Latest pix of Madison
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Apple Butter Recipe
*Set two days aside for this (8 hours of cook time)*
10 lbs. (about 1/2 bushel) Apples (pealed, sliced & cored)
4 C. Apple Cider
Brown Sugar
1 T. + 1 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Allspice
1 t. Ground Cloves
1 t. Nutmeg
Bake apples and cider in turkey roaster with lid, 325F for about 1-1/2 to 2 hrs. (or until very soft).
Run cooked apples through food mill, measuring out 1 cup increments into separate bowl. Keep count of the number of cups until all apples are processed.
Add 1/2 C. brown sugar for each cup of processed apples. Stir in the spices too.
Now for the hard part: Cook over low heat, stirring very frequently for about 3-4 hours the first day in a stainless steel pot. Cool down rapidly on a wire rack and even in an ice-water bath in the sink if necessary before refrigerating for the night. On day two, move the mixture to a dutch oven and bring a boil once more. Continue cooking (and stirring) for another 3-4 hours using a screen over the dutch oven and some newspaper on the floor since it will spurt sticky stuff all over as it cooks! Cook until a small mixture dropped on a plate does not form a liquid rim around the edge.
Ladle into hot sterilized half-pint jars and process using water-bath method for 10 minutes.
Yield: About 13 half-pint jars (which starts out with about 20 cups processed apples reducing to 13 cups in the end).
10 lbs. (about 1/2 bushel) Apples (pealed, sliced & cored)
4 C. Apple Cider
Brown Sugar
1 T. + 1 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Allspice
1 t. Ground Cloves
1 t. Nutmeg
Bake apples and cider in turkey roaster with lid, 325F for about 1-1/2 to 2 hrs. (or until very soft).
Run cooked apples through food mill, measuring out 1 cup increments into separate bowl. Keep count of the number of cups until all apples are processed.
Add 1/2 C. brown sugar for each cup of processed apples. Stir in the spices too.
Now for the hard part: Cook over low heat, stirring very frequently for about 3-4 hours the first day in a stainless steel pot. Cool down rapidly on a wire rack and even in an ice-water bath in the sink if necessary before refrigerating for the night. On day two, move the mixture to a dutch oven and bring a boil once more. Continue cooking (and stirring) for another 3-4 hours using a screen over the dutch oven and some newspaper on the floor since it will spurt sticky stuff all over as it cooks! Cook until a small mixture dropped on a plate does not form a liquid rim around the edge.
Ladle into hot sterilized half-pint jars and process using water-bath method for 10 minutes.
Yield: About 13 half-pint jars (which starts out with about 20 cups processed apples reducing to 13 cups in the end).
Banana Bread Recipe
2-1/2 C. Unbleached Flour
1 C. Butter (two sticks, softened)
1 t. Salt
1 t. Baking Soda
2 C. Ripe Banana (mashed)
2 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
1 C. Chopped Walnuts
1 T. Dark Rum
Cut butter into flour with salt & baking soda.
In separate bowl, use mixer to beat wet ingredients (banana, sugar & eggs).
Use mixer to beat dry ingredients into wet until smooth consistancy.
Fold in the nuts and rum.
Pour into loaf pan with non-stick spray & flour coating.
Bake @350F for 90 mins. or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
1 C. Butter (two sticks, softened)
1 t. Salt
1 t. Baking Soda
2 C. Ripe Banana (mashed)
2 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
1 C. Chopped Walnuts
1 T. Dark Rum
Cut butter into flour with salt & baking soda.
In separate bowl, use mixer to beat wet ingredients (banana, sugar & eggs).
Use mixer to beat dry ingredients into wet until smooth consistancy.
Fold in the nuts and rum.
Pour into loaf pan with non-stick spray & flour coating.
Bake @350F for 90 mins. or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Garden Notes - November 1, 2009
The second planting of peas didn't have time to mature, and I will be putting brussels sprouts there instead next year. The broccoli heads formed nicely, but very slowly. I will need to plant those a little further apart next time. There are still two more heads of broccoli to harvest. The carrots are still in the ground except for a couple that I've pulled. They will come up just before the first hard freeze and go into damp sawdust in a box that fits into the root cabinet.
I learned that beets are biennials, and should produce seed next year. I just need to mulch up around them.
I am keeping root cabinet items in the garage until that gets too cold. At that point, I am hoping the root cabinet will have dropped enough in temp to move the apples and potatoes there instead. The onions and squash will go to the space below the steps. They only need to be about 45-50F and dry to keep.
Right now I am working up some apple butter. It's cooking down for the second day! I didn't realize how long it takes to get it reduced to the right consistency. I hope it turns out like Grandma Farison's apple butter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)