Jam time 2017

Making jam in August is always a spur of the moment thing. Yesterday's nectarine jam reminded me why I love nectarines. They make the best jam. They seem to have more natural pectin than peaches so they cook up really fast and the flavor is also more distinct. I think I'm through the jams having made strawberry, peach , blueberry and nectarine.  Now I wait for the good apples and make apple butter. And then cranberries for chutney. 

Glass

My newest edition to my glass collection.
This square butter dish was a great find in my local recycle center. The beaded edge is in perfect condition.  I think it would make a good dish for a honey comb....

Jammin in January

Take one of the coldest days in January, add some fresh cara cara oranges and a couple of  Meyer lemons and make one of the best jams I have ever made. Although it took two days and a lot of boiling, it still was easier than my peach fiascos at a hundred degrees in August. So starts my year in jams and preserves. I have big  ideas for this year and this blog. I sure hope I can continue this year.


Let's hope this is one resolution I can keep!

Recipe for cara cara marmalade ( no pectin)
4-5  cara cara oranges
2 Meyer lemons(if available if not  any fresh lemons)
6 cups water
6 cups sugar

Day 1

Slice fruit very thin and reserve any seeds or extra  peel.  Put the reserve end peels and seeds into a cheesecloth bag,  place fruit juices and water into a large kettle and bring to a full boil. Turn off and Cover and let sit overnight.

Day 2

Bring the mixture to a full boil and boil for an hour to reduce some of the liquid.  Add the sugar and boil until you reach 220 on a candy thermometer or until it thickens. Pour into jars and process for ten minutes. This makes about 8 jars of jam.

About time to begin again....

.L

Especially since I have had a very  busy late summer and early fall in the kitchen.   It started with the peaches and nectarines.

They turned into this wonderful jam.

Then came the tomato season...

These are in my freezer along with an abundance of bread.

Happy New Year

Easy oatmeal bread

1/2 cup old fashioned oats processed*

3cups bread flour

1 cup water

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

2Tbs butter

2 Tbs milk powder**

2 Tbs brown sugar

2 tsp instant yeast

Blend together water, egg and salt.  Add flour, oats, sugar, butter, milk powder and yeast. Mix very well ten minutes is not too long.  In greased bowl let dough rise until doubled.  Shape into one loaf and let rise again( approx 30 min.) bake at 400 degrees for 10 min. And reduce to 350 for 20 minutes or until top is very brown and hollow sounding when tapped.

*using blender or food processer process oats until smooth like flour

**I use buttermilk powder but any dry milk works well.

Syrup or Jam?

The new peaches were so exciting that I undercooked the first batch and kept on processing. Well this has led to a whole new product for me to incorporate into my fall cooking...Peach Syrup!

Stay tuned for new recipes to come it is lovely on ice cream we have tried that.

     How to tell jam from syrup?  Just tilt...

The air gap moves with the looser syrup. Oh we'll let's see what new ideas I can do.

Stay tuned!

Peach Season

These wonderful peaches were the inspiration for a weekend of canning and freezing!

 

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

 

Nothing like a fresh soda bread and this one is a compilation of ones I have made before and one from a new cookbook.  I have become enamored with this southern baking book,

The BACK IN THE DAY BACKERY COOKBOOK by Cheryl and Griffith Day.

This was a Christmas present from my nieces and great baking book.  The golden muffins and lavender cookies, etc.  I have to control myself but this book has wonderful things to try.

 

Irish Soda Bread

11/2 c all purpose flour

11/2 c of whole wheat flour

1/2 c buttermilk powder

2T sugar

2T rolled oats

1t baking soda

1t salt

1c raisins

11/2 c water with 2T sour cream*

Mix all dry ingredients  in large bowl

Add wet ingredients in threes until well mixed

Pour onto silicone mat and knead gentley until raisins are mixed.

Shape into traditional round and mark with the cross

Bake for 40 min at 375

 

* when using dry buttermilk powder for cultured buttermilk I put powder in with my flour or dry ingredients but add a little sour cream to my water for acidity and this helps with the rise. 

Time to bake

It seems like a long time since I have posted. I try to bake at least once a week but it doesn't always get posted.  February has come and gone with such treats as cranberry,orange heart scones. I love my new heart cutters from Crate and Barrel.  I tried making peanut butter cookies with m&m's.  Will definitely try again with a softer recipe. Things on the horizon....brownie bowls....Easter cupcakes...
Banana bread?  Get up and BAKE!

I'm Back...

After a week on Cape Cod it sure is hard to get motivated to bake....
This week I was able to make a truly great calzone.
This is not my first attempt but definitely  my best.  So good it didn't get posted ...oh well next time!

Maybe it is time to go back to work......

I have spent most of the past two days blogging, pinning and reading Facebook.  Oh yea , and cooking up a storm.

My house now smells of  toasted granola....mmmm

Bread Variations

Today I was thinking I need to make a bread to go with the soup we are having for supper.  Do I want to do Anadama no but I will use some cornmeal(1/4 c.) but I don't want to use molasses it is too heavy so let's  use honey(2T) since I am almost finished with that bottle. water and salt are a must (1C &1t) flour oh how about
2C bread flour and 1C white wheat so it is a whole grain bread but won't look like one.  The flour may be heavy so let's use 3T of  buttermilk power and 2T of unsalted butter. Threw all of this into the bread machine programmed for dough. I love this setting as it warms and kneads and goes through 1st rise without me.

Here it is ready for the oven. I will bake this for 10 min. at 400 and then for 20 min. at 350.

Not so basic
 BASIC BREAD

1C water

1t salt

1/4C cornmeal

1C white wheat flour

2C bread flour

2T butter

3T buttermilk powder

2T instant yeast

2T honey.

Then after baking.

Sliced and ready to go.

Making this a great winter supper.

FALL GRANOLA...

I made  my summer granola  in early July before we went on vacation. I used the last scoop in my oatmeal this morning which means it was time to make fall granola. The base is the same the ad ins are a little different. I sweetened my summer granola with honey and this fall version with maple syrup.

4 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

2tbs sesame seeds

2tbs sunflower seeds

1/2 cup coconut

mix in a large bowl

in a 2 cup measuring cup mix 

2/3 cup canola oil

1/2cup maple syrup

1/4 cup apple cider

mix the wet ingredients well and then mix into the bowl of dry ingredients 

mix very well so that all is coated and slightly damp.

Pour onto a large sheet pan (lined with a silicone bakers mat or nonstick foil)

Bake at 325 for about 1hour  turning every 15 minutes.  It is very important to keep turning the granola from the center to the edges so as not to burn the edges.

while this is cooking mix

 1cup craisins 

1 cup small diced dried apples

1/2 cup brown sugar

when the granola  comes out of the oven sprinkle the fruit and sugar combo onto the granola before it cools

so the sugar melts and the fruit will soften a little and then cool  completely before storing in a jar with a tight seal.

My house smells wonderful...........

Apple Challah

This is a bread I only do in apple season when the apples are the freshest. I like to bake with the whitest of cortland apples.

Recipe

(done in my bread machine or kitchenAid  mixer)

1/3 C water
1/4C apple juice or cider

1/2  tsp salt

2 eggs

3C bread flour

2tsp instant yeast

2tbs honey

3tbs butter
1tbs instant yeast

When dough has risen once ....

Chop 2 medium apples and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
(you do not need to peel the apples )

flatten dough into a rough rectangle and spread half of the apples on one side. fold over the edge and repeat on the other side.

you will now bake this at 350 for about 25-35 min.

of course the next thing is to wait for this to cool....

Then eat!

CATS

 Now isn't Dexter the cutest thing you have ever seen......only when he is sleeping!

 Now when he is awake.....

He chases everything and everyone.....

 But mostly his brother....Duffy!

 Now you know the truth.  These lovelies rule the  house.

From all spots  tall or short.......

Starting something new

Priscilla loves to color and has been doing some pretty amazing geometric design books.  She had been telling her hairdresser about these and  when she showed them to her she said they looked a lot like the designs that another customer did in Zentangle.  Well after looking up Zentangle I have spent  all kinds of time doodling....

My next idea is to incorporate the Zentangle with my redwork.  Let's see if that gets done!

Speaking of getting done....

My gardens are running away!

These pictures make them look good but if I backed out you would see the lack of mulch and huge weeds!

It's about time........

I just can't believe it is June already and I haven't posted in over a month.  Where does the time fly to?
My lovely rhododendrons that were so nice last week are fading..... The heat and then the rain has done them in.  But I will have roses in a day or two and pollen everywhere!  Two more weeks of  school and then I have all kinds of ideas for posting.  Let's see if it gets done;)

April at last!

For some reason  I have done very little baking.  It may be my new part time job that has had me crazy scrambling for activities to do with the odd 100 kids I see each week. But if you look back to last year March is really a slow down time for baking.  This weekend has certainly been the exception.  I made a banana bread on Friday after only four hours sleep and a wicked morning ride to Stratham!  This bread is a recipe from my new favorite baking book.  Thanks to my niece Kim who gave me a copy of 

Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe [Hardcover]

Joanne Chang (Author), Christie Matheson (Collaborator)http://www.amazon.com/Flour-Spectacular-Recipes-Bostons-Bakery/dp/081186944X/ref=sr_1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301866521&sr=1-1-catcorr
  
I have currently only tried two recipes but have made both twice!  
today just seemed right to make an apple walnut bread which just came out of the oven!

THE APRON

This very snowy winter has me a little stir crazy. I cleaned out one of my bins and found this stamped apron so I started  working on it. I started looking into how this all started and found information on redwork embroidery.  So when I finished the apron I was off for another project.

BUTTERFLIES

Off on a new adventure....red work embroidery.  Like my vintage cookbooks I have also been interested in vintage embroidery.  I learned to embroider at ten.  I love intricate designs that are simple embroidery and not cross stitch.  Since red work is done on muslin or more authentic flour sack towels.  The use of red floss since it was the first colorfast embroidery floss.  Where is this taking me, who knows but floss even at 39cents is a bargain and flour sack towels at 1.00 for a 28"by29"  towel.  Let's see........