Apple Butter

Posted on August 4, 2011 by okieranchwife

I never liked the apple butter that you can buy from a store so I didn’t eat it until I started canning my own 3 years ago. In September and October I can approximately 40 pints of Apple Butter. I give them out at Christmas and birthdays and even get special requests from family and friends at other times during the year. Apple butter on toast for breakfast. That’s good eatin’.

While I do change-up and make my own recipes, I don’t really change the canning recipes due to food safety concerns. This great recipe comes from “So Easy to Preserve” 5th edition by the Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia.

Makes 9 to 10 half pints or 4 to 5 pints.

  • 8 pounds of Apples (I use Granny Smith and Gala for a more tart taste)
  • 2 cups Apple Cider
  • 2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 cups White Sugar (original recipe calls for 2 1/4 cup)
  • 2 cups packed Dark Brown Sugar (original calls for 2 1/4 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon Ground Cloves

Wash, peel and core apples. Dice large. Cook slowly in cider and vinegar until soft. Working in batches press apples through a food mill, colander or strainer. I have very little waste from the pressing process and that makes for a nice thick apple butter.

Cook the apple pulp with sugar and spices, stirring frequently until thickened. This usually takes me approximately 20 to 30 minutes. To test for doneness, remove a spoonful from pot and hold away from steam for 2 minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon.    

Sterilize canning jars in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Place lids in warm but not hot or boiling water.  Ladle hot apple butter into half-pint or pint jars leaving 1/4 inch head space.  Clean the rims with a wet paper towel and adjust lids. Debris on  the rim could cause the lid not to seal properly.   Tightened the screw on part of lid only to finger tip tight.  Process in a boiling water for 5 minutes.  Remove from water and place on dish towels to sit undisturbed for at 12 hours.  As the jars cool, you will hear the POP of the lids being pulled down and sealing. After 12 hours if a jar doesn’t seal properly, use a different lid process again. You can also place in fridge and use immediately.

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Quinoa Breakfast

Posted on August 4, 2011 by okieranchwife

Pronounced Keen-wa, this small grain from South America packs a big punch with the highest amount of protein found in all grains. It is a good option for people who have Celiac disease and cannot tolerate gluten found in other grains. 

  • 1 cup, Quinoa (Red or White)
  • 2 cups Water
  • Pinch of Sea Salt
  • Butter or Ghee
  • Dried Fruit (I dehydrate bananas, apples and pineapples to use at breakfast)

Combine quinoa salt and water in a medium size pot with lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat  to get a nice high simmer. Cover pot and cook for 20 minutes. The red quinoa needs a slightly longer cook time.

When cooked place in individual bowls and mix in butter and dried fruit to your taste. This will make 2 good-sized servings.

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Fresh Tomato and Corn Salsa

Posted on August 4, 2011 by okieranchwife

This dish is very easy  and very tasty. About the only thing I can’t grow in my garden are the limes.

  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1 small Sweet Onion, coarse chopped
  • 1 Jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • 2 Green Onions, chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tablespoons fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • Black Pepper to taste
  • Dash of dried Red Cayenne Powder
  • 2 medium slicing Tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup Corn kernels, frozen, fresh or canned
  • Tortilla Chips

Combine all ingredients in a large. Serve with Tortilla Chips.

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Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

Posted on August 4, 2011 by okieranchwife

Yesterday our high temp was 110 F. Today we are supposed to have a cold snap, only 102! Here is another no cook recipe for everyone. It calls for water packed fresh mozzarella since it has the best taste and consistency but regular mozz will work as well. I get the fresh basil and tomatoes from my kitchen garden which is 40 feet from my kitchen door. To me there is nothing that tastes better than a fresh picked vine ripe tomato. Mmmm, that’s good!

  • 4 large slicing tomatoes, sliced thick
  • 4 cups fresh water packed Mozzarella, sliced 1/4 thick slices

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • Sea salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup fresh Basil, finely chopped
  • approximately 6 fresh whole Basil leaves

 Mix the dressing ingredients.  Arrange tomatoes slices on individual plates (4-6 plates). Place a slice of mozzarella on top of each tomato slice. Drizzle dressing over each plate and garnish with whole basil leaves.  To let the taste and aroma bloom allow plate to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.

For a slightly different taste try using Thai Basil.

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Baked Salmon and Asparagus with Beurre Blanc Sauce

Posted on August 4, 2011 by okieranchwife

My cowboy husband asks me to make this dish at least once a week. It’s simple, even the sauce and so delicious. The sauce should have a buttery slightly garlic and slightly acidic taste. Try to buy wild caught Salmon rather than farmed because there are more Omega 3 oils in the wild salmon. Omega 3’s may help in cardiovascular health. Fish has been known as “brain” food.

  • Olive Oil Cooking Spray
  • 1 6 to 8 oz Salmon fillet per person
  • 1 Lemon, seeded and quartered
  • 1 teaspoon Pepper (or you can use Cajun Blend for a kick)
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried Parsley Flakes
  • 2 pounds Asparagus, tough ends trimmed off 

Beurre Blanc (White Butter) Sauce:

  • 1/2 stick unsalted Butter
  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1 teaspoon dried Dill Weed
  • 2 cups Whole Milk or 1/2 and 1/2
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice

Pre-heat oven to 375 F.

Coat a glass oven safe baking dish with the olive oil cooking spray. Be certain that the dish is large enough so the salmon fillets fit side by side.  Place the asparagus spears on the bottom of the baking dish. Place dish in the oven and bake for 20  minutes or until the asparagus spears are tender but not mushy.  While the asparagus is cooking, coat the fillets with juice from fresh lemon, salt, pepper and parsley.  Spray a little of the olive oil cooking spray to coat top of fillet.

Start the beurre blanc sauce. Over medium-low to medium heat melt butter in a small pot, add garlic and lemon juice. Do not let the butter brown or burn. Add milk and dill weed and cook until slightly thickened. Stir constantly to the sauce doesn’t stick or burn.

When the asparagus is tender, place the fillets on top of the asparagus and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 15 minutes until the salmon is dark pink and golden on the outside.  Remove from the baking dish to a serving platter and serve with sauce.

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Mom’s Cabbage Soup

Posted on August 3, 2011 by okieranchwife

Although it is still howling hot outside I had to add this soup recipe. Ever since I was young, I remember my mom making this soup in the Fall. She made a “Zaprashka” (za-pruass-ka)  Eastern European sauce. In New Orleans it is called a Roux.

  • 1 1/2 pounds Pork Neck Bones or Short Ribs
  • 1 1/2 pounds Stewing Beef or Bison, cubed
  • 2 pounds Green Cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 clove of fresh Garlic, pressed
  • 1 can (16 ozs) Sauerkraut
  • 1 tablespoon Sea Salt
  • 1 medium Onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoon Caraway Seeds

Gravy (Zaprashka):

  • 2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour or Wondra Flour
  • 2 tablespoons or vegetable oil or Crisco

Boil neck bones/short ribs with 3 quarts of water  in a large soup pot for 1 minute. Discard the water and put bones back into the soup pot with stew beef cubes. Add another 3 quarts of water. Bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that forms on top of water.  Add salt and onions. Reduce heat and slowly simmer for 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender.

While the meat mix is simmering, sprinkle salt over the shredded cabbage and let stand. When the meat soup is tender, rinse salt from the cabbage and add cabbage to meat soup mix. Add the can of sauerkraut and carawy seeds. Cook til the shredded cabbage is tender. Remove all bones from the soup.

Heat the flour in oil in a cast iron skillet. It needs to brown but not burn. Stir the flour in the oil until browned. Add a cup of the soup liquid to the zaprashka and mix til thick. Add this mixture to the soup pot. Serve in bowls with crusty black Russian bread or rye bread.

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Linda’s German Potato Salad

Posted on August 3, 2011 by okieranchwife

Yes. I confess. My first name is Linda. And this recipe is a mixture of my mine and my mom’s. Both my mom and my grandmom (Baba in Eastern European) were excellent home cooks. I hope I can carry their torch.

  • 10 small Red Potatoes, cooked and diced large
  • 2 Hard-boiled Eggs, chopped
  • 2 ribs of Celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of Sweet or Red Onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons Spicy Brown Mustard
  • 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons Olive Oil mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon Celery Seeds
  • Parsley flakes to taste
  • 6 sprigs of fresh Chives, chopped
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and chill in fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy.

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Three Pea Stir-fry

Posted on August 3, 2011 by okieranchwife

I use this dish as an accompaniment to the blackened salmon we grill on our George Foreman grill. The blackened seasoning of the salmon works well with the heat from dried cayenne flakes of the stir-fry.

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 1 large Garlic clove, peeled and pressed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried Hot Red Cayenne Pepper flakes
  • 6 ozs Sugar Snap Peas, cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 6 ozs Snow Peas, cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup frozen Green Peas
  • 2 teaspoons low sodium Soy Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds
  • Sea Salt to taste

Heat EVOO over medium high heat in a large non-stick skillet. Don’t let the oil smoke. If it does that means it is burning. Stir-fry garlic, ginger, and dried pepper flakes for about 1 minute.  Add in the sugar snap and snow peas. Stir-fry approximately 3 minutes. Add frozen peas and cook for another 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in soy sauce and sesame oil. Toss in sesame seeds and season with salt to taste. Serves 4 people.

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Dijon Cole Slaw

Posted on August 3, 2011 by okieranchwife

This makes a great lunch meal to take to work. Double the portions for a side to an evening dinner.  

  • 1/4 head of Red or White Cabbage, finely shredded
  • 2 medium Carrots, peeled and grated
  • 2 ribs of Celery, finely chopped
  • 1/2 Red or Orange Pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 2 Green Onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh Peas or thawed frozen Peas
  • 1 tablespoon Pumpkin or Sunflower Seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fresh Parlsey as garnish

Dressing:

  • 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, EVOO
  • 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons cold Water
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1 small Garlic clove, pressed

Mix the slaw ingredients except the seeds and parlsey. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients until well blended. Toss into the slaw mixture.  Chill for at least 1 hour. Before serving garnish portions with seeds and parlsey.

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Chuckwagon Pinto Beans

Posted on August 3, 2011 by okieranchwife

Here is another great bean recipe that can be used as meal or a side. The joke around our house is that some days we have beans and rice and other days we have rice and beans!

  • 1 pound dried Pinto Beans
  • 10 quarts cold Water
  • 6 slices of Bacon, cut up
  • 1 whole Red Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 medium Onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves of Garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 can (6 ozs) Tomato Paste
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Red Chili Powder (add more to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried Marjoram

 Rinse beans and pick out any stones or twigs. In a large bowl, mix water and beans. Cover and let soak overnight.   In the morning put the beans and water into a cast iron Dutch Oven and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Stir in the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 3 hours until tender. Add more water if the mix looks too thick.  Serve with cornbread. Approximately 8 servings if used as side dish.

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