Nutty Cole Slaw

I love cole slaw and enjoy it both as a salad and right on sandwiches. Playing around and came up with this variation which includes peanuts. I really enjoyed the crunch they added to the dish.I must confess, if I had cashews I would have used them instead, but the peanuts were great, too.  Ate some as a side and then decided to make  steak wraps with some of it. Yummy!!!!

Nutty Cole Slaw

6-8 cups finely sliced cabbage

2/3 c. mayo, you can add a little more if you like- I don’t like a lot of dressing on mine

1/4 c. cider vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

1 t. celery seeds

1/2 c. peanuts, or more

Place cabbage in mixing bowl. In a small bowl combine the rest of the ingredients, except the peanuts and stir until smooth. Pour over the cabbage and toss to coat. Chill. Add peanuts before serving.

Steak and  Cole Slaw Wrap

2 tortillas- I used whole wheat

4-5 oz. cooked steak, sliced thin

2-3 T. barbecue sauce

1 c. nutty cole slaw

Place tortillas on work surface. In small bowl combine steak with the barbecue sauce. Spread the steak along the center of the tortillas. Top each of the tortillas with half of the coleslaw and wrap them up. serves 2.

Steak and nutty cole slaw wrap

Pink Lemonade

This is a great drink for hot summer days. Heck, I think its a good drink anytime.  Also read below for some helpful information when buying strawberries.

 Pink Lemonade

2 qts. prepared lemonade

1 pint strawberries, washed and hulled

Place berries in blender and add about 2 cups of the lemonade. Process until strawberries are pureed. Add strawberry mixture to the remaining lemonade. Serve over ice, garnishing with whole berries, if desired. Watch as seeds will accumulate on the bottom of the pitcher.

Shopping Tip

When berries are priced by weight or volume it is not always easy to decide which is the best price. If one store has quarts for $2 and another had berries for $2 per pound where would you get the better deal? Also, if a recipes calls for 4 cups sliced berries how many do you need to buy? Here are some approximate guidelines.

3/4 lb. = 1 full pint

1 1/2 lbs. = 1 full quart

1 1/2 lbs. = 4 cups sliced

1 lb. frozen = 1 1/3 c. whole berries

To help your berries last longer soak them in a water/vinegar solution for a few minutes as soon as you get them home. Then just drain and put in the fridge. This will keep them from getting mold as quickly. I use 1/2 cup of vinegar and 4 cups of water.

Fresh Blueberry Jam

Since so many people are going to be canning I thought this might be a good time to post some canning information.

Canning Basics

Before canning there are some basics you should know.  There are general guidelines that need to be followed and some equipment that will make the job easier.The USDA recommends that all jams and jellies be processed in a boiling water bath, unless it is a recipe that is frozen or unless all the preserves are to be kept refrigerated. Sealing jars with paraffin is no longer considered to be a safe way to preserve jams and jellies. Other high acid foods, like tomatoes (when acidified) and fruits and fruit products or pickled foods can also be canned in a hot water bath. Low acid foods, like vegetables and meats must always be processed in a pressure canner.Since the jars are sterilized in the canning process there is no need to sterilize jars as a rule. They should be freshly washed in hot, soapy water, rinsed and kept warm in a pot of hot water or in a low oven until ready to use. You can also run them through the dishwasher and keep them in there until ready to fill. Because jams and jellies are packed when hot, cold jars might crack. Before starting make sure the jars are free of nicks and cracks, being extra careful to check the rims.

Note: the only time you must sterilize a jar is if it contained food that had spoiled. When I get jars second-hand I also sterilize them before use. To sterilize jars submerge them in boiling water for twenty minutes.

To prepare water bath have a canner  (large kettle with a wire rack) filled with enough water to cover the jars by 1-2 inches and have it boiling when the jars are added. Timing begins when the water comes back to the boil (usually only a minute or two when hot jelly-filled jars are added).  I get the water in the canner boiling first and turn it down to a high simmer until just before it is needed. Keep it covered to heat up faster and to prevent evaporation. If you do not have a canner and kettle deep enough to accommodate the jars can be used but you must cover the bottom with a towel. Jars that touch the bottom of the pan directly will break during processing. Also the lid of the kettle is left on during processing. Timing starts when water returns to the boil.

To prepare a pressure canner add several inches of hot water in the bottom of the canner. The canner will usually come with specific directions or a fill line. Follow what the manufacturer recommends. My canner calls for 3 quarts of boiling water to be added.  After jars are added to the canner the lid is secured and the heat is turned on. When proper pressure is attained timing begins. When the time is up the canner is removed from the heat and allowed to cool down before removing the lid. It is like a pressure cooker. If you remove the lid too soon, the lid will fly off and you’ll likely get burned. Besides, the cooling down time is part of the canning time. Don’t hurry the cooling down process by placing the canner in cold water or outdoors on a chilly day.

Prepare foods for canning in enamel, non-stick or stainless steal pans. Never use aluminum or copper, or enamel cookware that has chips.

 Today, lids are two pieces consisting of the ring and a flat lid with a rubber ridge. Lids should be prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Some ask you to boil them, others may just ask you to wash them and hold in warm water until ready to use. The rings can be used over and over, but the flat lids should only be used once. They may fail to seal if processed a second time.Jar-lifters can be a handy tool to have. They allow you to place and remove the jars easily, with little risk of dropping them. They are available at many grocery stores and in cookware and department stores as well. A wide-mouth funnel (or canning funnel) is also real handy when trying to ladle hot liquids into jars.  Be sure to wipe off jar rims before putting the lid on to prevent food from causing the jars not to seal.Screw the ring on firmly, but not too tight, or the jars will not seal properly.Jars removed from the water bath should be placed on a wire rack or on a towel to cool. Keep them away from drafts until cooled down. When completely cooled check to make sure that the jars have sealed. Press down on the middle. If the lid make a “plink” noise it is not sealed. After jars have sealed and cooled remove outer ring, wipe with a damp cloth and store in cupboard until ready to use.

Always start with top quality produce. Bruises and blemishes will lead to spoilage. Small blemishes can be cut off but be sure to remove all areas of spoilage.

If you are canning tomatoes and have a lot of imperfect fruit you are better off trimming off any bad spots and using this produce in recipes that will be frozen rather than canned.

When canning always use non-iodized salt, or preferably canning salt. Iodine will cause an off-flavor in canned foods.

When using older books always check with your local Extension Office or the USDA for most current information and canning times. Periodically times are changed or ingredients are adjusted for maximum safety. If you have old family recipes also check with your local Extension Office to find out if the recipe is still considered safe.

Never can in an oven or in a steam canner. Both of these methods are not USDA approved.

Nothing beats planning. When getting ready to can read the recipe all the way through and get all your equipment out. It is often easier and more fun to can with a friend or two. The extra hands always come in handy and when time is critical the extra help will make errors less likely.

In tomato based products herbs can be added for flavor but do not randomly start adding other vegetables (like onion, peppers etc.,) They will reduce the acidity and may make the product unsafe to can in a water bath. 

Giant Strawberry Shortcake

If you are looking for a fun twist on shortcake try making one large one for your next gathering. Makes quite an impression. Made this one for a dinner with friends. So well received. Feel free to switch up which fruits you use based on likes and availability.

Giant Strawberry Shortcake

1 egg

3/4 c. milk

1/2 t. lemon juice

2 c. flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/2 stick cold butter plus 1 T. softened

1/2 c. plus 1 T. sugar

1 qt. strawberries, sliced thin

2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced thin

1/4 c. chopped nuts, toasted

whipped cream, optional

In small bowl combine egg, milk and lemon juice and set aside. In larger bowl combine the flour, brown sugar and baking powder. Cut in cold butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Add egg mixture and stir until mixture forms into a soft dough.  Knead dough gently on a lightly floured surface about 10 times. On greased baking sheet pat dough into a 15×6-inch oval. Sprinkle dough with the 1 tablespoon of sugar and dot with the softened butter. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden. Place on wire rack to cool. Toss the berries with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Allow to stand 30 minutes. Split the shortcake lengthwise and remove the top. Spoon over the half the berries and replace top of shortcake. Combine the kiwi with the remaining berries.Spoon over the remaining fruit and sprinkle with the nuts. Dot with whipped cream, if desired.  Cut in wedges to serve. Serves 8.

Note: you can bake shortcake day ahead and prep the fruit day ahead, keeping it chilled and just assemble when ready to serve.

Freshly baked shortcake

Place half the berries on bottom of the shortcake

Replace top of shortcake and spoon on remaining fruit

Finish with whipped cream and toasted nuts

Homemade Chicken Stock

I was given a good amount of local chicken, well, chicken parts, and I wanted to use them for stock. Freezer space is at a premium right now so I decided to can it. It was really easy and now whenever I want to make soup I’ll have homemade stock on hand. Seven quarts so far and making another batch tomorrow. I made my stock the way I normally do but I used non-iodized salt. Iodized salt should never be used in canning- it can result in an off flavor. I added the chicken with lots of veggies to a stock pot. I browned them a little first then added water to cover and cooked for a few hours. Seasoned with salt, pepper, turmeric and parsley. Strained the stock, cooled it down and put it in the fridge to chill. That way I could easily skim off the fat. The next day heated up the stock to boiling and placed in quart jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Processed in a pressure canner for 25 minutes  at 10 pounds pressure.For low acid food, like stock and any meat product, you must use a pressure canner- a water bath will not get hot enough to insure a safe product.

Just a fun bit of information. When I took the stock out of the fridge it was very gelatinous. Normal with soups made with bones. However, after canning and cooling down the stock was liquid. Why? In pressure canning the temperature goes up high enough to break down the gelatin in the stock.

Blueberry Jam

Since so many people are making jams,  jellies and preserves I thought I share some info to help your efforts produce perfect results.

Definitions

These are the definitions of several types of fruit-based products

Jelly: Made from juice only. Fruit is cooked and strained, juice combined with sugar and sometimes pectin and cooked until reaching proper jelling state

Jam: Fruit is crushed and cooked with sugar and sometimes pectin to a soft gel stage

Preserves: Preserves contain larger pieces of fruit suspended in a thickened syrup or gel

Conserves: Usually made from a mixture of fruits and often contains nuts and raisins

Butters: Fruit pulp and sugar are cooked over low heat for longer period until thickened

Marmalades: Citrus fruit product containing fruit pieces and peel suspended in a gel

Four Essential Ingredients

Fruit: Imparts the flavor and may provide pectin and/or acid to the recipe. Never use over ripe fruit!

Pectin: Starch found in unripe apples and the white pith of citrus fruits that expands and forms a thickened substance when heated with sugar and acid foods. There are pectins (low methoxyl) on the market now that will gel without the presence of sugar or with reduced amounts of sugar. When using powdered pectin it is added at the beginning of the cooking process. Liquid pectin is added at the end of the process.

Sweeteners: Granulated sugar is best. Do not use any sugar that is labeled “sucrose and dextrose blend”. It will not gel. Brown sugar is not recommended. In recipes that do not require pectin you can replace up to 1/4 of the sugar (jellies) or 1/2 the sugar (jams and preserves) with light corn syrup. Honey is much sweeter than sugar but can be used for up to half the sugar in recipes without added pectin and up to 1 cup in recipes with added pectin. Artificial sweeteners should only be used in recipes specifically designed for them.

Acid: Amount present in different fruits varies. Under ripe fruit contains more acid. Some recipes may call for the addition of lemon juice.  

Pectin and Acid Content of Common Fruits

Group 1: No pectin generally needed

Sour apples, sour blackberries, crab apples, cranberries, currents, gooseberries, concord grapes, lemons, plums (not Italian) and quinces

Group 2: May need pectin

Ripe apples, ripe blackberries, sour cherries, elderberries, grapefruit, table grapes, oranges

Group 3: Always need acid or pectin

Apricots, blueberries, peaches, pears, prunes and Italian plums, raspberries, strawberries

Note: This is about making jellies. For preserves and jams, since a softer gel is required you may not need added pectin or acid for all the fruits in group 3.

Will it Gel?

When you are making jelly recipes that will sometimes say to cook to the jelly stage and I bet you are thinking  “and that is…:.” There are 3 ways you can check to see if you have cooked your recipe long enough.

1.    Use a candy thermometer, attached to the  side of the pan and down in the jelly far enough to cover the bulb of the thermometer, but not touching the bottom of the pan. This is the most accurate method.

2.    Spoon test by using a cool metal spoon dipped in the jelly and held on its side so the jelly can run off the edge. When jelly is not ready the drops will be light and syrupy. As it gets thicker the drops will falls off the spoon 2 at a time. When it has reached the proper stage two drops will form together and sheet off the spoon.

3.      Freezer test just involves spooning a small amount of jelly on a plate and placing it in the freezer for a few minutes, to cool it down quickly. If the mixture gels, it should be done. While waiting for jelly test to cool, remove jelly from heat.

How much pectin is in my fruit?

When you are making jelly without added pectin you need to check how much pectin is in the juice you are using. I use the alcohol test. In a container that has a tight fitting lid combine 1 teaspoon prepared juice with 1 tablespoon rubbing alcohol. Place lid on container and shake to mix well. Fruit high in pectin will form a jelly-like mass that you could pick up with a fork. This juice will form jelly without added pectin. If it clumps into several small lumps you will need pectin to make your jelly set up.   

Pineapple Glazed Chicken Wings

Had a small package of chicken wings and decided to use up some fresh pineapple I also had. Sometimes the best dishes are the ones we make with what’s on hand.

Pineapple Glazed Chicken Wings

1 lb. chicken wings

oil

1 onion, chopped

2c. fresh diced pineapple- or use canned

1 diced sweet pepper

1 T. soy sauce, or to taste

3 T. cider vinegar

dash of hot sauce

1 t. minced garlic

1 T. honey

Place chicken wings in baking dish and cook in a preheated 400 degree oven for 40 minutes. Meanwhile,  heat oil in skillet and cook onions until tender. Add pineapple and pepper and cook until vegetables are light golden in color. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat until sauce has thickened. Adjust seasonings. Remove wings from oven and drain any fat from the pan. Return wings to pan and cover with the sauce. Return to oven and cook 20 minutes longer. Glaze on wings should be sticky.  Serve over rice or pasta. Serves 2-3.

Black Olive Hummus

My friend Jared Bendis loves hummus. He told me what he really likes is hummus with black olives. Was asked to make humus for a dinner recently so I decided to make olive hummus. It was a huge hit at dinner. You can use fancy olives or even just black olives out of a can. I used black olives out of a can but doctored them up by steeping them for several days in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and oregano. Recipe follows. Really made a difference.   

Hummus with Olives

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

1 c. black olives, drained

1/4 c. olive oil

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. tahini (sesame seed paste)

2 cloves garlic

salt and hot pepper sauce to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Adjust seasonings. Chill. Serve with pita bread, crackers or fresh vegetables. Also nice spread in a pita bread with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. Freezes well.

Greek- Style Olives

Marinated Greek-Style Olives

1 can pitted black olives, drained and rinsed

1/4 c. lemon juice

2 slices lemon

2 whole garlic cloves

1 t. oregano

1/2 c. olive oil

Combine olives with all the ingredients, except the oil, and place in a covered dish in the fridge for 3 days. Add the oil and return to fridge for up to a couple of weeks, but at least 1 day. Drain before serving and allow to come to room temperature. Makes about 1 1/3 c.

Sweet Potato Salad

Don’t limit yourself to plain old potato salad. Sweet potatoes can be a great change of pace and will certainly be a hit with people, like me, who love sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Salad

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 c. corn kernels, fresh off the cob preferred but frozen is O.K.

2 ribs celery, sliced

1 sweet onion, diced

¼ c. diced roasted red pepper*

1 t. Dijon mustard

3 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 c. olive or canola oil

½ c. roasted peanuts

In medium saucepan boil potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 –20 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place in a large bowl of ice water. Add corn to saucepan and cook until just tender about 2-3 minutes. Drain corn and add to ice water with the potatoes. Once the vegetables have cooled down drain them and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place potatoes and corn in a mixing bowl with remaining vegetables. Combine mustard with vinegar, lemon juice and garlic in a blender and mix until smooth. Add the oil in a steady stream  with the machine running until dressing is blended. Adjust seasonings and toss over potato mixture. Chill until ready to serve. Toss in peanuts just before serving. Serves 6.

*Roasted red peppers are available in jars in many grocery stores. You can also roast your own by just placing a pepper on an open flame on a gas stove , turning until all sides are charred. This can also be done under the broiler in an electric stove or even on the grill. Once the pepper is completely charred- yes I mean blackened- remove from the heat and wrap in paper towels to cool or place in a paper bag. Once cooled down remove the pepper from the towel and gently rub to remove the charred skin. Cut open and remove seeds as well. the pepper will be soft and can then be chopped up and used. The flesh becomes quite sweet in the roasting process.