Strawberry Vanilla Jam
Once you taste homemade jam, you will understand why it is worth the effort to make your own. Homemade jams, preserves and jellies are a great way to save seasonal fruits to enjoy all year. They also make nice gifts.
One of my favorite homemade jams is strawberry. I like the addition of a little vanilla to my strawberry jam. I think it adds an additional layer of flavor, without covering up the natural beauty of the berries. Of course, you can omit the vanilla, if you prefer.
I try to make enough to last all year, but I end up running out quickly. This jam is great on toast, but also a nice addition to several desserts I make.
With local berries in season now, it is a perfect time to make a batch, or two.
In grocery stores, berries are often sold in one pound packages, not in quarts. A quart of strawberries should weigh 1 1/4 pounds. That should help you figure out how many berries you will need.
Here is the recipe.
Strawberry-Vanilla Jam
2 qts. strawberries, stemmed, washed and crushed (2 1/2 lbs.)
2 T. pure vanilla
1 package dry pectin
1/4 c. lemon juice
7 cups sugar
Combine berries, vanilla, pectin and lemon juice in large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Add sugar and turn heat up to high. Stir often until mixture comes to a boil. Boil hard one minute stirring constantly. Ladle hot jam in to jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims and screw on lids comfortably tight. Place in boiling water bath and process 10 minutes. Remove to cooling rack, towel or wooden surface to cool. Makes 8-9 half pints.
Strawberry Ice Cream Cake Roll
This is the perfect summer dessert. Fresh berries, a light, citrus-scented cake and ice cream. What more could you want?
When you say cake roll, I think a lot of people first think of a pumpkin roll or perhaps a Buche de Noel (yule log). There are so many more desserts you can make with them. Cake rolls can be made in many flavors and they can be filled with custard, frosting, fruit, ice cream and more.
For this sponge cake roll, I used homemade strawberry ice cream to fill it, recipe follows. You could use store bought ice cream, if you prefer.
Start with the sponge cake roll recipe below, and use whatever flavor ice cream you like. You’ll need about a quart of ice cream- or a little more.
Once finished, you just wrap it up and pop the cake in the freezer until needed. Great to have on hand for summer parties and cook outs. You can decorate with fresh berries when serving. Blueberries would make this a fun red, white and blue dessert for Memorial Day or the 4th of July.
Sponge Cake Roll
This sponge cake roll can be filled with whipped cream or ice cream, or use your favorite filling.
5 eggs, separated
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2/3 cup cake flour*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons melted butter
Beat egg yolks until thicken and lemon colored; gradually add 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, the lemon juice and the lemon zest. Beat egg whites until almost stiff then gradually beat in the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold yolk mixture into whites. Sift dry ingredients into a separate container; add to egg mixture, folding in carefully. Fold in melted butter. Pour batter into waxed paper-lined 10x15x1-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 375° for 12 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Turn onto a clean kitchen towel which has been generously dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Trim edges, if necessary; roll cake up, towel and all, while still warm. Let cool completely. Unroll and fill with whipped cream or ice cream then re-roll cake. The trick is to let the ice cream soften up a few minutes before spreading it on the cake. But don’t wait too long. Rather than trying to let the ice cream get soft enough to spread I used a spatula to sort of cut slices of ice cream and place them on the cake. Store ice cream cake roll in freezer until ready to slice and serve.
*If you don’t have cake flour you can make your own. Measure out a cup of all purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons of flour and replace them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. For larger amounts place 7 cups of flour in a bowl and combine with 1 cup of cornstarch. Mix well or even sift together. Store in an airtight container.
Strawberry Ice Cream
2 c. chopped strawberries
1 c. sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 c. cream or half and half or a combination. You can also use some milk or even almond or rice milk.
Additional sugar to taste
Place strawberries, vanilla and sugar in saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and chill. Combine chilled berry mixture with cream. Add additional sugar if you like. Remember that once it is frozen the ice cream will not taste as sweet so make this mixture a little sweeter than you want the final product to be. How much sugar you add varies with personal taste, and how sweet the berries are. Place in an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s directions. Once finished put in an air- tight container and place in freezer. Makes about 1 quart.
Cool Summer Dining
It is going to be very hot today and the rest of the week. Here are some ideas to help you stay cool while cooking and eating. Recipes for some “cool” dishes are at the end of the post.
Some tips to keep you cool.
Buy a roasted chicken at your local store. Now you have a healthy entree and can round out dinner with a salad and some bread. Also the leftovers can make great salads or sandwiches for additional meals.
Use the microwave for cooking potatoes or rice. It will not heat up the kitchen as much as conventional cooking methods and rice and potatoes make a good base for salads. I often steam veggies in my microwave. I have even been known to cook pasta in my microwave. The pasta thing is a little trickier. Ramen cooks great in the microwave, as does smaller pasta, (orzo, small shells, macaroni). Haven’t had as much success with larger pasta.
Cook once, use twice. Cook a double batch of meat, dried beans, pasta, rice, vegetables, whatever. Freeze or refrigerate the extra for another day so you don’t have to cook it twice.
Grill whenever possible. It keeps the kitchen cool, is generally a healthy way to cook and let’s be honest, food tastes better when grilled!!
Be a seasonal cook. Market prices on seasonal vegetables and fruits are generally lower and the flavor of fresh produce can’t be beat. Use them in salads, desserts and on the grill. If you or family members have a garden, plan menus around the bounty that nature provides at this time of year.
Re-invent the sandwich. Go beyond peanut butter and jelly on white bread. Use interesting breads like multigrain, pita, tortillas, and bagels. French bread etc. Then get a little creative with the fillings. Try crabmeat salad, or turkey ham with artichoke. Try grilling a whole Portobello mushroom cap and serving with grilled onions and cheese. You can just pile up vegetables and have a sort of tossed salad sandwich.
Spill the beans. Canned beans are a quick way to make a summer salad more filling, or to make any one of a number of fun dishes. Just drain and rinse for high protein, high fiber and no-cook ingredients.
Pastamania! There are so many new and exciting pastas on the market take advantage and try one of them in an old recipe to dress it up. Pasta cooks quickly and can be cooked ahead of time. Pasta come in many flavors, colors and shapes and can easily add interest to your summer menu. Fresh pasta cooks even faster than dried pasta. You can even make a batch of homemade pasta.
Drink up. With warmer weather comes the need for more fluids. Drink plenty of water, but also enjoy lemonade, iced herbal teas and sparkling fruit juices. Watch out for alcohol and caffeine laden beverages as they act as diuretics and can dry you out. These should be enjoyed in moderation in hot weather and never after times of strenuous activity when your body needs water the most.
Fresh fruit is often the nicest dessert. Fruit salads or kabobs can be served along with homemade sorbets and smoothies.
Here are a few recipes you might enjoy on a hot day!!
Bok Choy and Leftover Rice Salad
4 T. oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2-3 c. sliced bok choy- I used baby bok choy, but use what you like
2 c. cold cooked rice
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
½ of a sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green onion, sliced
Dressing:
1/3 c. rice wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar
2 T. oil
2 T. chopped parsley or cilantro
1 T. sugar
1 t. soy sauce
1 t. sesame oil
1 t. fresh grated ginger
Salt and hot sauce to taste
In skillet, sauté garlic for a couple of minutes, being careful not to burn it. Add bok choy and stir fry a few more minutes, just until bok choy wilts a little, but is still crisp. In medium bowl place the bok choy/garlic mixture, being sure to include the oil used in cooking. Add rice and veggies to boy choy mix. In small jar, with a tight fitting lid, place the dressing ingredients. Secure lid and shake until well mixed. Pour over the rice mixture and stir until well mixed. Chill a few hours or overnight before serving. Serves 4-6.
Note: You can make this a main dish salad by adding a little protein. Cooked chicken or shrimp are great. For a vegetarian version- scrambled eggs or edamame work well, too.
Thai Chicken Salad
1 (3 lb.) chicken, cooked, skinned, meat shredded
8 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
2 T. coarsely shredded fresh mint leaves
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
1 tomato
1/2 c. olive oil
1 garlic clove
1/2 t. red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 T. plus 1 t. soy sauce
1 T. plus 1 t. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 t. brown sugar
Lettuce leaves for lining the platter
Place chicken meat and pasta in bowl and combine. Mix remaining ingredients, except lettuce, in blender until smooth and toss with chicken mixture. Salad can be served immediately or chilled. Line serving platter with lettuce leaves and spoon over chicken mixture. Serves 4.
Open-Faced Pork and Apple Sandwiches
4 slices roast pork
Salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. cream cheese
2 T. mayonnaise
4 slices rye bread
4 slices Swiss cheese
1 crisp apple, sliced thin
Season pork slices and set aside. Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise and spread on bread slices. Top with cheese, then pork and finish with apple slices. Serves 4.
Italian Bread Salad
1 lb. Loaf, day old crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
5-6 plum tomatoes, sliced
½ English cucumber, sliced
1 c. sliced sweet onion
2/3 c. olive oil
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
3 T. balsamic vinegar
¼ c. fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
2 t. Italian seasoning
In large bowl toss together bread cubes and vegetables. Combine remaining ingredients in a smaller bowl and pour over the bread mixture, tossing to coat well. Be sure that all the bread gets coated. Serves 6-8.
Greek Eggplant Salad
1 medium eggplant
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, minced
1/3 c. olive oil
¼ c. red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Sliced ripe olives and chopped fresh parsley
Broil or grill eggplant until skin has blackened. Cool. Rub skin off the eggplant with a damp paper towel and chop the pulp. Combine eggplant with remaining vegetables in bowl. Combine dressing ingredients in blender until smooth and toss over eggplant mixture. Chill and garnish with olives and parsley. Serves 3-4.
Peachy Pork Chops
I found myself with some very ripe peaches. Since I was having pork chops for dinner I decided to use the peaches as a glaze for the pork. The combination was wonderful. The sauce added sweetness and some tang. I have some sauce left over. Thinking of using it on duck the next time.
Peachy Pork Chops
4 pork chops
Salt and pepper
Oil*
About 1 cup of the peach glaze- recipe follows
Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat a little oil in a skillet and brown the chops on both sides over high heat. Add the peach sauce and turn the heat down to medium. Cook until chops are just cooked through and glaze has thickened a bit. Watch so glaze does not burn. Serves 4.
* I actually used bacon fat
Fresh Peach Glaze/Sauce
5 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and diced
1 small onion, peeled and chopped fine
½ c. cider vinegar
½ c. sugar
2 T. honey
2 T. lime juice
2 T. minced garlic
1 t. salt, or a little more to suit your taste
½ t. smoked paprika
½ t. red pepper flakes, or more for a spicier chutney
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, and cook over medium heat until peaches are tender and onion is translucent, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens. It should cook down to about 2 cups. Adjust seasonings. Will keep in fridge a couple of weeks- can be frozen.
Strawberries and Cream Bread
I have posted this recipe before, but have been getting requests for it, so I thought it was worth sharing again. Since strawberries are in season, it seemed like the right time to post this recipe.
This is one of my favorite quick breads. The bread is tender and full of the sweet taste of fresh strawberries.
The batter will be very thick- don’t worry- it is supposed to be that way. When it bakes, the juices from the fresh berries keeps it moist.
I always end up making a double batch, one loaf to eat fresh, and one to give as a gift, or freeze.
This bread is fine just the way it is for dessert, or you can top with sliced strawberries, ice cream, whipped cream or some melted chocolate. Or top it with all of them!!
Here is the recipe. Enjoy!!
Strawberries and Cream Bread
1 ¾ c. flour
½ t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
½ t. each cinnamon and nutmeg
½ c. butter, at room temperature
¾ c. sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
½ c. sour cream, room temperature
1 t. vanilla
1 c. fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped*
¾ c. chopped nuts, optional
Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. Set aside. In small bowl beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat 1 minute. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just moistened. Fold in strawberries and nuts and place batter in prepared pan. Bake 60-65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf. Freezes well.
* frozen berries are not recommended in this bread.
Peach Ice Cream- Custard Style
If there is a favorite summer treat for me- it is ice cream. I love to go to the local ice cream shop for a sundae or cone, and I love to make my own ice cream. When I found myself with a few extra peaches, I knew I wanted to use some of them to make ice cream. Peach ice cream is one of my absolute favorites.
I have made a peach ice cream before. I have posted the recipe before. This one is different because I made a custard base for my ice cream this time. A custard base just means that egg yolks, or eggs, are incorporated into the base of the ice cream. The base is heated up, so the eggs get cooked. In the other recipe, there are no eggs.
The custard base gives you a creamier end product. I wouldn’t say you have to make a custard-based ice cream for it to be good. They are just different. The custard base is a bit more work, but still not a difficult recipe at all.
This peach ice cream came out so good. Really creamy. I had perfectly ripe peaches. They were a little small, so I used 5 of them in this batch of ice cream. I used a vegetable peeler to remove the skins. I think that the skins get tough once cooked. Leave them on, if you prefer. I cut them off the pits, being sure to save all the juices, too. Then I just diced the peaches up pretty small.
If I just dumped the raw peaches into the ice cream base and froze it, they would end up as hard peachy cubes. By cooking the peaches first, they stay softer in the ice cream. This is true of any fruit ice cream. Using fruit that had been frozen, then thawed, will also work. I added a little vanilla, too. Not enough to overpower the peaches, but to add another layer of flavor.
So here is the recipe. Enjoy!!
Peach Ice Cream- Custard Style
4-5 peaches- mine were small- I used 5
1½ c. half and half
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3 egg yolks
1 c. sugar or to taste
1 t. vanilla
Peel the peaches. Cut the peaches to remove the pits. Discard pits. Dice up the peaches over a bowl to catch all the juices. In medium saucepan, place the peaches with the peach juice, half and half and cream. Over medium low heat, bring up to a simmer. Stir every few minutes, to prevent scorching. Let the mixture cook a few minutes, to soften the peaches. In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. Add ½ cup of the hot cream mixture to the eggs, whisking in well. Add another ½ cup of the cream mixture, whisking again. Add one last ½ cup of the hot cream and again, whisk until smooth. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the cream and while whisking, simmer until mixture starts to thicken and will coat the back of a spoon. This will take about 5 minutes. Don’t use too high a heat, or you will scramble your eggs. Mixture should reach 160 degrees to be sure eggs are cooked. Remove from heat. Pour mixture into a bowl. Allow ice cream base to cool down, then chill in fridge. Chilled mixture can be frozen in an ice cream maker once cold- in a few hours- or even the next day. Once mixture has been frozen in ice cream maker, place in a container and freeze until ready to serve. Makes about 5-6 cups of ice cream. |
Homemade Peach Preserves
After getting some peaches from a local market, I decided to make preserves with some of them. The peaches were so juicy and perfectly ripe. They smelled amazing. I knew I would not be able to eat them all. I used a basic preserve recipe, but added cinnamon for added flavor. I also used pectin in this batch.
You can make peach preserves without added pectin, but because these were so ripe, I knew they would set better with the pectin. There is less pectin in very ripe fruit. The end result was just what I was going for. Pieces of peach, suspended in a soft gel, lightly flavored with the cinnamon. I may have to make another batch.
Peach Preserves
4 c. sliced peaches, about 2-3 lbs. of fresh
6 T. pectin
2 T. lemon juice
3-4 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks
7 c. sugar
Note: Before starting the preserves have your canning supplies ready including clean jars, lids, rings, water bath canner, funnel and ladle.
Prepare peaches by scalding in boiling water for a minute. Place in cold water, then slip off the skins. Cut in half and remove the pits and any fibrous parts near the pits. Slice peaches and place peaches and any juices in a large pot. Add the pectin, juice and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil, stirring often. Add the sugar and cook over high heat, stirring often, until mixture comes to a boil that you can’t stir down. Stir constantly for 1 full minute.
Remove from heat and remove the cinnamon sticks. Skim off any foam, if needed. Ladle hot preserves into clean, hot jars, filling to ¼-inch from the top. Wipe rims and screw on lids until comfortably tight. Repeat until the jars are filled. Place jars in water bath canner filled with boiling water. Water must cover the jars by at least an inch or two. Cover pot. Once water returns to the boil, start timing. Process for 10 minutes, turn off heat and leave jars in pot for 5 minutes longer. Remove jars to counter with a towel on it, or a cooling rack. Keep out of drafts. Allow jars to cool, check seals. Makes about 9 half pint jars.
Adapted from Ball Blue Book
Strawberry Sorbet
Strawberry sorbet is a wonderful dessert to keep around, especially in summer. It is sweet and a little tart and very refreshing. It is such a pretty color. We made it in class the other night.
You can play around with adding other flavors. I sometimes add fresh herbs, like mint or lavender. Extracts, like vanilla, can be added, too.
Sorbets can be served on their own, with cake, or drizzled with chocolate sauce. I sometimes add a scoop of sorbet to a glass of lemonade or ice tea on a hot day. So refreshing. Sorbet can be a fun topper in cocktails, too.
You can make sorbet in an ice cream machine, if you have one, but you don’t need to. I don’t. It really is simple. As an added bonus, once your sorbet is made, you have it on hand whenever you need a dessert. The secret is to blend the sorbet a couple of times after it is frozen, if you can. Each time, the sorbet gets smoother and creamier. I use my food processor.
Strawberry Sorbet
1 1/2 lbs strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 c. sugar, or to taste – you could also sweeten with honey, if you prefer, or use no sweetener
1 T. lime or lemon juice
Wash and stem berries. Place in food processor with juice and blend until smooth. Sweeten to taste, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Place in a container with a lid and freeze. Once frozen, remove strawberry mix from freezer and sit it on the counter to soften a little bit. This is really the important part. You don’t want it to thaw, but you do want it soft just enough to break into chunks. Place chunks in food processor and blend it again. It will actually start to look a little creamy and lighter in color. You can serve it right away- or put it back in the freezer to serve later. At this point the sorbet is ready- but you can repeat the soften/process step once more, if you like, for even creamier sorbet. Makes 3-4 cups.
Mini Strawberry Shortcakes
These little shortcakes are as cute as they are tasty. You can have all the components ready, then just assemble when ready to serve.
Fun to serve at parties, picnics and cook outs. Because these are small, they work well with other desserts on larger dessert trays.
I made the shortcake base with a scone recipe, and used a small ice cream scoop to put the batter on the baking sheet. They ended up looking like little sandwich buns.
I split them, and filled with sweetened strawberries. I replaced the top and added chocolate ganache and whipping cream to finish them off.
The scone is tender and not too sweet. Satisfying and light at the same time.
Mini Strawberry Shortcakes
The shortcakes
2 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
½ t. salt
1 T. baking powder
1 1/4 c. heavy cream or 1 cup half and half
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients and gradually add cream to form soft dough. Stir mixture until it just holds together. Using an ice cream scoop place batter on baking sheet a couple of inches apart. You should get about a dozen. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden. Makes about 12. Cool on rack until ready to use.
The berries
2 lbs. strawberries, sliced thin
1/2 c. sugar, or to taste
Combine berries and sugar in medium bowl and place in fridge until ready to use. Berries should be in the sugar for at least a couple of hours and can even be prepped a day ahead to allow the juices to come out of the berries.
The ganache
1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips or 6 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream.
Combine both in double boiler or in microwave and heat until mixture is just warm enough to melt the chocolate. Stir until smooth.
The whipped cream – use whipped cream, sweetened or unsweetened according to your taste.
Assembly: Slice the caps off the tops of the shortcakes. Place a generous spoonful of the sliced berries on the bottoms of the shortcakes and spoon some of the strawberry liquid over them as well. Place the tops of the shortcakes back on and spoon on a dollop of the chocolate ganache. I let me get to room temperature so it didn’t drip down exactly as I had planned. Top with some whipped cream and serve. Makes about 12.
Amy’s Baked Beans
This is a wonderful recipe for baked beans. I got the recipe from my friend Amy. She used to make them for almost every summer barbecue. Unlike traditional “baked” beans, this recipe starts with canned beans.
I love traditional baked beans. The ones baked all day, until the beans get tender and the flavors are perfectly blended. But I don’t always have time to make them. By starting with canned beans, it saves a whole lot of time, without compromising flavor. When I serve these beans, everyone comes back for seconds.
It’s a simple recipe, with relatively few ingredients. It can be baked in the oven, or done in a crock pot.
Super easy and very tasty.
Amy’s Baked Beans*
6 c. chopped onion
1 lb. ground meat
1 lb. bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 cans tomato soup
3 can butter beans, rinsed and drained
Mix onion, meat and bacon in skillet and cook until onions are translucent. Drain off excess fat. Place in Dutch oven with remaining ingredients and cook, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 90 minutes.
Note: You can also cook in a crock pot on high for 4 hours or longer. Uncover, for awhile, if you like, for thicker sauce.
*This recipe has been in the McWilliam family for several generations. They are also called Grandma McWilliam’s Beans and before that Aunt Elizabeth’s Beans.
