tried and true Midwest dessert. My grandmother perfected this over the years and swears that its the best pecan(pronounced pee-can, with the accent on can) pie she's ever had. I made it last Thanksgiving and it went over pretty well then too.
Fresh from the Farm Pie Crust
-1 1/2 c flour
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 c lard
-2 tblsp water
I always mix the salt with the flour and the lard (I use crisco because I dont know about seeking out pig lard...you know what they say about pig farmers? Its true.) with the water and then add the flour to the lard a little at a time until its mixed together. I mix with my hands because I like to be able to feel how the dough is doing. You don't want to over work the dough though, so don't keep on playing with it when its done (that's what she said?). Use a rolling pin to roll it out. Place it over the 8-9 in pie dish. Form it to the dish and then trim the outside. You can decide if you want to use your fingers or a fork for the outside of the pie crust. You also want to take a fork and poke a couple holes in the bottom of the pie crust. I also usually cook the pie crust for 15 min or so before taking it out and adding the filling. This is where the holes in the bottom are important because it releases the air under the crust without the crust billowing up and forming a pocket.
Darlene's Perfect Pecan Pie
-3 eggs
-1/2 c sugar
- 1/2 c brown sugar
-2 tblsp melted butter
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 c corn syrup
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 to 1 1/2 c pecans
Beat eggs on low then add sugar, brown sugar, butter, salt, syrup and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in pecans. Place in a pie crust and bake at 350 for 60 minutes.
TIPS:
-This pie will not expand when cooked so fill 'er up.
-The amount of pecans depends on the size of your baking dish and also how many pecans you like and how thick you want your pie to be. I like a thick pie (that's what he said?) so I use more pecans.
-I use Karo syrup as my preferred corn syrup brand. I would also recommend that you not get the light corn syrup. You can, but my grandmother taught me that whenever a recipe calls for light corn syrup or light brown sugar, unless it has to do with color, fuck it. If you want your pie to stand out in a crowd, then you have to go with the dark.
Fresh from the Farm Pie Crust
-1 1/2 c flour
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 c lard
-2 tblsp water
I always mix the salt with the flour and the lard (I use crisco because I dont know about seeking out pig lard...you know what they say about pig farmers? Its true.) with the water and then add the flour to the lard a little at a time until its mixed together. I mix with my hands because I like to be able to feel how the dough is doing. You don't want to over work the dough though, so don't keep on playing with it when its done (that's what she said?). Use a rolling pin to roll it out. Place it over the 8-9 in pie dish. Form it to the dish and then trim the outside. You can decide if you want to use your fingers or a fork for the outside of the pie crust. You also want to take a fork and poke a couple holes in the bottom of the pie crust. I also usually cook the pie crust for 15 min or so before taking it out and adding the filling. This is where the holes in the bottom are important because it releases the air under the crust without the crust billowing up and forming a pocket.
Darlene's Perfect Pecan Pie
-3 eggs
-1/2 c sugar
- 1/2 c brown sugar
-2 tblsp melted butter
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 c corn syrup
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 to 1 1/2 c pecans
Beat eggs on low then add sugar, brown sugar, butter, salt, syrup and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in pecans. Place in a pie crust and bake at 350 for 60 minutes.
TIPS:
-This pie will not expand when cooked so fill 'er up.
-The amount of pecans depends on the size of your baking dish and also how many pecans you like and how thick you want your pie to be. I like a thick pie (that's what he said?) so I use more pecans.
-I use Karo syrup as my preferred corn syrup brand. I would also recommend that you not get the light corn syrup. You can, but my grandmother taught me that whenever a recipe calls for light corn syrup or light brown sugar, unless it has to do with color, fuck it. If you want your pie to stand out in a crowd, then you have to go with the dark.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
