Search Results

< Back Magic Dust Spice Mix Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: Serves: Multiple Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients ½ cup paprika ¼ cup kosher salt, finely ground ¼ cup white granulated sugar 2 tablespoons yellow mustard powder ¼ cup chili powder ¼ cup ground cumin 2 tablespoons ground black pepper ¼ cup granulated garlic 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper Preparation Mix ingredients together. Yields 2 ½ cups Store in an airtight container, but also keep a shaker full next to the grill or stovetop. *Note: To make it a bit hotter and spicier, increase the mustard powder and black pepper to ¼ cup each. Previous Next

< Back Homemade Vanilla Extract Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: Serves: 1 cup Level: Beginner About the Recipe You only need 2 ingredients for homemade vanilla extract: vanilla beans and vodka. Let the vanilla beans infuse the vodka for as little as 8 weeks, but for optimal flavor, wait at least 6-12 months before using. Homemade vanilla is more cost efficient than store-bought options. Ingredients 6 vanilla beans (about 1/2 ounce or 15g total) 1 cup (8 ounces; 240ml) 80 proof vodka (or bourbon, brandy, or even rum) 8 ounce bottle or jar with a tight seal Preparation Vanilla extract is an ingredient in many of our baked goods. This common addition actually carries big weight—1 teaspoon completely transforms a good dessert into a great dessert . You can’t make a few staples like vanilla cake, vanilla cupcakes, or vanilla buttercream without it. Why Make Homemade Vanilla Extract? Why make vanilla extract when you can just buy it from the store? Good question. With the price of vanilla constantly fluctuating, it’s very cost efficient to make your own. Plus, you can control the strength of its flavor. This is KEY because many pricey store-bought options lack the essential depth of flavor that makes good vanilla… good vanilla. This is either because the vanilla extract is imitation and made with artificial or synthetic ingredients or brands cut back on the amount of real vanilla in each bottle. You’re not paying for good vanilla, you’re paying for the convenience of weak bottled vanilla. If you open a bottle of some store-bought vanilla extracts and a bottle of homemade vanilla, you will immediately smell the difference. And this difference directly transfers into your homemade baked goods. What You Need for Homemade Vanilla Extract All you’re doing is pouring alcohol over split vanilla beans and letting the concoction age over time. Give it a shake every now and then. It’s that easy. Vanilla Beans: You can find vanilla beans at most major grocery stores in the spice aisle. If you can’t locate them, try purchasing them online. I use and highly recommend these options—they’re also what I use when I make Vanilla sugar — Madagascar vanilla beans , these Tahitian vanilla beans , or these Tahitian vanilla beans . (Note that each is different.) I’ve made vanilla with them all. The beans are a generous size, nice and plump, high quality, and perfect for homemade vanilla. Vanilla beans labeled “Grade B” are specifically sold for extracting purposes, but I’ve made vanilla with Grade A beans and it tastes great. Use either. 80 proof Alcohol: Vanilla extract is most commonly made from vodka, but you can use bourbon, brandy, or rum instead. I usually use vodka, but the one bottle of bourbon vanilla I made 7 months ago is DIVINE. No need to splurge on expensive alcohol. This is probably the only time someone will tell you to buy the cheap stuff!! All the vanilla’s flavor is from the vanilla beans, so spend your money on those. Avoid flavored vodkas as they often contain artificial flavors, which negates the purpose of making your own pure vanilla. Glass Bottles or Jars with Tight Seal: We recommend 8 ounce bottles. These bottles have a convenient swing top with a very tight seal. Great for gifting. Sterilizing the bottles is ideal, though we’ve skipped that step with no problem in the outcome of the vanilla. If your bottles or jars don’t have any plastic pieces attached, we recommend sterilizing them before using. Funnel: A funnel is optional, but it makes pouring 100x quicker and easier. ( These funnels collapse, so they’re great for storage.) Vanilla beans are expensive, but 6 of them (a little over 1/2 ounce or 15g total) make an entire CUP (8 ounces) of vanilla extract and you can reuse the beans. Compare that to $4 for 1 ounce of store-bought extract. Non-alcoholic version? Pure extracts are made from alcohol because it’s the easiest way to extract the flavor out of the food. I’ve never made vanilla extract with a nonalcoholic alternative, but there are a few tutorials online if you give it a quick search. Single-Fold Vs Double-Fold Vanilla Extract Most store-bought vanilla extracts are what’s known as single-fold. Single-fold vanillas are weaker and to make your own, you need about 4 vanilla beans per 8 ounces of alcohol. I prefer a stronger vanilla so the homemade flavor is more prominent in desserts. Strong vanilla is known as double-fold and it’s pretty pricey because it requires a lot of vanilla beans. Since double-fold can get expensive, I opt for about 6 vanilla beans (a little over 1/2 ounce total) per 8 fluid ounces of alcohol . This is the best balance of taste and price. Confused about which type of vanilla bean to buy? Madagascar Vanilla – very common and has a creamy and rich flavor Mexican Vanilla – has a darker, almost smoky flavor Tahitian Vanilla – also very common and has a rich floral flavor Any of these are great choices for vanilla extract. Wait 6-12 Months The only things you need to remember about homemade vanilla extract are ratio and time. The ratio of vanilla beans per ounces of alcohol is imperative, but so is the amount of time the vanilla infuses the alcohol. We discussed the ratio above, so let’s chat about how long to infuse the vanilla. Homemade vanilla extract tastes better and becomes darker in color the longer it sits. This means we need to practice our patience. The wait is worth it, though. Make some today and use it 6 months from now. You’ll be even happier when a full year has passed. 12+ month homemade vanilla is incredible!! Store the infusing vanilla out of direct sunlight and give it a shake once per week. Want to know the best part of all? You can continuously add more alcohol to the bottle as you use it. See the recipe instructions below. This is truly the gift that keeps on giving! Instructions Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla beans so the beans are exposed. No need to completely split the bean in half, just slit down the middle. If the length of the vanilla beans don’t fit into your bottle or jar, cut the vanilla beans into smaller pieces. Place beans into a bottle or jar. Pour vodka on top. A funnel helps. Use a little extra vodka, if needed, so the beans are fully submerged. Shake a few times. Store vanilla at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Shake about once per week or once every couple weeks. Vanilla can be ready to use in as little as 8 weeks, but I recommend at least 6 months for optimal flavor. 12+ months is great! As you begin to use your vanilla, you can refill with a little vodka each time. Give it a shake after you refill and give it a shake before each use, too. If you’re gifting the vanilla or if you don’t have any more alcohol to refill, remove the beans completely after first use. The beans will become a little slimy if they aren’t almost fully submerged. Unused aged vanilla extract (with the beans fully submerged) will last several years. If it still smells good, it’s still good to use! Aged extract without the beans will last indefinitely. Once you begin using the vanilla and adding more alcohol after each use, the beans will eventually need to be replaced. It’s hard to give a specific amount of time as some may use (and refill) the vanilla more quickly than others. After about 1 year of frequent use and refilling, you will find the vanilla flavor less intense. Simply remove old beans, add fresh beans, shake, and continue to use/refill. Notes Special Tools (affiliate link): Madagascar Vanilla Beans , these Tahitian Vanilla Beans , or these Tahitian Vanilla Beans | 8-ounce Glass Bottles | Funnel Seeds: Since the vanilla beans are exposed (slit open), there will be vanilla bean seeds in the bottle and therefore in your baked good. They add even more wonderful flavor! Use the same amount of homemade vanilla extract as you would store-bought in recipes. Gifting: I usually remove the beans if I’m gifting the bottle, that way the gift recipient isn’t responsible for refilling with more alcohol and the beans don’t go to waste. (You can reuse the beans for a new bottle.) However, if it’s been less than 6 months, I recommend gifting with the beans in the bottle because there’s still lots of flavor in there! Tell the gift recipient to remove the beans once he/she begins using the vanilla. Alcohol: If baking gluten free, use certified gluten free alcohol. Avoid flavored vodkas as they often contain artificial flavors, which negates the purpose of making your own pure vanilla. Sterilizing: Sterilizing the bottles is ideal, though we’ve skipped that step with no problem in the outcome of the vanilla. If your bottles or jars don’t have any plastic pieces attached, we recommend sterilizing them before using. The pictured bottles have a removable plastic topper piece. You can soak any plastic pieces in very hot soapy water, and dry completely before using Previous Next

< Back Elderberry Tincture Prep Time: N/A Cook Time: N/A Serves: Pint Mason Jars Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Fresh or dried elderberries, roughly chopped Vodka or other high-proof alcohol (or vegetable glycerin* if making an alcohol-free tincture) Preparation MATERIALS Fresh or dried elderberries, roughly chopped. Vodka or other high-proof alcohol (or vegetable glycerin* if making an alcohol-free tincture) TOOLS Pint mason jar (or another jar with tight lid) Funnel Cheesecloth Dark amber dropper bottles Adhesive label or tape and marker (to label the finished tincture) INSTRUCTIONS 1. Fill a clean, empty mason jar 1/3 to 1/2 full with fresh or dried elderberries. 2. Cover the elderberries with alcohol, making sure the contents of the jar are completely covered. 3. Screw the lid on tightly and shake the contents of the jar. Place in a cool, dry location away from light, allowing the extraction to occur over the next 6 to 8 weeks. 3. Give alcohol-based tinctures a gentle shake every couple of days; glycerite tinctures should be agitated every day. If solvent levels appear low at any point, add more to cover the elderberries. 4. Once the tincture is ready to be decanted, line a funnel with cheesecloth and place the tip of the funnel into the neck of a dark amber glass bottle. Pour the solvent and the elderberries into the cheesecloth-lined funnel, pressing to make sure all of the liquid makes into the bottle. 5. Label the tincture with its contents, date of production, recommended dosages, and suggested usages. Store in a cool, dry area away from light. NOTES *If you're preparing a glycerite tincture, cover the plant material completely with a preparation of 3 parts glycerin to 1 part distilled water. You may have come across elderberry, in either tincture or syrup form, if you’ve ever had a bad cold or flu bug. It’s a powerful form of plant-based medicine when it comes to fighting off the dreary symptoms that so often accompany seasonal bugs, and it can also be taken as a preventative remedy when everyone around you is feeling under the weather. A tincture, which is a concentrated herbal extract, is an ideal way to glean the medicinal benefits of elderberries, and it can be made at home using only a couple of ingredients and very little in the way of equipment. The one thing you’ll need, however, is time — about 2 months’ worth, to be precise. Once you discover how simple it is to make your own elderberry tincture at home, you’ll be gifting everyone you know a bottle of this potent flu-fighting elixir. (Always consult your doctor or a clinical herbalist before trying any new herbal remedy, as there’s always the possibility of unintended consequences, allergic reaction, or interactions with other medications. If you’re harvesting wild plant material, make sure you’re 100% confident in your identification and consult multiple sources for your ID. The following is based on my research and experience, but I don’t claim to have any certifications that would qualify me to advise you on your health. Please do your own research and always verify with multiple reputable sources.) ELDERBERRY TINCTURE BENEFITS The use of elderberry as a medicinal plant can be traced all the way back to the Stone Age, with evidence showing elderberries have long been used for their various therapeutic benefits throughout the world. To this day, elderberries are well-known for their antiviral and immune-boosting properties, both in the realms of modern science and traditional folk medicine. Elderberry extracts are now being studied for their benefits when it comes to fighting off cold and flu symptoms and the results are encouraging. One study examined the effects of elderberry extract on a group of 60 people, all of whom were experiencing early symptoms of the flu. The participants were given elderberry tincture or a placebo over the course of their illness, reporting their symptoms regularly. The results of the experiment? The individuals who were given elderberry extract reported their flu symptoms retreating an average of 4 days earlier than those who were given a placebo. Another study, which examined the effects of elderberry extract on long-haul air travelers who were experiencing cold symptoms, found that the duration of symptoms was on average 2 days shorter when an elderberry extract was taken versus those who had been given a placebo. Although elderberry tinctures have traditionally been used to treat cold and flu symptoms, early research is beginning to explore the extract’s anti-inflammatory properties, as well its potential usage as a decongestant, antibacterial agent, and a remedy for upset stomach (among many others). EQUIPMENT FOR HOMEMADE ELDERBERRY TINCTURE As with any tincture-making project, the equipment needed to make a potent herbal extract is minimal. You’ll need a jar with a tight-fitting lid — most tincture recipes call for a mason jar and lid —which is what I also use and recommend when I’m making tinctures. Regular mason jars work, but they also make amber mason jars which help prevent the tincture from being damaged by light while it’s being extracted. If you make elderberry extract in a clear mason jar, be sure to store it in a dark place while you’re waiting for the elderberry tincture to extract. When it comes time to decant the finished elderberry tincture, I find that a medium-sized funnel lined with a couple of layers of cheesecloth gets the job done without any mess (while doing a good job of filtering out any residual sediment). Store tinctures in a dark amber glass bottle with a dropper. The dark amber glass helps protect the active medicinal compounds in your tincture from light, which can lead to a decline in quality of the tincture’s therapeutic benefits. Label tinctures with blank adhesive labels or masking tape. MAKING ELDERBERRY TINCTURE Depending on what you have available, elderberry tincture can be made using fresh or dried elderberries. I’m using organic dried elderberries, since I tend to save my fresh elderberries for making elderberry pie and elderberry jelly. While it’s technically possible to make a successful tincture with intact berries, you’ll get the best results if the berries have been roughly chopped. If the berries are fresh their antioxidant-rich juices will be released during this step and, whether fresh or dried, chopping up the elderberries exposes more surface area — which means that more alcohol-soluble compounds will be extracted. Fill a clean jar 1/3 to 1/2 of the way with fresh or dried elderberries. Resist the urge to pack fresh elderberries into the jar, allow them to settle naturally. Next, completely cover the elderberries with alcohol. I like to use Smirnoff vodka because it’s inexpensive yet palatable (because remember, you’ll be dropping the tincture into your mouth). You can use almost any kind of ethyl alcohol, as long as it’s at least 80-proof (or 40 percent) alcohol — anything lower than this and you begin to lose some of the alcohol’s important antibacterial properties (and the tincture may spoil). Never use isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) for making tinctures; it’s poisonous to ingest and can potentially make you very sick. Rubbing alcohol isn’t suitable for tinctures, but it can be used to make herbal liniments for external use (but be sure to label them carefully). Elderberry tincture is only used internally, so always use an edible spirit like vodka or brandy (and never rubbing alcohol). Give the jar and its contents a gentle shake before storing it in a cool, dry place away from any sources of light (like a kitchen cupboard or pantry shelf). Repeat the gentle agitation every couple of days and keep an eye out for low alcohol levels. Dried plant matter, in particular, will sometimes absorb alcohol. If this happens, simply remove the lid and top off the elderberries with more alcohol. After a period of 6 to 8 weeks, the tincture is ready to be decanted into dark amber glass bottles. Elderberry tincture, if stored properly, can be used for up to 5 years after the initial extraction. Line a medium-sized funnel with a folded piece of cheesecloth, placing the tip of the funnel into the neck of a dark amber glass bottle. Carefully pour the tincture into the bottle, squeezing the remaining elderberries into the cheesecloth to get every last drop. Discard the alcohol-saturated remains of the elderberries. Label the tincture-filled bottle with its contents, the date it was bottled, the recommended dosage, and (optional but helpful if you’re new to the world of herbal medicine) common usages. ALCOHOL-FREE ELDERBERRY GLYCERITE If you’d prefer to avoid using alcohol in this tincture, or any tincture, you can make what is known as a glycerite tincture. A glycerite tincture is made using a combination of food-grade vegetable glycerin and water; usually a ratio of 3 parts vegetable glycerine to 1 part water. Aside from the solvent being used, the method for making elderberry is the same as with alcohol. Glycerites don’t have the same super-long shelf life as alcohol-based tinctures, but they will keep for 14 to 24 months (which is still plenty long). ELDERBERRY TINCTURE DOSAGE I am not a clinical herbalist or doctor, and you should check with your practitioner for a specific dosage (and before starting any new medical treatment, herbal or otherwise). That said, I have been able to find some elderberry tincture dosage suggestions online. The specific dosages for elderberry tincture varies according to age, but the suggested method for taking the extract is the same: sublingually (releasing the dropper under the tongue). For sick adults (anyone over the age of 12), the recommended dosage is 2 dropperfuls, taken 3 times per day. For adults who aren’t sick but might be exposed to a cold or flu virus, the recommended dosage is 2 dropperfuls, taken once per day. For sick children ages 5 to 12, the recommended dosage is 1 dropperful, 3 times per day. For children who aren’t sick, but might be exposed to a cold or flu virus, the recommended dosage is 1 dropperful, taken once per day. For sick young children (4 and under), the recommended dosage is 1/4 to 1/2 dropperful, 3 times per day. (I wouldn’t give it to children a year old personally.) (Especially for infants & children, please consult their doctor before trying any new treatment, herbal or otherwise, and consider making a glycerite instead of an alcohol tincture.) Previous Next

< Back Grinch Punch Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: 12 Level: Beginner About the Recipe This festive green Grinch punch is a wonderful, awful idea for a holiday party! It's so easy to make and your guests will enjoy it so much that your heart might just grow three sizes that day. Ingredients 2 quarts lime sherbet, sitting at room temperature for a few minutes to soften 1 (1 liter) bottle chilled lemon-lime soda (such as Sprite®) 8 cups (1/2 gallon) chilled Hawaiian Punch® Green Berry Rush® juice drink 2 cups chilled pineapple juice, plus more for coating glass rims 1 glass red sanding sugar, for coating glass rims Preparation Step 1 Scoop softened lime sherbet into the bottom of a large punch bowl. Step 2 Pour the lemon-lime soda, Hawaiian Punch, and 2 cups pineapple juice over the sherbet and stir. Step 3 Place red sanding sugar in a shallow dish, and some additional pineapple juice in a separate shallow dish. Dip the rims of your serving glasses in the pineapple juice, then in the sanding sugar to coat the rims generously. Step 4 Ladle the punch into the prepared glasses. Previous Next

< Back Fall Garden Relish Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Serves: 4 x half-liter jars (1 US pint) Level: Beginner About the Recipe This ‘Fall Garden Relish’ recipe is designed to help you use up leftover bits and bobs from a vegetable garden in the late fall. You can of course also make it with the bargain autumn harvest-time priced veggies from your local green grocer or grocery store. Ingredients 500 g cabbage (finely chopped. 1 pound / 4 cups / 1 quart. About 1 small head, or ¾ of a medium-head) 400 g cauliflower (finely minced. 3 cups / 24 oz / 1 medium head) 500 g green tomatoes (unpeeled, chopped. 2 cups / 18 oz / 4 medium) 350 g onion (finely chopped. 2 cups / 2 medium) 300 g green bell pepper (finely chopped. Measured after seeding, chopping. 2 cups / 10 oz) 150 g red bell pepper (finely chopped. Measured after seeding, chopping. 1 cup / 5 oz) 3 tablespoons pickling salt (OR non-bitter, non-clouding salt sub) 900 ml white vinegar (5% acidity or higher. 3 ¾ cups / 30 oz) 3 teaspoons celery seed 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric 700 g sugar (white. 2 ¾ cup / 24 oz) 3 teaspoons mustard powder Preparation This ‘Fall Garden Relish’ recipe for home canning from the University of Georgia is designed to help you use up leftover bits and bobs from a vegetable garden in the late fall. You can of course also make it with the bargain autumn harvest-time priced veggies from your local green grocer or grocery store. The recipe’s unassuming title is very deceptive, and its simple ingredient list has so little extra flavoring added in the way of spicing, that the first time you make it, you may not hold out much hope for it. But, somehow the light hand with the spicing is exactly right to let the complexity of the vegetable mixture shine through. It’s a tangy, crispy relish, with a fresh, moorish taste that definitely makes using up odds and sods into a delicious virtue, and may well become the jewel in the crown of your annual canning. And despite the unexciting name, it does make a great gift: people love this relish. This recipe is another unique gem from the invaluable “So Easy to Preserve” put out by the University of Georgia. You can easily double (or triple) the batch; just make sure it’s always piping hot before going into the jars to be canned. THE RECIPE Jar size choices: Either quarter-liter (½ US pint / 250 ml / 8 oz) OR half-liter (1 US pint / 500 ml/ 16 oz) Processing method: Water bath or steam canning Yield: 4 x half-liter (US pint) jars Headspace: 2 cm (½ inch) Processing time: 10 minutes either size jar Instructions Prep veg and put into a large bowl. Mix veg and either salt OR salt sub well and refrigerate veg mixture 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Toss a few times if desired. Drain well. While it is draining, put everything from the vinegar down to the dry mustard into a large pot. Mix, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the drained veg. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. After 10 minutes, bring back to a boil. Pack hot into quarter-liter (½ US pint) jars or half-liter (US pint) jars. Leave 2 cm (½ inch) headspace for either size jar. Debubble, adjust headspace. Wipe jar rims. Put the lids on. Process in a water bath or steam canner. Process either size jar for 10 minutes; increase time as needed for your altitude. Best after at least a month of jar time. RECIPES NOTES Don’t peel the tomatoes. You can use any color of bell pepper (or sweet pepper); the suggested color combo is just for looks. For the cabbage, you could use white cabbage, savoy cabbage or even red cabbage. In fact, you could try taking this to being a reddish relish by using red cabbage, red onion, and all red bell pepper. For the sugar, you could dial the amount back, or use the same volume amount of granulated Splenda®, OR 3 teaspoons liquid stevia. We recommend Better Stevia liquid stevia . Previous Next

< Back Before and After Measurement Helpful food measurements of what you will actually need beforehand to get the accurate measurements that you want after. Before and After Measurements .pdf Download PDF • 56KB Power in Numbers Programs Locations Volunteers Project Gallery Previous Next

< Back Cooking Temperature Tips Have you ever wondered how cooking temperatures were measured before thermostats? Now you know. Power in Numbers Programs Locations Volunteers Project Gallery Previous Next

< Back Egg Salad Sandwich Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 8 slices bread 8 medium boiled eggs OR 8 pickled eggs ¾ cup mayonnaise (or to moistness desired) 3 tablespoons mustard, your favorite (or to taste) ¼ teaspoon salt (to taste) 1/8 teaspoon pepper (to taste) Preparation Dice boiled or pickled eggs into small pieces. Mix in mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste. Spread equal amounts on to four buttered pieces of bread, cover each with remaining slices. Cut diagonally and serve. Regular boiled egg sandwiches are good, but if you want to take it up a notch, try the pickled egg sandwich. It will tickle your tongue! Previous Next

< Back Bottled Chicken Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 75 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Raw chicken breasts or cooked legs and thighs Salt Garlic, granulated Preparation Fill pint jars with chicken. If you are using *raw chicken, cut it into sizes that are easy to fill bottles. If you are using **cooked chicken, cut it into easy to manage pieces. Fill the jars with a ½ inch space at the top. Put ½ teaspoon of salt, and a ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic (for quarts – 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon garlic) on the top of the chicken in each pint. (I prefer to use pints when bottling meats) If necessary, fill with a little hot water or broth and use a wooden utensil to make sure that all the trapped air pockets are filled. Wipe the bottle rims and put on ***lids and rings. Hand tighten the rings, but don’t over tighten. Place jars on the canning rack in the ****pressure canner with the water going about halfway up on the bottle. Close the canner and turn the heat on high and listen for the air to escape out of the vent. Once the air starts to come out, time it for 10 minutes and then put the weight over the vent to help continue to build pressure. Depending on your elevation, you will either let the dial go to 11 pounds (altitudes 0-2000 ft), or 12 pounds (altitudes of 2,001 to 4,000 ft.). Once it has reached the correct pressure, process pints for 75 minutes (quarts for 90 minutes). Turn the heat off and let the pressure release slowly by itself. Once the gauge registers 0, release the lid being careful not to burn yourself with the steam or the water dripping off of the lid. Using a bottle lifter, carefully remove bottles from the canner and place on a towel on the counter to cool down. Don’t touch them until the next day. After they have rested overnight, wash them with soap and water to remove residual broth and remove the ring. Label item and date on the lid (don’t put cute tags on the glass because they are too hard to remove) and store in your pantry. *If you are bottling chicken breasts, it isn’t necessary to cut it up. Just place raw meat directly into the jar until full. The only time I pre-cook the chick is when it is on the bone (e.g., legs, thighs, and stripped bones where the breast has been removed) because it makes it easier to remove the meat with less waste. Some people bottle the legs and thighs with the bone, but I don’t like the bones taking up space. **If you cook the meat beforehand, don’t throw away the broth. Bottle it separately for soups. ***Follow the directions on the lid boxes ****Anytime you are canning anything with meat, it needs to be pressure canned. Previous Next

< Back Old Fashioned Rice Pudding Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Serves: 6 Level: Beginner Ingredients 2 medium eggs 2 cups milk (whole is best) 1 ½ cup rice, cooked and cold 1 cup raisins (optional) ½ cup white sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg Preparation Beat eggs until light; add to milk and rice. Add remaining ingredients and pour into 2-quart buttered casserole or baking dish. Bake uncovered in a shallow pan of water for one hour. Serve hot or cold with a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon on top. Previous Next

< Back Peanut Clusters Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: Varies Serves: Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Baking Chips – a combination of semi-sweet or dark chocolate and butterscotch chips creates the perfect rich flavor. Peanuts – unsalted, roasted peanuts are my favorite. Preparation Melt chocolate – temper – stir in peanuts, cashews, whatever nuts you like. Drop onto wax paper. Sooooo easy! WORKING WITH CHOCOLATE Always start with good chocolate; a good chocolate will have a “smooth melt” – no noticeable grain when melted on the tongue. Never add anything to the chocolate (paraffin, oil, etc.). Break chocolate into small pieces, or buy small chocolate pieces. Keep away from moisture (i.e. steam) when melting. In an oven, put the chocolate in a bowl/pan, place in the oven and set the temperature to the lowest possible setting and close the door. Check every few minutes to make sure the bowl is not getting too hot. To test, place your bare hand on the side of the bowl. If it’s too warm to leave your hand there, remove the bowl from the oven with hot pads and stir the chocolate until the bowl cools, then return it to the oven if necessary. May want to turn the oven off; just let chocolate melt slowly in the warm oven. Be sure to stir chocolate fairly often as it melts. Chocolate can also be melted in a microwave, but milk chocolate can scorch rather easily. Melt on 50% power or lower. You can also use a double-boiler, but this is lots o’ work. If you have a lot of time You can put a bowl of chocolate in an oven with a pilot light; it’ll melt overnight (or thereabouts). A slow/low crock pot will also work. “Tempering” is the process of mixing and cooling chocolate to get it ready for dipping/coating candy. Stir in bowl, or pour into a cold electric frying pan or marble slab and make “S” motions through the chocolate. Continue mixing and cooling until chocolate feels cool to the touch. Dip or coat candies. When working with chocolate, your room temperature should be no higher than 70º. Chocolate can be remelted many times as long as there is no moisture present and it hasn’t been scorched. How to Store and Freeze Once the peanut clusters are completely set, they can be stored either at room temperature or in the fridge up to 2 weeks. I prefer to keep them in the fridge so the chocolate doesn’t melt. To store them, line them in an airtight container with pieces of parchment or wax paper between each layer. To freeze them, let them harden completely, then transfer them to an airtight container with pieces of parchment or wax paper between each layer if you’re stacking them. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

< Back Watermelon Rind Jam Prep Time: Cook Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes Serves: 2 - 3 Small Jars Level: Beginner About the Recipe What to do with watermelon rind or peel? Aromatic and sweet watermelon rind jam or candied watermelon rind. Ingredients 750 – 850 g/ 1.7 – 1.9 lbs watermelon rind weighed after preparing it granulated sugar about 500 g/ 1.1 lbs (depending on how much cooked rind you have) 1 liter/ 34 fl.oz/ 4.2 cups water 150 ml/ 5 fl.oz/ ⅔ cup white wine vinegar the juice of 1 lemon Preparation OK, I am sure you will not make watermelon rind jam out of all the watermelons you get to eat in the summer, but taking the time to do this at least once or twice, it's really worth it. You will love these sweet, jewel-like pieces of watermelon rind, you will probably not be able to eat half a jar in one go, but you will be delighted with a moderate amount of it on your toast or just being able to pop a small piece of candied watermelon rind in your mouth whenever you crave something sweet. One piece of candied watermelon rind and you will forget about chocolate, gummy bears, or candy or whatever sweets you normally cannot resist. At least it works for me, but I was never much into chocolate, gummy bears or candy... How to make watermelon rind jam? Well, the process is easy but it involves a few steps and a bit of chopping. But like I've said it before, it is well worth it! The result will be a jam the likes of you probably never had before, unless you're Romanian and grew up on a thing called “dulceata”, which is some kind of jam, but quite different from the regular jam you are used to. I think you will love those rather firm watermelon rind pieces surrounded by that sweet and heavy syrup. Dulceata or “sweetness” is a kind of preserve made with whole fruits (in this case the chopped watermelon rind) boiled in a lot of sugar, normally on a 1:1 ratio, until the liquid becomes a clear syrup surrounding those glossy fruit or fruit pieces. As dulceata is way sweeter than regular jam, you will only need a small amount of it on your buttered toast, for instance. And the fruit can be used not only to eat as it is, but you can also put it into cakes, stir it into desserts and so on. steps: Remove the green skin of the watermelon completely. Make sure to leave a tiny amount of red watermelon flesh attached to the rind pieces you want to use for the jam. It makes things prettier, however, you don't want to leave too much of it attached, I would say about 2 mm/ 0.08 inches. Chop the rind as evenly as possible, about 3-4 cm/ 1.2-1.6 inches. You should weigh the watermelon rind now and prepare more if necessary, you will need roughly 750 – 850 g/ 1.7 – 1.9 lbs, weighed after preparing the rind. If you don't have enough, prepare some more. Cook the watermelon rind pieces in water and vinegar, this step takes about an hour, but it is a necessary step. The vinegar will help the watermelon rind pieces hold their shape and not get soggy. After cooking the watermelon rind in vinegar, let drain well. When cool enough to handle, press with your hand to remove more of the excess water. Weigh the drained and pressed watermelon pieces. You will need exactly the same amount of sugar as the rind weighs, so 1 to 1 ratio. You will have more or less 500 g/ 1.1 lbs of watermelon rind pieces. Place the sugar in the rinsed pot you used before. Add 250 ml/ 8.5 fl. oz/ 1 cup water to the sugar and turn on the heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. When the syrup comes to a boil, add the watermelon rind and the lemon juice. Cook until a light syrup forms, it took me exactly 38 minutes. Place the watermelon rind jam into the sterilized jars and seal well. Keep in a dark cool place. If the jars are sterilized and well-sealed the jam should be good for a very long time. How long to cook the jam? The most difficult thing for me when making dulceata is finding the perfect time to stop the cooking process. If the jam is cooked too shortly, the syrup will not form properly and the jam will be runny. If you overcook the jam, the syrup will taste too much like caramel and become too hard, I had to throw away a whole batch of cherry dulceata because I was not even able to stick a spoon in the finished and cooled product... *However, to make it easier for you, I measured the cooking time exactly, and considering you will follow the instructions and use a pot that has roughly the same size as mine, you should be able to stop the cooking process at the right time. I used a soup pot with a diameter of 23 cm/ 9 inches and a height of 14 cm/ 5.5 inches. Of course, I don't expect you to have the exact same pot or to buy one extra for this, but a similar sized one will help you with keeping the indicated cooking time better. If your pot is wider, start checking if the syrup is formed before the indicated time is over, if your pot is narrower it might take a bit longer. The syrup should have more or less the consistency of runny clear honey. The source of this recipe is Silvia Jurcovan's Cookbook. I only made half a batch and got 2 ½ small jars. Instructions: Remove the red flesh of the watermelon, leaving only one very thin layer of red flesh attached to the rind, about 2 mm/ 0.08 inches. Remove the green skin of the watermelon completely. Chop the watermelon rind into even pieces of about 3-4 cm/ 1.2-1.6 inches. You should weigh the watermelon rind now and prepare more if necessary. Place 1 liter/ 34 oz/ 4.2 cups water and the vinegar in a pot with a diameter of approximately 23 cm/ 9 inches and a height of 14 cm/ 5.5 inches (*See the marked paragraph above). Bring to a boil, add the watermelon rind and let cook for about an hour or a bit more until the rind pieces are glossy and somehow transparent. It is a necessary step, the vinegar will help the watermelon rind pieces hold their shape and not get soggy. Drain in a sieve, refresh with cold water and, when cool enough to handle, press with your hand to remove more of the excess water. Weigh the watermelon rind again. You should have more or less 500 g/ 1.1 lbs cooked rind. Set aside. Measure the sugar, you should use the same amount of sugar as you have of cooked watermelon rind, so about 500 g/ 1.1 lbs. Place the sugar in the rinsed pot you used before. Add 250 ml/ 8.5 oz/ 1 cup water to the sugar and turn on the heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. When the syrup comes to a boil, add the watermelon rind and the lemon juice. Cook until a light syrup forms, it took me exactly 38 minutes, but as I have mentioned above, the cooking time depends on the size of the pot as well. I used a soup pot with a diameter of 23 cm/ 9 inches and a height of 14 cm/ 5.5 inches. If your pot has a similar size the time should be OK, if your pot is wider the cooking time will probably be shorter, if your pot is narrower the cooking time will probably be a bit longer. The finished syrup should be light in color and have more or less the consistency of clear honey. Place the jam into the sterilized jars and seal well. Keep in a dark cool place. If the jars are sterilized and well-sealed the jam should be good for a very long time. Previous Next