When life hands you tomatoes….

Make sauce…
I wasn’t sure what this dry, dry summer would bring at the harvest; smaller heads of cabbage, less tomatoes on the vine, stunted carrots… well, happily none of the above. I even had a few bunches of grapes on my baby vines!

I credit the llama manure,and the toppings of straw and lawn clippings that I used to keep the beds covered. We did get about an inch of rain a few nights ago, but at last check we were still about 6 inches below the norm ~ leading to dry wells and brown lawns.

Brown lawn and a green, full garden; I’ll take it. With the air a bit cooler this week, (and Howie away in Jacksonville, Fl. on work) I filled my days working in the garden, harvesting veggies,herbs, and caring for the animals…I also tried my hand at blending Merino wool with KatDoll’s fiber. (I am a spinning fool, some days).
back to te sauce; I made a simple seasoned sauce to be used as a soup base, tomatoes soup, or a pasta sauce beginning…

To begin you need to prepare the Roma tomatoes: 20 pounds or there about…
* no bruised or or overly soft tomatoes please
Boil a big pot of water:
place the cleaned tomatoes, a few at a time in the large pot of boiling water for no more than 1 minute (30 – 45 seconds is usually enough)
then….

Plunge them into a waiting bowl of ice water.
The peels will pull right off.

After peeling the skins off the tomatoes. Removing seeds, and juice is a bit messy, but necessary, or you will have a very seedy, watery sauce, not at all appealing. So just give your tomatoes a squeeze, and scoop out the seeds You don’t need to all crazy about it…just get most. I bet there are neater ways of doing this ,but .. I just give em a squeeze.

Place the tomatoes into a colander or strainer, as you go. letting water to drain; I have a glass bowl under the strainer to save the fresh tomato juices. ( save the juice for cooking or strain and drink cold)

Simple sauce:
saute, in olive oil;
2 cups chopped fresh onions
2 tablespoons chopped celery
3 clove of garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chopped sweet peppers
You want to infuse the chopped veggies with flavor at this point, so keep the heat low and slow, I add sea salt , black pepper, and other seasonings at this point( I usually taste to see what it needs) use the seasoning you like it’s your sauce after all..
As you are sauteing the veggies, have the peeled and squeezed tomatoes softly simmering in your pot with:
3 Tablespoons of oregano
2 bay leaves ( remove these after simmering)
2 Tablespoons diced,fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon Sea salt

Add sauteed seasoned veggies, and continue to gently simmer, let the mixture reduce to a consistency of your liking. I also use a submersible hand held blender to give a smoother texture.
Your kitchen will smell luscious!
Enjoy or freeze for later. I am purposely not recommending this for canning, as I am not certain it has the proper acidity level to maintain freshness.

Be well,
Jess

Short and sweet, very sweet.

Cookies, cookies, more cookies, and warmth. I believe I have taught my children to value family and tradition, and, when someone cooks for you…well, you must be special.
Close your eyes and remember December, the smell of cinnamon in your mother’s or grandmother’s kitchen and the warm scent of dough baking in the oven…mmmm. We gather in our kitchens to bake, decorate,and eat cookies…with each bite, you can taste your childhood and family history. Where did this this yummy tradition begin, from what I can discern; the tradition originated in Germany and Scandinavia. The tradition became more popular after spices like Cinnamon, pepper, and others became more easily purchased. Here in the USA, early in the 1600′s Dutch settlers brought with them favored Christmas cookie recipe, a bit later, when import laws were loosened; cookie cutters from Germany were popular in American markets. Imported cookies cutters were created with images designed to be hung on Christmas trees. Christmas Cookie recipes began to appear in all of the most popular cookbooks to make use of these new cutters. With the advent of inexpensive tin cutters, new emphasis was placed on shape, where in the past, many homemade cookies simply had been square or round. Bells, Christmas trees, Sant Clauses..could now be easily shaped…and then hung on trees.

In the United States, since the 1930s, children have left cookies and milk on a table for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, though many people simply consume the cookies themselves. The cookies are often cut into such shapes as those of candy canes, reindeer, and holly leaves.

To our family, Christmas cookies represent home, family, comfort, joy, and tradition. Christmas cookies are a thread to Christmas past, not only our past, but long past.

Here are a few of our favorite recipes.

cookies can be a messy endeavor...Jenn and friends...2003

Start with 1 family, 1 kitchen, and a box of recipes. Add an uninterrupted period of time. Subtract phone calls, technology, and any other distractions. For best results, add the Prayer Before Baking: “God bless this mixture with the sweetest and tastiest ingredients: joy, faith, family, friendship, love, and health. Amen.”
Sprinkle with laughter. Add amusing family stories in heaping amounts. Fold in 1 cup patience and understanding, blended with 1 gallon youthful enthusiasm and a pinch of baking know-how. Eat your mistakes with joy. Bake lovingly and well. Enjoy warm, delicious, cookie-baking memories for years to come!

Gingerbread men

Our favorite Gingerbread Cookie recipe:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla
Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.

In a large bowl beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.

Add molasses, vanilla, continue to mix until well blended.

Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.

Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

If you are pre-making your cookie dough for baking another day…(Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; Return to room temp before using.)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper. ( I always use paper)

Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.

Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.

Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.

Use additional flour to avoid sticking.

Cut out cookies with desired cutter– the ginger bread man is our favorite of course.

Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.

Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies– very good!).

Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.

Cool cookies, then decorate as you like…we use a powdered sugar icing raisins for buttons, eyes, and what not, can be gently pressed onto the cookie before baking.

They say Christmas snow can be magical.

snow much fun....

love , pure an simple.

last vestiges of summer

a winter morn on the farm

Misty Maples Farm house....

Happy baking and be well,
Jess

Secret Pumpkin Whoopie Pies….shhh

I always look forward to this time of year; an in between time. In between the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, and the jammed packed schedule of the fleeting summer months. A time to collect my bearings, look at where I’ve been and where I am heading, start holiday to do lists, take down and launder summer curtains, pillows, and porch furniture cushions…hang the heavier, cozier, cool weather drapes, toss the comfie blankets, and pillows on the sofas. Time to stack fire wood for the kitchen wood stove, and the time for my families favorite: PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES! I have shared this recipe with very few folks over the years..they are fabulous and the recipe was my secret; after several friends asked for the recipe, and neighbors declared,”It’s almost whoopie pie season isn’t it?”, I suppose it is time to share this favorite recipe with you. Guard it well. I hope that you enjoy them as much as we do.

Secret recipe for Pumpkin Whoopie pies

Cookies
pre-heat oven to 350
2 cups brown sugar (tightly packed)
1 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups pumpkin, cooked and mashed ( canned will do if in a pinch)
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla (real vanilla)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Cream sugar and oil.
Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
Drop by heaping tsp. onto parchment lined cookie sheet ( I use a cookie scoop, to obtain a uniform size)
Bake for aprx. 10 minutes ~ be careful not to over bake, you want them moist and cakey ( is that a word?)

Let cookies cool.

Filling

2 egg whites
4 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla ( the good stuff)
3 cups of confectioners sugar ( use in 1 cup increments)
(1 1/2 cups shortening)

Mix together the egg whites, milk, vanilla, and 1 cup of the confectioners sugar.
Then add 1 cup of confectioners sugar and and 1 1/2 cup shortening..mix well
Then add last cup of confectioners sugar

Make sandwiches and enjoy! Remember, these are secret…shhh.

early morning light filtering through the snowy trees

early morning light

misty morning chill

barn roof tops and snowy glitter

frosty pumpkins

nature's sparkle

silly tree...every other one has lost their leaves...

rosey

What in the world do I do with these…

I have an abundance, a plethora, a boat load, a copious profusion of zucchini, now I know this is not the first time you have ever heard anyone say this ~ I am certain, but, I really, really mean it this time! If zucchini were gold I would be rich!

Now, I had to ask myself, “Who can I pawn this off on(I mean give these blessed vegetables to)”? No one really wants these 2 foot long green monstrosities; I needed to be honest with myself. So I grated too many; I figured I would freeze bags and bags of the green goodness, I could make breads, zucchini chocolate chip cake, use some in veggie lasagna this fall and winter…but now my freezer is running out of space.

I remembered a recipe from a few years ago; Zucchini boats! This was the answer, at least for today. They were yummy, even my family thought they were yummy (a bonus). I prepared them similar to stuffed peppers, with a rice, beef, and tomato mixture ~ all topped off with melted cheese.

Now, let me see if I can recollect how I made them, you see, I am not good at using recipes, I have many, many cookbooks (as in maybe 50 or more) and I read them all. And, that is where our relationship ends. When it comes to soups, stews, casseroles, and such I pretty much wing it! The end result is nearly always delicious.

go ahead gather your garden goods and lets get going!

family size recipe serves 6-8 folks
3 or 4 medium to large zucchini ( halved and hollowed)
1 medium onion finely chopped (I chop mine very fine because I don’t like onions, but you needn’t bother if you like them coarsely chopped)
olive oil
1 large green pepper chopped about the same size as the onion ( so that they cook evenly)
garlic to your taste, I love it, so I load ‘er up!
for seasoning, I use Italian herbs, you could even used the pre-mixed Italian seasoning packaged dried herbs. Now here is the tricky part ( for me) because, I use enough…what ever that means to you…I would say taste the meat onion, pepper mixture after it is cooked ~ go from there.
Salt and pepper to taste
6 servings of rice- roughly 3 cups (cooked) you could use instant,jasmine, or brown rice(which I prefer)
1 1/2 pounds of ground beef or ground turkey
1 large can diced tomatoes(I use the basil, garlic type)
spaghetti sauce ( your home made or your favorite)
cheddar cheese (or your favorite) to cover

I use a very large cast iron skillet (your can make the whole wretched mess in this one pan) you should see this thing! anyway…
Have the halved (I just smiled at that…) zucchini hollowed out…just past the seeds, set aside.
warm the skillet over medium heat, add olive oil to just cover bottom (not your bottom), add chopped onion, pepper, garlic, and seasoning saute until soft, and the onion is translucent… remove from pan, set aside.
add the ground meat to the skillet that you just sauteed the veggies in, cook through..drain.
Now, add the sauteed veggies, cooked meat, and rice (cooked, remember..hard crunchies, no good) in this large skillet and mix together, add tomatoes and heat through…breath deeply…yumm, smells great right.

remove skillet contents to a large heat proof bowl,rinse the skillet, if you are using a cast iron pan like I do ( if not get out a large baking dish) big enough to hold your zucchini.

Fill the halved zucchini with the rice mixture and place them in the skillet( or baking dish) as you go..when your filling ups are complete..pour spaghetti sauce or even seasoned tomatoes sauce around them, filling the bottom of the pan, no need to cover them with sauce, just enough so they bake in it. cover each boat with cheese, cover with foil. and bake at 375 until zucchini is fork tender, don’t be afraid to uncover and check on them…then continue baking uncovered until the cheese is done just the way you like it! I didn’t put a baking time in here – it will all depend on your zucchini size and thickness Now make a beautiful crisp salad and enjoy!

where the zucchini roam..

maybe, just maybe I should have washed these before the picture…

fall is coming…no frost on this pumpkin yet.

I think I am loving the color orange today, so cheerful!

..and the promise of more…pumpkins that is..

I think next year’s garden should have even more zinnias, don’t you?

I love this time of year!
Be well,
Jessica

Crab Apples…can you eat ‘em?

This was the question I asked of my gardening knowledgeable younger sister after she remarked on the plethora of fruit hanging off the tree’s branches…Can you eat ‘em?

I’ve always just gushed over the beautiful blossoms the tree produces in late spring ~

Yup, I guess you can…much more palatable if cooked first was the answer. So, I set out on a mission to find the best way to utilize these cute little fruit. After some serious research, I found what seems like a tasty crab apple jelly recipe (and its pretty too). Now, I am not one for being too hasty, so I did consider other ideas..like spicy pickled crab-apples…simmered in a tangy, spicy sauce of allspice, vinegar,brown sugar,and cinnamon before canning..nah…this would probably not be a bigger seller in my house….Chardonnay Crab Apples sounded delightful…they would be a nice addition to a bridal shower or a special get together, but not what I am looking for…then there was the Crab Apple Hot Pepper Jelly ( wouldn’t that be good with a pork or chicken roast), alas, my hot peppers were not ripe. Jelly, yup, I’ll make jelly!

Apparently, I hadn’t really thought this whole thing through, after what I considered a significant amount of time picking(15minutes or so, uh-mm..we’ll talk about patience another time) I only had about a quart of apples..and not a neighborhood child insight (darn)… you see, crab apples are ripe when they turn red, but, once they are completely ripe, the worms start to get at them and going through a ton of worm-infested apples is proving to be annoying and time consuming, I will make jelly, so I persist. *Note to self; pick your apples when they are only about half ripe…when the teeny apples have a slight reddish tinge to them, but some yellow coloring.

I am really liking this tree; beautiful with blossoms in the spring, sparkling rose colored jelly in the summer, no crab apples covering my yard later in the summer! I am of course having a twinge of guilt for wasting all that fruit in years gone by….

So, if you have a crab apple tree; pick those apples before they fall and do something useful with them. Crab apple jelly or something!
Wish me luck!

spring blossoms

summer tree

summer fruit

well, it’s a start…

I know, I know, this isn’t a crab apple tree..it’s a maple, but, it is pretty!

Here is the recipe: Clear Crab Apple Jelly

To create a clear jelly, start by chopping the crab apples in quarters. Keep an eye out for worms and discard any infested fruit (yuck).
Start with 8 cups of apples and put them into a large stainless steel pot.
Add water to the pot until you can see it and stop before the apples start floating.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and leave for about 10 minutes until the apples get soft and change colour.
Resist the urge to stir, since the more the apples move, the cloudier your jelly will get.
Remove the pot from the heat and pour the apples and water through several layers of cheesecloth or a strong pair of pantyhose( I will be skipping the pantyhose idea).
Do not squeeze the apple mush; just let it drip into a pot until no more liquid escapes.
You should end up with approximately 4 cups of juice.

Put the pot with the apple juice back on the stove and bring it to a boil for a few minutes before adding 3 cups of white sugar.
Allow to boil until the mixture reaches 220 to 222 degrees F (108 to 110 C).
If you don’t have a thermometer, wait until the jelly sheets from a metal spoon.
Pour into sterile jars,(see previous post for an easy sterilization technique) leaving a quarter inch of space at the top.
Place the lids on the jars and the heat of the mixture should seal them. If not, seal them in a hot water bath
PS…you could add your favorite spice, like cinnamon or nutmeg…

I’ll be sure to post pictures of the finished product.
Be Well.