Apple Time

Ah, fall! My favorite time of the year! The beauty of the colors as the trees put on their final adornment before settling in for the winter. Thoughts reflect on bonfires, hayrides, crisp mornings and crystal clear star-filled evening skies........And apples! Crispy, sweet, juicy, tart bundles of pleasure for the mouth.

Cider, apple pies, cobblers all share their place in my earliest fall memories. Grandma Clark made the best applesauce, Grandma Lane the best pies, and Mom the best cobblers. So, let's make some apple goodies!

Cinnamon Applesauce

4-6 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced, preferrably Winesap, Courtland or other cooking apples. I prefer Winesap!
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 Cinnamon red hots or Imperials

Place sliced apples, water and juice in the food processor and process until smooth, in small batches. Add to large saucepan. Stir in red hots and cook over medium heat until the red hots are completely melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pack in to 1 pint freezer containers, leaving 1/2" from the top. Seal and freeze.

Spicy Salsa

How could we forget our favorite condiment, salsa? Here is a great use for the over abundance of tomatoes from the garden.

6 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
9 jalapenos or your favorite heat of chilies
15 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup red wine vinegar

Mix together, put in to sterilized jars and process in a water bath for 15 minutes. Makes 6 pints.

Note: You can also add cumin powder if desired, to taste.

Where are the tortilla chips?

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Now that you have tackled tomato soup and tomato juice, why not try this easy recipe for Freezer Tomato Sauce?

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup onions, chopped fine
7 cups chopped, peeled tomatoes

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and cook till soft. Reduce heat to tlow and cook 10 more minutes. Puree the tomatoes in a food processor. Add to pot along with 10 chopped fresh basil leaves. Boil 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. If using store bought canned tomatoes add an extra 3/4 cup of onions and 2 more tablespoons of oil in the first step. Season to taste with salt. Put in to freezer container. Cool completely and then put on lids and freeze.

Tomato Time

There is nothing better, nothing that has more anticipation than the arrival of home grown tomatoes. The hard little green globes finally emerge in to juicy, tangy gems from the garden. Once thought to be poison, today they are widely relished as a tasty, plump fruit, a gift from the earth.

Canning of tomatoes is slowly becoming a lost art but even the amateur canner can tackle the crimson orbs with ease.

Tomatoes do not require pressure canning. They are perfectly content in a water bath in a tall pot. They can be canned whole, cubed, stewed and pured. For further concentration, try tomato sauce and tomato paste. They are long labors of love but these love apples are perfect for the time needed to produce jars of the stuff.

Canned Tomato Soup

My favorite tomato recipe is for tomato soup. I swear, you will never buy another can of Cambpell's tomato soup once trying this recipe! The first step is canned tomato juice which is easily produced by juicing the tomatoes, skins attached, with a KitchenAid juicer attachment.

When you are ready to make the soup, just pop off the lids of 12 quarts of homemade tomato juice. Pour the juice in a pan along with 2 tablespoons of salt, 4 teaspoons of onion salt, 4 teaspoons of celery salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 1/2 cup of sugar (I don't care for the added sugar). Stir will and bring to a boil. Cool.
Mix 1 pound melted butter - yes I said 1 pound! Mix in 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of cooled tomato juice. Stir constantly to make a tomato gravy. Add to the remaining juice and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Pour in to sterilized 1 quart jars. Cover with sterilized lids and rings.

Place in a stove top canner and boil 30 minutes in the hot water bath. Make sure the water covers the tops of the jar lids. After 30 minutes, remove from water bath and allow to seal on the counter. The lids will pop in to place. Don't touch the lids or they will seal prematurely!

There you have it. Homemade tomato soup. For an added touch, add 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/8th teaspoon tabasco for a Mexican style tomato soup. You can also add finely chopped fresh basil and eliminate the cumin and tabasco for an Italian tomato basil soup.

Toppings for serving the soup can include grated parmesan cheese or zesty Cheezits.

Yummy dinner for a cold winter night.

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A Feast For All Seasons

Living in the Midwest is especially exciting during the growing season! Looking forward to succulent fruits and vegetables from the garden is such a pleasure. First the tender greens followed by a myriad of other delights. I'm ready to get out the stir fry pan right now!

When planning your seasonal meals, be sure to include lots of the items you can only get in the Spring, or Summer or other seasons. Some of the Spring vegetables are difficult to preserve by freezing or canning. So, jump right in and enjoy them often.

I kick myself every year for not building a salad table but I'm motivated to do so soon. If you have not seen or heard of one, you can see plans for them at Salad Table .

No matter what season, a feast awaits with the local produce. Or, even better, kick off your shoes, get your toes dirty and enjoy planting freshly tilled earth!

Divinge inspiration

Today, I have had divine inspiration. I have had no motivation for posting for quite some time but tonite, "Julie & Julia" inspired me to post. Why, Julie Palmer is really me! I found myself in her so much but she is younger, cuter and thinner. I vow to post more regularly. Next topic - sauces, those magical things that make the dish stand out.

In the mean time, here is a freebie from the invention kitchen:

Garlic Cheese Bread

Preheat over to 400

1/2 loaf sandwich bread, halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp parmesan cheese
1 container of Boursin garlic & fine herbs gourmet cheese

Slice bread in 1/2
Place on cookie sheet. Melt butter and olive oil. Add salt, paprika and garlic. Using a basting brush,
spread on slices of bread. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in 400 degree oven till lightly toasted.

Serve with Boursin cheese.

Yum

It's a Dog's World

Speaking about saving money, most of the time when we are cooking from scratch, our aim is to save money on our food. Why not take a few extra steps and make some wonderful, nutritious and easy doggie treats?

I found this "recipe" in a dog breeder's magazine 25 years ago. It is tried and true to its name "Growlie Supper". It takes some time so don't plan on making it today.


Start with a clean plastic container, such as an 1 gallon ice cream bucket. Stick it in the freezer. Yep! Empty. It will remind you to use it daily. Now, every time you get ready to throw away those leftovers (save some for the compost pile) toss them in the bucket. You can used vegetable peels, stale bread and cereal to name a few. The only rule is don't use citrus peels.

When the tub is full you are ready for your first batch of dog heaven! Put the frozen concoction in a large stock pan. Cover with water and simmer until everything in the pot is cooked thoroughly. Stir to prevent from sticking. Add a small amount of corn meal. I eye ball it based on the amount of liquid left in the pot. Stir until it thickens. Add small amounts of cornmeal until the mixture is the consistency of corn bread batter.

Remove from the stove and cool. Ladle in to serving sized plastic containers. To use just defrost and serve or pour over dry dog food.

You can go one step further and spread it on a greased cookie sheet and pop it in the oven until it is lightly browned and toasty but not burnt. Cut in to biscuits with a pizza cutter. Voila! Dog treats!

One other point: Do not put anything in the bucket of food that contains Stevia! It will make your precious pooch sick. Stevia tends to make their blood pressure drop.

Vinegar Making

One of the best things about having all of the basic ingredients in the pantry is that you can make any of your favorite foods without running off to the grocery and paying a fortune for those ready-made items. Believe it or not, since 1978 (I'm aging myself), I have only spent $75.00 a week at the grocery, feeding a family of 4. How do I do it with this day's outrageous food prices? Make it from scratch, of course. So not only will I be posting some great recipes using only pantry items, I will share some great secrets on saving precious grocery dollars as well as teaching how to make those items you thought were impossible! So, let's begin with vinegar making.

ALL ABOUT VINEGAR

Years ago, I picked up a copy of a little booklet called, " The Vinegar Book" by Emily Thacker, published by Tresco Publishers. If you are interested in vinegars and their uses, see if you can locate a copy on Amazon.com.

You can make vinegar from just about any thpe of sweet fruits or juices. For starters, we will be making traditional Apple Cider Vinegar.


You will need: Sweet Tart Apples (if you have a cider press) or Natural Apple Cider without any preservatives, a one gallon glass jug, a rubber balloon, cheese cloth and a wooden crock.

If using a cider press, chop apples and allow them to sit until they turn a golden brown color. Crush them in the cider press.

Pour cider in to a clean, sterilized jug. Cover the jug opening with a balloon. Make sure to clean the balloon inside and out before using. Place in the pantry and allow to turn in to alcohol. This step takes 1 to 6 weeks. If grey foam appears on the top of the cider, skim it off. It is just excess yeast.

After cider has reached the alcohol stage, pour in to the wooden crock and cover with several layers of cheese cloth. In 2 months, you will have vinegar.

How much did you save? If using fresh apples (3 pound bag @ $2.99) you have one gallon of vinegar for $2.99. Organic, raw vinegar sells for $3.50 a pint. (8 x 3.50 = $26.00) YOU SAVED $23.01!!

Now what are you going to do with all of that vinegar? How about pickles, salad dressing, household cleaners, car polish, leather softener, Arthritis relief! The list goes on.

Stocking the Pantry

Now that the pantry is ready, it's time to start stocking. I will begin with the basic ingredients and add to the list as necessary. These are the basics with which you can make the recipes I will be posting, so here goes!

Every good cook and meal provider should have a well stocked pantry. Using only the ingredients listed, you can create any of the recipes listed on this blog. They are categorized by types of ingredients.

GRAINS:

Whole wheat flour

White flour

Gluten

Whole oats

Brown Rice

Cornmeal - white and yellow

Grits

SWEETENERS

Honey

Granulated Sugar

Stevia

Molasses

Corn Syrup

DAIRY

Whole and Low fat milk, instant and fresh

Buttermilk, powdered

Half and half

Low fat yogurt

Butter

A variety of hard cheeses

Eggs

Egg Substitute (for those on low cholesterol diets)

SPICES

Allspice

Anise

Basil

Bay Leaf

Capers

Caraway

Cardamon

Cayenne

Celery Seed

Chilies (all varieties, fresh and dried)

Chives

Cinnamon

Cloves

Coriander

Cumin Seed

Dill

Fennel

Garlic

Ginger

Mace

Marjoram

Mustard

Nutmeg

Paprika

Parsley

Pepper

Pimento

Poppy Seed

Rosemary

Sage

Sesame

Tarragon

Thyme

BAKING INGREDIENTS:

Cocoa

Gelatin

Rennet

Baking power

Baking Soda

Active Dried Yeast

Nuts

Walnuts

Pecans

Peanuts

Almonds

VEGETABLES:

Any and all vegetables

The following should always be at hand in the pantry:

Tomatoes (canned, fresh, juice)

Potatoes

Carrots

Celery

Onions

Lettuce (all varieties)

Lemons

Limes

Apples

Oranges

Coconut (dried, unsweetened) and fresh

BEVERAGES:

Coffee

Tea, Herbal Teas

OILS AND BUTTERS:

Olive Oil

Canola Oil

Butter, salted or unsalted

Now that's not much! But you say, "How am I going to cook with just these few ingredients?" Just wait and see what I have up my apron sleeve!

Until next time! Happy Pantrying!

Savory Meat Flavorings

This is one topic I didn't have much research done on. Ideas for this section came from the 1930 edition of Holland's Cook Book compiled by Mrs. E. V. Turner, Culinary Editor and published by The Texas Farm and Ranch Publishing Co., Dallas, Texas.

Grilling and barbeques are so popular in cooking circles these days. Rub this, marinade that! It can be overwhelming. Just how many rubs and marinades can one store in their refrigerator or on the spice rack? Never fear! Wonder Dog is here!. Whoops! Wrong subject.

Here are a few tasty ideas for the next grill out or indoor barbecue.

FLAVORED VINEGAR

To make flavored vinegar, heat to boiling white, distilled vinegar, or cider vinegar if you prefer, along with your herbs.. Allow to cool. Pour in to sterilized jars, cover and store in a cook dark place. Use 3/4 ounce of fresh herbs to one quart of vinegar.

SPICY VINEGAR

Chop 1 cup of ripe hot peppers of your choice. Add1 cup vinegar and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Pour in to glass jar or non-metallic container. Cover tightly and let stand for one week, stirring daily. Strain, bring to a boil. Allow to cool. Pour in to sterilized jars, cover and store.

BOUQUETS

I often wondered what bouquets were. I don't know why I struggled with this simple concept. Basically, it is a little bundle of fresh herbs, tied together, similar to a freshly picked bouquet of flowers. Now isn't that simple? For bouquets that can be stored for a long period of time, chop celery tops, cabbage leaves, parsley and green onions. Place in one layer on a cookie sheet and dry slowly in a warm oven at 200 degrees until well dried but not burnt. Mix together and store in containers. Great for vegetable soup.

MEAT SEASONING

Mix 1 tablespoon of dried lemon peel, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon course black peper, 1 tablespoon mustard seed, 3/4 teaspoon of each nutmeg, dried ginger, mace and cloves, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon course salt. Experiment with additional spices like dill seed, corriander seed, red pepper flakes, dried garlic and paprika. This seasoning is wonderful on steaks and pork chops. For a finer rub, grind all items in a small grinder or food processor.

TABASCO SAUCE

Take 36 large red Tabasco peppers or hot peppers of your choice and chop. Add 1 clove garlic, chopped. Place in small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the peppers are very soft. Place in food processor and blend till smooth. Drain in a sieve. Place in a sterilized jar and cover with vinegar. Cover and seal.

A Simply Established Pantry

The key to a wonderful experience in the kitchen is a well-stocked pantry. Daniel Webster's 1914 version of Webster's Elementary Dictionary describes a pantry as: A room or closet for bread or other provisions. Thanks Mr. Webster. There you have it. A storage area.

So, get started by making yourself a pantry - clean out a cabinet or closet or a small area out of sight but near the kitchen. It doesn't have to be fancy!


Now, get organized. Put opened items in to clear plastic or glass containers and label them with ingredients and dates. Arrange them by type, ie., spices, dry goods, condiments, vegetables, etc.

Store winter vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, onions, squash and garlic in individual baskets or containers without lids. Keep onions and potatoes separate as they don't make good neighbors. Place them in the darkest, coolest part of the pantry.



Next, make a list of all spices, baking supplies and cooking supplies you have on hand. Soon, this list will change dramatically once you begin using the simple recipes in the cookbook. Keep this list with you as you shop for groceries. Watch for specials or markdowns of the items and stockpile them for future use.

Finally, save glass jars such as those pickles or mayonnaise come in. They are perfect for storage of items in the pantry.

If you enjoy scrapbooks or paper crafts, make yourself some cute labels and attach to your containers.

A Time for New Things

New beginnings, a new year, new resolutions, a time for new things. What an amazing example of the cycle of life! I have decided to make this new year full of new things - not physically those things you can hold in your hand, purchase in a store or receive all wrapped up in pretty paper, but things that can be held in one's heart, pondered in one's mind or captured with one's eye. How does that tie in to Scratch? Inspirationaly, I hope, to lift up your spirits as you create and share life's bounties with your family and friends. May God bless you and your loved ones through out this new year and fill them all with unspeakable joy, love and peace.