BLACKBERRY-BLUEBERRY JAM

Jackie Hall (Lisa’s friend) sent me this recipe. Her family loves it.

http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2008/07/blackberry-blueberry-jam-low-sugar.html

Blackberry-Blueberry Jam

4 quarts (16 cups) mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)

4 tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 cup honey, more if your berries are particularly tart

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 package pectin (Sure-Jell, Certo, or the like, about 2 1/2 T.)

Clean and sterilize jars, lids, and rings.

Put clean, stemmed berries into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pare and chop apples. I used Granny Smith, but any tart cooking apple will do.

Mix together sugar and pectin and add to berries along with the honey and cook over medium heat. Bring slowly to the boil and boil gently for at least thirty minutes or until it looks like jam and tastes like jam. Mine took about 45-60 minutes. Use your best judgment.

Take a bit out on a spoon and put it on a cold plate. Are the juices watery-looking? Keep cooking until you when you put a little dab on a plate it has a more syrupy consistency. Let the dab cool a bit. It should begin to set up a little. It doesn’t have to be terribly thick or gelatinous (you want to be able to spread it on your toast without undue effort). If you have much foam, skim it off with a spoon. At this point, turn off the heat and ladle the jam into the jars.

I don’t have a jar gripper, so I take a tea towel and wrap it around the empty jar like a scarf as a heat-proof handle.

Then I fill them up within 1/2 inch of the top, add lids and loosely screw down the rings.

Lastly they go into the canner for a 5 minute process and they are done. Let them cool. Tighten lids up a bit. Over the next hour or so, the lids will seal with a pop. After they seal, if you press a finger on the top of the lid, the lid will be pressed in and will not pop back and forth. That’s a good seal.

This recipe makes 5 pints (I got 6 plus 2 small ones and plenty to eat).

BEETS

• Glazed Baby Beets

  
  Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
  Show: Good EatsEpisode: Beet It

I thought these turned out really good. Dan & Judi bought us the beets from Thistle Down (8/10). Everyone ate some.

• 20 baby beets, scrubbed (I had 6 big ones - had to cook longer)
• 2 cups apricot juice (used orange juice)
• 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (didn't have white)
• 2 tablespoons honey

Directions

In a large saute pan, add the beets and the apricot juice. Cover and cook on medium high for 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and honey and cook for another 10 minutes. Pull off of the heat and keep covered for an additional 5 minutes.

MANDARIN GLAZED BEETS

We really like these.  Taste of Home Contestant Winning 2006 pg. 141.

1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 T butter
2 can (15 oz) sliced beets, drained (I have also used fresh (3 big), cooked and peeled)
2 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch.  Add lemon juice and butter.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in beets, heat through.  Gently stir in beets; heat through.  Gently stir in oranges; heat through.

PIZZA

CANADIAN BACON AND PINEAPPLE PIZZA

We loved this pizza - super delicious!!! Very easy to make. I took this to a potluck and only got one piece, so I was glad I had enough to make another one. This is a pizza I could have every week. Came from Jackson's Pillsbury 2010 calendar.

1 can refrigerated pizza crust (original or thin) - also made it with Naomi's 15 minute bread recipe - worked great (used 1 cup gluten free, 1 1/2-2 cups white)

1 pkg (6 oz) sliced provolone cheese

1 pkg (5-6 oz) sliced Canadian bacon

1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks, well drained on paper towels (I had rings on hand that I cut up)

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/2 cup or more chopped green or yellow bell pepper (about 1/2 of a pepper)

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

Heat oven to 425 for classic or 400 for thin. It says to spray the cookie sheet (15 x 10 rectangle), so I sprayed my pizza stone. (When I made Naomi's bread I used a cookie sheet that had been sprayed and topped with corn meal - we liked).

Unroll dough, starting at center, press dough out.

Top dough with provolone cheese. Arrange Canadian bacon, pineapple, onion and bell pepper over provolone cheese to within 1/2" of edges (also left the center free of toppings except cheese. Scott says it cooks better that way). Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.

Bake classic for 16-20 and thin for 10-14 minutes.

THREE-CHEESE GARDEN PIZZA

All the best cookbook - The Pampered Chef pg. 22

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA
Everyone really liked this...was easy to put together since I already had the chicken and bacon cooked.  Didn't use the onion and added chunks of pineapple.  Cilantro would be good too.  The BBQ sauce I used was Kraft...it was pretty spicy.  Did homemade dough.  
http://www.simplystacie.net/2015/07/bbq-chicken-pizza/

• 1 Pillsbury Pizza Crust (or your own homemade pizza crust or other brand of refrigerated pizza crust)
• ¾ cup barbecue sauce
• 1 cup cooked chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 small green pepper, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded (used Sharp)

directions:

1. Prepare the pizza crust according to package directions. For the Pillsbury Pizza Crust I used, I greased a pizza pan and spread the dough to fit. Then I pre-baked for 8 minutes in a 400°F oven.
2. Spread barbecue sauce over pizza crust, leaving a gap around the edge.
3. Evenly distribute green pepper, onions, chicken and bacon over the sauce. Then top with cheddar cheese.
4. Bake an additional 7 to 10 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.

PIZZA BIANCA
I liked this but no one else really did.  Got it from Martha Stewart FOOD magazine.  I used a boboli crust.

• All-purpose flour, for dusting and rolling
• 1 pound pizza dough, thawed if frozen
• 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (6 ounces)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (1 ounce)
• 2 ounces baby arugula (2 cups)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly dust a work surface, rolling pin, and a baking sheet with flour. Roll dough out to a 13-inch round and transfer to sheet.
2. In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 tablespoon oil, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Spread ricotta mixture on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with mozzarella, then Parmesan. Brush 1 teaspoon oil on edge of dough. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is melted and browned in spots, 12 to 14 minutes. In a small bowl, toss arugula with 1 teaspoon oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top pizza with arugula and serve.

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

These were so yummy! I didn't want to stop eating. Need to start preparing 1/2 - 1 hour before eating. Found in Taste of Home 2006 Contest Winning Cookbook pg. 141.

3 medium green tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick

salt

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1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 T flour

3/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp pepper

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1 egg, beaten

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1/4 cup vegetable oil

Lightly sprinkle tomatoes with salt; drain on paper towels for 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile combine the next six ingredients in a shallow bowl or plate. Dip each tomato slice into egg, then cornmeal mixture.

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Fry tomatoes, a few at a time, for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel-lined wire rack (or plate). Serve immediately.

GRANDMA BROWN'S CUSTARD - PIE FILLING/CREAM PUFFS

GRANDMA BROWN'S CUSTARD - PIE FILLING/CREAM PUFFS

Danae Winder taught us how to make this in the made from scratch class. It is easier than I thought it would be. So yummy!

3 cups whole milk (2% or 1% works too)

1 can evaporated milk

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4 egg yolks (if you are making this for cream puffs, save the egg whites to use)

1/2 cup cold milk

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cornstarch

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1 tsp vanilla

*Scald (not boiling just until you see steam) whole milk and canned milk over medium heat.

*Mix together in a small bowl: everything else except vanilla.

*Add slowly (very important) to scalded milk while constantly stirring with a wire whisk. Keep on stirring constantly on medium-high until it gets thick and starts to bubble.

*Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

For coconut cream pie stir in 1-1 1/2 cup of coconut and pour into baked pie shells; top with whip (optional) and then with toasted coconut (cook already sweetened coconut at 325 for 12-15 minutes - unsweetened coconut put some powdered sugar in a ziplock add coconut and shake until covered). Cover and chill. Makes enough for 2 pies.

To avoid a skin on the pudding as it chills in a metal bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and put it directly on top of the pudding.

CREAM PUFFS
Need to double recipe if using all of Grandma Brown's pudding.

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1/4 tsp salt

1 T sugar

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1 cup flour

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4 eggs

*Bring water, butter, salt and sugar to a boil

*Turn off heat and add flour all at once

*Stir flour until it all comes together and forms a ball

*Pour dough into a bowl and let cool for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally

*Preheat oven to 425

*Add eggs one at a time, waiting for dough to become smooth after each egg (use Bosch with bread hook)

*Drop by rounded tablespoons (use big scoop - small ones make bite size) onto parchment paper or greased cookie sheet

*Bake at 425 for 10 minutes

*Drop temp to 350 and continue to bake for 20-30 min until golden brown and they sound hollow when tapped

*Let cool in oven with door opened

*Cut off tops and pull out any doughy center (if there is any) and fill with pudding or anything else your heart desires!

*Sprinkle with powdered sugar

Makes 12-16 puffs depending on size. Don't fill until you are ready to serve/eat them. They will get soggy if filled too soon.

If puffs become too soft overnight, place in a warm oven for 5 minutes.