Vanilla Peach Jam

This is a Pomona pectin adapted recipe. I've been very happy with my bulk purchase of this. I LOVE that I can make jam with so little sugar now! I can use honey or stevia if I wish! I can also double and triple recipes with the same results, and make up my own flavor combinations. I love being able to make super big batches of jam!

I will assume you know the basics of water bath canning. If not, study up. You need to keep everything properly sterilized.


Vanilla Peach Jam

Wash peaches. Cut to remove pits, and place in blender. Do not remove skins.

Puree enough to make 4 cups. Pour into a large pot.

Add 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice and 4 tsp of calcium water. Bring to a boil.

While it is heating, prepare your sugar. Use 3/4 cup to 2 cups of sugar. Mix 3 tsp pectin powder into the sugar. When the fruit comes to a boil, whisk in the sugar-pectin mixture.

Whisk till thoroughly dissolved. Return to a boil and stir continuously. Boil for 1-2 minutes, then turn heat off. You may add 1 tsp of butter to reduce foaming, if you wish. Skim any foam.

Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and stir well. Taste. You may add vanilla in small amounts until you like the taste. (I used 5 cups sugar and 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla for 12 cups of fruit)

Ladle into properly prepared jars and boiling water bath them for 10 minutes. Yield: about 5 cups

Peach-Plum Jam

Peach-Plum Jam

2 1/2 cups finely chopped or ground peeled peaches
1 1/2 cups finely chopped or ground pitted plums
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
7 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter, optional
2 pouches (3 ounces each) liquid fruit pectin

In a large nonreactive kettle, combine the finely chopped or ground peaches and plums, the lemon juice, and the sugar. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar is melted. Bring to a boil that can't be stirred down. Add butter, if desired, to keep foaming down. Boil, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the fruit pectin and boil, stirring, for exactly 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and skim off the excess foam.

Using tongs, carefully remove jars from the hot water, draining well. Fill them with hot fruit mixture, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean with a dampened cloth and fit seals on tops of jars. Screw on the lids firmly. Lower the jars into the water and add more hot or boiling water so the water is 1 to 2 inches above the jars. Bring to a boil. Cover and boil gently for 10 minutes.

Makes 7 half-pints

Sourdough Strawberry Muffins

Another excellent recipe from Two Frog Home.

Sourdough Strawberry Muffins

• 1 Cup Sourdough Starter
• 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 1/2 C Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 C Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 C Milk
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/3 Cup Strawberries, diced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix everything but the strawberries in a large bowl, until combined. Fold in the strawberries. Pour into greased muffin tins. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing to cool completely on wire racks. Makes 18 muffins.

Homemade Dish Washing Liquid

This is from Two Frog Home and is high on my list of things to try. I need to find a local source for Castile soap and glycerin. Any ideas?

Homemade Dish Washing Liquid

• 4 Tablespoons of Liquid Castile Soap
• 2 teaspoons Vegetable Glycerine
• 2 Tablespoons Vinegar
• 2 Cups Warm Water
• 3 Drops Tea Tree Oil

Mix everything in a clean container and use as you would normally.

Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter

I found this at Food In Jars. It sounds delectable!

Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter
makes approximately 3 1/2 pints of butter

8 cups of pureed blueberries
2 cups sugar
1 lemon, zested
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Put the pureed blueberries in a slow cooker. Place a lid on the pot and turn it on to low. After about an hour, give it a stir. At this point, you use something to prop the lid a bit. Laying a wooden spoon across the rim of the cooker and then placing the lid on gives just enough room to let the steam evaporate.

At the beginning of hour five, add the spices and the sugar, remove the lid completely and turn the heat up to high, in order to speed the cooking down.

Once it’s cooked down sufficiently (perhaps an hour or so at high), pour into jars (leave a good 1/2 inch of head space), wipe rims, apply lids and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

40 Minute Rolls

I like the taste of these better than the 30 Minute Rolls I make sometimes.

40 Minute Rolls

Combine:
2 Tbsp SAF yeast
1 cup + 2 Tbsp warm water

Add:
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar or honey

Let sit for 5 minutes.

Mix in:
1 egg
1 tsp sea salt (or 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt)
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Knead for three minutes. Divide into 12 rolls. Place on greased baking sheet or in a greased 9x13” baking pan. Let rise for 10-15 minutes. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush tops with butter, if desired. 

Lemon Meringue Pie Green Smoothie

I found this at The Green Smoothie Queen.

Lemon Meringue Pie Green Smoothie

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (or you can simply use the juice of one lemon, depending how strong you like the taste of your smoothie to be)
• Few drops of vanilla flavored stevia (or few drops stevia with vanilla essence/pod)
• 2 bananas
• One head Romaine lettuce

Blend and Enjoy!

Honey-Almond Triangles

I found this intriguing recipe over at The Common Room, one of the very few blogs I read daily. I am looking forward to trying it next week, after I visit the grocery store to get the almonds.

Honey-Almond Triangles

1/2 cup butter
1/4 sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup chopped, slivered, or sliced almonds
1 tsp almond extract
1 3/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg

In saucepan combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, honey, milk, almonds and almond extract. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool slightly.

Sift together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender, cut in 1/2 cup butter until particles are very fine.

Beat egg with a fork until blended; add to crumb mixture, tossing with a fork to mix. Gather dough and work with hands until mixture holds together, with lightly floured fingertips, press evenly over bottom of lightly greased 15 1/2 X 10 1/2 x 1" Jelly roll pan.

Pour honey-almond topping over dough and spread evenly. Bake in moderate oven (350) 20 to 25 minutes, or until a deep golden color. Place pan on rack at least 10 minutes, or until cool. Cut in 2 1/2 inch squares, then cut each square diagonally to make triangles. Makes 4 dozen.

Pepperoni Sausage

Pepperoni Sausage- Found at Sustainable Eats, Adapted from Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn

5 pounds lean, grass fed beef, ground
3 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
1/3 cup dry red wine
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 tablespoons organic sugar
2 tablespoons paprika

Combine all ingredients well then freeze as is or fry and freeze until needed for spaghetti, pizza or pasta salads. Another thing you could do is adapt these ingredients and make pepperoni beef jerky with it by slicing the meat as thinly as possible, marinating in this spice mix overnight and then drying on low in an oven or dehydrator until the meat is no longer moist.

For 1.5 pounds of ground beef (one serving for our family)

1 Tbsp salt

1 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp allspice

scant 1/2 tsp fennel

4 tsp sugar

2 tsp paprika

Simple Ranch Dressing

Simple Ranch Dressing

1cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp EACH chives, parsley, dill weed
1/4 tsp garlic powder and onion powder
1/8 tsp salt
milk or cream to thin to desired consistency

Combine all ingredients.

This is a thick recipe, perfect for dipping veggies. Thin it for use on salad.