Spicy Pickled Beets
Spicy Pickled Beets
Beets are just one of those foods. People seem to love them, or hate them. I am a beet lover. I enjoy them in all sorts of dishes. The nice thing about making a batch of pickled beets is being able to open up a jar whenever you want.
This recipe is a pretty classic way to preserve beets. The brine is a sweet and sour mixture with pickling spice, salt and red pepper flakes for added flavor. You could play around with the seasonings a little. Maybe adding more heat.
Pickled beets are great served as a side dish with all sorts of foods. I like them served with cheeses, crackers and other pickled foods as an appetizer. If you don’t want to can them- you can store them in the fridge for up to a couple of months.
Spicy Pickled Beets
4 lbs. beets, smaller sizes preferred
3 c. thin sliced onions
2 c. sugar
2 T. Pickling spice
1 T. canning salt
2 t. red pepper flakes
2½ c. cider vinegar- 5% acidity
1½ c. water
Wash and trim beets, leaving a couple inches of stem attached. Cook in boiling water until tender. Cool beets down so you can handle them. Peel beets and cut into 1½- 2-inch diameter pieces, if beets are large. Leave whole if beets are small. Set aside. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and simmer 5 more minutes. Add beets and cook a few minutes, until beets are warmed through. Ladle hot beets into clean pint jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Ladle in hot liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe off rim, screw on lid to finger-tip tightness. Repeat with remaining beets and liquid. You should fill about 5 pint jars. Process in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave jars in water bath 5 minutes before removing to counter to cool. Yield: 5 pints.
Adapted from The Ball Blue Book
Canning Yellow and Orange Tomatoes
Crushed Tomatoes
I have been asked several times in canning classes, if it is safe to can yellow or orange tomatoes. We have all heard that yellow and orange tomatoes are lower in acid, so are they still safe to can? The answer is yes, they are safe to can.
Why?
Truth is, that yellow and orange tomatoes have just as much acid as red tomatoes.
Well, for the most part at least. In terms of acidity or Ph, yellow and orange tomatoes are about average. Some cultivars have more, some less. Bottom line is that all tomatoes are safe to can- as long as you acidify them.
Adding salt is optional and is for flavor only. Use canning/pickling salt or non-iodized salt when canning.
Here are some popular canning recipes to get you started. All follow the NCHFP (National Center for Home Food Preservation) recommended procedures.
Crushed Tomatoes
Peel and core tomatoes , trim off any bad spots and quarter. Place about 1/4 of your prepared tomatoes in the kettle and cook, stirring constantly over high heat. Use a potato masher to crush tomatoes and extract juices. Once they are boiling add remaining tomatoes, stirring constantly. You don’t need to crush these tomatoes. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. In clean, hot jars add needed acidity listed below. You can also add 1 teaspoon of canning salt per quart if desired. Ladle in hot tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims clean and adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath. Pints 35 minutes, quarts, 45 minutes. 1,000-3000 ft over sea level add 5 minutes. Twenty-two pounds of tomatoes will yield about 7 quarts of tomatoes.
Whole Tomatoes in Juice
Use any extra tomatoes to make juice. I use tomatoes that are too big to can whole, or those that have blemishes that need to be trimmed. Cut up clean, unpeeled tomatoes in a kettle and cook, stirring often until tomatoes are mushy. Strain mixture, pressing on solids or run through a food mill or tomato juice extractor. Set aside,. Place peeled, whole tomatoes in kettle and add enough tomato juice to cover them. Heat to a simmer and simmer gently 5 minutes. Add lemon juice or citric acid to jars, using amounts listed below. Add salt, if desired. Add tomatoes and cover with hot juice, leaving 1/2 -inch headspace. Wipe rims and adjust lids. Process both pints and quarts 85 minutes in a boiling water bath.
Tomato Juice
Wash, stem and trim bruises off tomatoes. Cut into chunks. Add about 1 pound of tomatoes to kettle and bring to a boil while crushing. Continue to add additional cut up tomatoes slowly, keeping mixture boiling. This will keep the juice from separating later. Simmer an additional 5 minutes once the tomatoes have all been added. Press mixture through a strainer , sieve or food mill to remove seeds and skins. Add lemon juice or citric acid to jars according to directions listed below. Add salt if desired. Return juice to boil and add to prepared jars leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe rims and adjust lids. Process n a boiling water bath pints 35 minutes and quarts 40 minutes. Add 5 minutes processing time at elevations between 1,001 and 3,000 ft.
Tomato Sauce
Prepare as for juice. After juice is made return to pot and start cooking down to desired thickness. You’ll lose about 1/3 of the volume for thin sauce and 1/2 of the volume for thick. Add lemon juice or citric acid to prepared jars as described below. Add salt if desired. Add boiling sauce leaving 1/4 -inch headspace. Wipe rims and adjust lids. Process in a boiling water bath 35 minutes for pints and 40 minutes for quarts. Add five minutes at 1,001-3,000 ft. elevation.
Acidity and Tomatoes
Tomatoes must be acidified before canning. When canning either whole, crushed or juiced tomatoes you must add either 2 T. bottled lemon juice per quart or 1/2 t. citric acid . For pint use 1 T. lemon juice or 1/4 t. citric acid. You can also use 4 T. (5%) vinegar per quart, but it will alter the flavor and is not recommended. You can add a little sugar to offset the flavor, if you like.
Caramel Crepes with Honey Ice Cream
Caramel Crepes with Honey Ice Cream
I had made dessert crepes last week and still had some in the freezer. It had been hot around here so I wanted something cold to serve for dessert.
I had made honey ice cream, so that part was covered. I made a simple caramel sauce to top the crepes and finished them with a little whipped cream. It really was an easy dessert, but looked special. Tasted pretty good, too. The thing is, you can get all the components made, then just put them together when you are ready to serve them.
When I make crepes, I often have extra and freeze them for later use. I was happy that I did. Of course, use any ice cream flavor you have. I will say, the honey ice cream is worth the effort. I just spooned some ice cream along one edge of the crepes, and rolled them up. I kept them in the freezer until ready to serve. Then I drizzled with the caramel sauce. Much easier than you might think.
Dessert Crepes
1 c. flour
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 T. sugar
2-T. orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice concentrate
1/4 c. butter, melted and cooled
Mix all ingredients in blender (except butter) until smooth, scraping sides often. Add butter and blend well. Let stand for 30 minutes before using, or can be refrigerated, covered, overnight. Beat again, just before using.
Heat 6 or 7 inch skillet. Brush with butter or oil and pour in about 2 teaspoons of batter, tipping pan to cover bottom of pan completely with batter. Cook until edges start to brown, turn over and cook until lightly browned (about 2 minutes per side.)
Crepes can be made day ahead or even frozen between sheets of waxed paper and frozen. Makes 20.
Here is another variation that would be great with chocolate or strawberry ice cream.
Chocolate Crepes
Add 2-3 T. cocoa to flour and mix well before blending. You will probably need to add 1-2 T. extra milk, but mix first.
Honey Ice Cream
1 ½ c. whipping cream
1 ½ c. half and half
2/3 c. honey
6 large egg yolks
Heat together cream and half-and-half to simmer . Whisk honey and yolks in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Return to pan and heat until mixture thickens (about 170 degrees) but do not boil. Strain into large bowl. Chill until cold. Process in ice cream maker. Makes 4 ½ c.
Easy Caramel Sauce
1 packed cup brown sugar
1/2 cup half-and-half
4 tablespoons butter
Pinch salt
4 t. vanilla extract
Mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until it gets thicker. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat, cool slightly and pour the sauce into a jar. Refrigerate until ready to use. You can serve it cold, or warm a little before using.
Four Fresh Tomato Salads
Marinated Tomato Salad
Tomato season is too short around here. I can never get enough of what my mom called “real tomatoes”. The first few tomatoes never make it in the house. Warm from the sun, they are too tempting. I just pick them right off the plant and eat them.
Then, I start to think about preserving some for after the season is over. So I start drying and canning tomatoes.
Sometimes, in the excitement of canning and dehydrating tomatoes, I find I haven’t remembered to eat enough of them. So anxious to get as many as possible put away for winter, I have denied myself the pleasure of fresh, juicy, vine-ripened tomatoes.
Well, not this year. I have been having tomatoes with my eggs for breakfast, creamy tomato soup for lunch and plenty of tomato sandwiches and salads. I thought I would share a few of my favorite tomato salad recipes with you.
They are pretty simple. I think that is how it should be. When you have something as close to perfection as a ripe tomato, little more is needed.
Marinated Tomato Salad
3 large tomatoes, cut in wedges, or 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2-3 basil leaves, cut into thin strips
2 T. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Combine ingredients and serve at room temperature. Serves 4-6.
Tomato and Feta Salad
3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
12 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil -I used a lemon infused olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, mix the feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, onion, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 2.
Warm Pasta Salad
1 lb. Plum tomatoes, chopped
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
4 oz. Fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. fresh parsley, chopped
1 T. dried basil or 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1 T. capers, optional
1 t. dried oregano
½ c. olive oil
¼ c. red wine vinegar
3 T. balsamic vinegar
Dash of hot red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1 lb. Uncooked pasta
Combine all ingredients, except pasta and chill overnight. Cook pasta, drain and toss with tomato mixture. Mixture should be served right away . Serves 6.
BLT Salad
6-8 slices bacon
2 slices rye bread
2 slices Swiss cheese
5 c. torn up lettuce or mixed greens
3 T. olive oil
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Salt and fresh ground pepper
2-3 tomatoes, diced
Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, drain and crumble. Remove most of the bacon grease from the pan. Make a sandwich with the rye bread and the Swiss cheese. Toast in the skillet over medium heat until golden brown and cheese is melted. Set aside. Place lettuce in bowl and toss with the oil to coat the leaves. Toss with the vinegars and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes and the bacon and toss. Cut the sandwich into cubes and place on the top of the salad. Serves 2.
Note: you can make two sandwiches if you want more bread and cheese in the salad.
Tomato Feta Salad
Warm Pasta Salad
BLT Salad
Fresh Cherry Cake
Fresh Cherry Cake
This cherry cake is the perfect summer dessert. It is full of fresh cherries and not too sweet. I love to serve it warm from the oven, but even at room temp, it is a crowd pleaser.
The cake is great, just as it is, but can also be dressed up with a scoop of ice cream, whipped cream or a drizzle of melted chocolate.
While fresh cherries are in season, I try to use them in as many dishes as I can. I also pit and freeze some to enjoy later. I used fresh, pitted cherries, but you could use frozen, if you prefer.
The recipe calls for biscuit mix- like Bisquick. You can use store bought, or even make your own. I included a recipe for homemade biscuit mix at the bottom of this post.
So here is the recipe. Enjoy!!
Fresh Cherry Cake
2 c. biscuit mix*
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. milk
2 T. oil
1 egg
1½ c. pitted cherries- sweet or sour
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9×9-inch pan. Beat all ingredients together, except cherries, for about 30 seconds. Fold in cherries and pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 35 minutes. Cake should be golden brown on top and test clean with a toothpick. Serve warm, if you can.
*You can use Bisquick or Jiffy Mix, or use homemade. Recipe follows.
Pastry Mix/ Biscuit Mix
8 cups sifted, all-purpose flour
1 c. powdered milk
1 c. powdered buttermilk
¼ c. baking powder
1 T. salt
2 c. shortening**
Sift dry ingredients together 3 times. Cut in shortening to resemble cornmeal. Keep in an airtight container. Store in a cool dry place and use within six months.
**You can use coconut oil, if you prefer. If you do, chill coconut oil before making the mix, and store mix in fridge.
Pizza Day in Teen Cooking Camp
The kids made great pizzas today. We even had enough time to make some tortilla pizzas. They made their own dough, rolled it out, and topped them according to their preferences.
The fresh basil I brought in was a big hit, and a number of the kids opted to add it to their pizzas.
Here are pics of what they did.
Dilly Beans
Dilly Green Beans
In a pickle making cooking class last night, we made dilly green beans. These are one of my favorite pickles. I like pretty much any type of pickle, and I love green beans, so no surprises there. If you have an abundance of green beans, you might consider making a batch of these to enjoy year round.
These are great just eaten like other pickles, as a side. But they are also great added to a Bloody Mary- or so I am told. I also like to serve them as an appetizer with cheeses, crackers and olives.
While the recipe calls for 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes per jar- feel free to add more, for a spicier version.
Dilly Green Beans
4 lbs. table‑perfect whole green beans
1 3/4 t. crushed dried hot red pepper
3 1/2 t. dried dill seed or seven fresh dill heads
7 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled
5 c. vinegar
5 c. water
1/2 c. less 1 T. pickling salt
Wash beans thoroughly. Remove stems and tips, and cut them as much as possible in uniform lengths to allow them to stand upright in canning jar, coming to the shoulder of the jar. have jars clean and very hot, and lids and sealers ready in scalding water. In each jar place one dill head or 1/2 t. dill seed, add one garlic clove, and 1/4 t. crushed hot red pepper. Pack beans upright in jars, leaving 1 inch of head room. Heat together the water, vinegar and salt. When the mixture boils, pour it over the beans, filling each jar to 1/2 inch from the top. Run a plastic knife down and around to remove trapped air. Adjust lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, start timing after the water in the canner returns to a boil. Remove jars. …Wait at least 2 weeks for these beans to develop their flavor. Yield: 7 pints
Source: Putting Food By
Spiced Beet and Tomato Soup
Spiced Beet and Tomato Soup
I had picked up some beautiful fresh beets at the market over the weekend. Since it’s was a little cool today, I thought I’d make soup with them. I took inspiration from what I had on hand including onions, potatoes and home canned tomatoes. Adding the tomatoes was a last minute decision that worked out really well. The tomatoes added just the right amount of tart/sweet flavor. The color was pretty, too.
I know beets aren’t everybody’s favorite, but I love them. I love how they taste. I love the color. I love how everything I cook with beets turns out the most gorgeous color.
I don’t, however, love the way my kitchen looks whenever I cook with beets. It’s like something out of a crime scene. Not blaming the beets. Just wondering how it is I can clean up everything, then walk in the kitchen the next day and find flecks of red all over?
Here is the soup recipe. It was a small bunch of beets, so I just made a small batch of soup, but it could easily be doubled.
Spiced Beet and Tomato Soup
1 bunch beets, about 1 lb.
oil
1 onion, chopped
1 t. cumin seeds
1 t. fennel seeds
3-4 c. stock- I used chicken
1 potato, cubed
1 pint canned tomatoes – or 2 c. diced tomatoes – or 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1t. dill
1/4 t. cayenne, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Wash beets and trim leaving about 1 inch of the stem attached. Reserve greens. Place beets in a saucepan of boiling water and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove beets and cool in cold water until you can handle them. While beets are cooling, cook onion in oil until tender. Add seeds and cook until they are toasted and onions are golden. Peel and cube the beets. Add to the onions along with the stock, potatoes and tomatoes and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Rinse and chop up about 1 cup of the beet greens and add them to the soup along with the seasonings. Cook until greens are tender, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 3-4.
Cupcake Baking in Cooking Camp
The kids baked and decorated cupcakes today in camp. This week’s camp is with teenagers. It is a little different with older kids.
Don’t get me wrong. I adore the little kids, but the older kids are more self reliant. In all, they baked 8 dozen cupcakes- which meant 8 cupcakes per child. I gave them a few pointers for frosting and decorating,then let them just be creative.
Here is some of what they did.
