The Charmed Kitchen

Plum Glazed Wings

I love when local fruit is in season. I found myself with lovely red plums and I decided to use some of them to make a sauce for  chicken wings. I started by peeling the plums. You could leave the skins on, if you like, but I prefer them off. I put the plums in boiling water for a minute and then in cold water. The skins came right off. I removed the pits and pureed the plums- I ended up with a cup of fresh plum puree. From there it was a matter of creating the sauce. I minced an onion and cooked it in a little bacon fat- you could use butter or oil.  I added a couple of cloves of minced garlic once the  onions were tender. After that I added the plum puree, 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, a couple of tablespoons of honey, a tablespoon of hot sauce and salt. I let it cook for about 10 minutes to thicken and gave it a taste. It was pretty good, but needed something more. I added some fresh grated ginger and let it cook a few more minutes. It was wonderful. I decided to smooth the sauce out in the blender but it would be fine to leave it chunky.

To cook the wings I just pan fried them. I cooked them in a skillet, covered for about 20 minutes, turning a couple of times. I poured the sauce over them and turned the heat down to medium. I let them cook, covered, another 10 or 15 minutes. Once I was sure the wings were cooked through, I uncovered them and let the sauce cook down and thicken a little. It created a nice glaze on the wings. Easy and very tasty. I ended up pureeing more plums and tossed them in the freezer so I can make this sauce again when the weather is chilly and no fresh plums are around.

Cabbage and Apple Slaw

Apples are in season and cabbage is abundant at my local market. It seemed just natural to pair them up in a salad. I love cole slaw. I think I could eat it everyday. I make slaw with a creamy, mayo based dressing sometimes. Other times, I prefer a vinegar type dressing. For this slaw I went really simple. Just vinegar, a little honey and celery seeds, along with salt and pepper. Then I added thin strips of crisp, fresh apples to the shredded cabbage. They added a wonderful crunch and sweetness to the dish.  So simple and so good. Here is the recipe.

Cabbage and Apple Slaw

6-8 c. shredded cabbage

2 large apples, cored, unpeeled, cut into thin strips

1/2 c. cider vinegar

2 T. honey

1 t. celery seed

salt and pepper to taste

Combine cabbage and apples in a medium bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well mixed. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat evenly. Salad can be eaten right away or chilled for a couple of hours.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

You can never have enough recipes for zucchini. If you have ever planted zucchini, you know what I mean.  This is a recipe I’ve had for ages, but sort of forgot about. I also forgot how much I like it. For one thing, it tastes really good. For another- it can be served hot or cold. That is a plus this time of year, with temps sultry one day, and chilly the next. I leave the skins on my zucchini, I like the way the little green flecks look in the soup, but you can peel, if you prefer. You can also use a combo of green and yellow summer squash. Here is the recipe.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
2 T. butter
4-6 medium zucchini, sliced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 T. chopped parsley
½ t. each basil, marjoram and thyme
1 t. hot sauce, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
6 c. chicken or veggie broth
1 c. milk or half and half- I prefer the half and half

In Dutch oven cook onions in butter until tender. Add vegetables and seasonings and cook until hot. Add broth, heat to a simmer and cook 15 minutes. Puree mixture in blender in batches and return to pot. Add milk and heat through. Adjust seasonings. Serve hot or cold. I top with some fresh chopped parsley and a little hot sauce. Serves 6-8.

Classic Apple Cake

I had a request for this recipe today, so here it is. I’ve had this recipe since I was a kid. My Aunt Josie gave it to my mom. Not sure where she got it but it has been a family favorite since we first made it. It’s a simple recipe that comes out moist and flavorful. I normally bake it in a 13×9- inch pan but it can also be baked in a Bundt pan. While the recipe calls for cinnamon sugar- I sometimes add a little fresh ground nutmeg, too. Pretty much any apple works in this recipe- except maybe Red Delicious. Perfect for dessert or even served with brunch.  The batter is really thick. Don’t think you’ve done something wrong.

Classic Apple Cake

1 c. oil
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. orange or lemon juice
Combine above ingredients and set aside.
Mix together the following dry ingredients. Make a well and stir in egg mixture to make a stiff batter.

3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
3 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt

Mix ½ c. sugar and 2 t. cinnamon and set aside

Peel, core and slice 4 medium apples.
Grease a 9×13 inch pan or a Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Place ½ of batter in prepared pan. Arrange apple slices on batter and sprinkle on ½ of the cinnamon mixture. Pour on remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

Bake 1-1 ½ hours. One hour for 13×9-inch pan and 1 1/2 hours for Bundt. I find that sometimes it takes less than an hour- check at 50 minutes.

Apple Galette

If you like apple pie  you’ll like apple galette. I actually find a galette easier to make. Rather than using a pie pan, for a galette, you just roll out your dough, place on a baking sheet, and then add fruit to the middle. Fold up the sides and bake. I must confess to liking its rustic charm. I made my own crust but you can used pre-made crusts, if you prefer. You can serve with ice cream, whipped cream or dusted with powdered sugar.

Apple Galette

Flaky Pie Crust

2 c. flour

1 t. salt

3/4 c. shortening, chilled

1 T. cider vinegar

4-5 T. cold water

Combine flour and salt and cut in shortening. Toss in vinegar and water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough holds together. Use a fork to toss the ingredients together and as soon as the mixture holds together stop adding water. Makes 2. Chill well before using.

Filling:

5-6 medium apples- I used Jonathan, Gala and Macintosh

2/3 c. sugar- plus extra for sprinkling

3 T. cornstarch

1 T. cinnamon

1 T. Lemon juice, plus extra for treating the apples

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

Prepare dough. Roll half the dough into a 10-inch circle- repeat with remaining dough. Keep covered with plastic wrap until ready to use. Peel and core apples and slice thin. Place apples in water with lemon juice added to prevent browning. Drain apple slices well and place in a bowl. Toss with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and seasonings. Place one of the crusts on a baking sheet. Pile half of the prepared apples on the center of the crust. You should have about a 2-inch circle of dough around the edges that is uncovered. Fold edges of the crust up over the apples pressing lightly to hold in place. Sprinkle with a little extra sugar. Repeat with the remaining crust and apples. You will have a little liquid in the bowl from the apple mixture- save that for now. Place the galettes in a preheated 425 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down heat to 350 and bake for another 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. While galettes are baking take the liquid left from the apples and cook in a small saucepan until thickened- it will take a minute or two. This will be used to glaze the galettes. When galettes come out of the oven brush the apples with the thickened  glaze.  Cool on wire rack. Makes 2.

Aunt Josie’s Cabbage Soup

This is a great soup for this time of year. I have some fresh, local cabbage and even used fresh tomatoes to make the tomato sauce. The soup is a meal all on its own, or it can be served with crusty bread. It is simple to make and loaded with flavor. The recipe came to me through my Mother who got it from my Aunt Josie. While I normally make it in a soup pot, it can be make in a crock pot- after the onions and sausage have been browned a little. Ready in no time it is a great solution when you want home made soup but don’t have a lot of time.

Aunt Josie’s Cabbage Soup

1 T. oil
1 c. chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 ½ lbs. Cooked smoked sausage, sliced or diced, I use turkey sausage
3 carrots, peeled and cubed
8 cups coarsely chopped cabbage, a small head
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 c. tomato sauce
2 qts. Water
1-t. salt or paste type soup base
pepper to taste
3 medium potatoes, cubed
2 T. oil
1/3 c. flour
1 t. paprika

Sauté onion in oil until browned. Add garlic and sausage and cook until sausage is browned. Add vegetables, sauce water and seasonings and cook, covered 15 minutes. Add potatoes and cook, covered, 15 minutes more. In bowl combine oil, flour and paprika and stir until smooth. Ladle some hot soup into flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Repeat a few more times, until flour forms a paste. Pour this mixture into soup and simmer 2 minutes, until thickened. Serves 10-12.

Applesauce Spice Cake

I really love fresh, local apples. I often go apple picking this time of year. I try to stock up on apples when they are in season. At some point, I process some for longer term storage. Some apples are sliced and dehydrated. I usually can applesauce, too. That way, I can enjoy local apples all year long. This cake is one way to enjoy applesauce, homemade or store bought. I used butter in the recipe, but if you used coconut oil instead, the recipe would be vegan.  The spices work so well together. Simple and full of flavor.

Applesauce Spice Cake

2 c. unsweetened applesauce

½ c. butter

2 c. sugar

3 c. flour

1 T. baking soda

½ t. salt

1 t. each cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg

¼ t. cloves

1 c. raisins or chopped nuts

Heat together applesauce and butter until butter melts. Cool down a bit. Preheat oven 375 and grease 9×13-inch pan. Stir all ingredients together bake 30 minutes. Cool in pan.

Apple and Bacon Fritters

This time of year, with apples in season, it is fun to use them in all sorts of recipes. This is one of my favorites. What could be better than combining apples with bacon in a sweet treat? The sweetness of the apples pairs so well with the smoky/saltiness of the bacon.  They make a wonderful dessert or a fun addition to a breakfast or brunch menu. I did add the maple glaze, which also went well with the apples and bacon. But trust me, these fritters are delicious even if  just rolled in powdered sugar.

Apple and Bacon Fritters

2 c. flour

2 T. sugar

2 T. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 c. milk

2 eggs, beaten

2 T. melted butter

1 c. diced apples

1 c. cooked, crumbled bacon

oil for frying- I used coconut oil

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together milk with the eggs and butter. Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened and add the apples and bacon. Heat oil to 375. If using gluten free flour heat oil to 350. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Don’t do more than 4-5 at a time. It will take about  4 minutes in total but you need to turn them to brown evenly so 2 minute per side. Drain on paper towels. Dip in maple glaze (recipe follows) while warm or roll in powdered sugar. Makes about 32.

Maple Glaze

1 c. Powdered sugar

1/2 c. maple syrup

a little water if mixture gets too thick

Combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use.

Apple and Cheese Salad

I had fresh, local apples and was planning on baking something with them. It was too warm yesterday, so I made a salad with some of the apples instead. The salad is pretty basic: greens, apples, cheese and nuts. Tossed with a simple, but very tasty dressing, this salad was the perfect meal for a hot day.  I used cheddar but feel free to use other cheeses.  I also used some fresh mint leaves and chives from my garden.

Apple and Cheese Salad

Dressing:
3 T. white wine vinegar
2 T. lemon juice
2 t. sugar
¼ c. olive oil
3 T. dried minced onion
2 T. water
salt and pepper to taste

1 c. walnuts or pecans, toasted
4-6 cups salad greens, washed and spun dry
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese or ½ c. crumbled feta or bleu cheese
2 Granny Smith or other tart apples
1 T. chopped fresh mint or parsley
1 T. snipped chives or green onions, optional

In container with tight fitting lid shake dressing ingredients together and chill until ready to use. To toast nuts place on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Cool. When ready to serve the salads divide the greens among 4 plates or arrange greens on a platter. Core the apples and cut in slices. Toss apples with the dressing. Place apples on greens, then top with remaining ingredients. Serves 4.

Amy’s Crushed Tomatoes

Canning tomatoes is something I do every year. They are one of my favorites. What made this canning session special, was who was canning with me. My friend Amy, wanted to learn how to can tomatoes. Amy is a great cook, but had never canned before, nor expressed any interest in canning tomatoes or anything else. So what made her want to learn? Pretty sure it was a dinner from the week before. We frequently have dinners with friends and I used a jar of my tomatoes in a dish that night. I let everyone smell them before I added them to the dish. Home canned tomatoes smell wonderful- like summer. Amy was really impressed and asked about canning some herself. So I picked up a bushel and a half of tomatoes at the local farm market the next week, and off we went. A couple of other friends joined in, too. At one point, during the prepping process, Amy wondered if all the work was worth it. We talked about cost and labor etc. Once they started coming out of the canner, she was pretty happy. They looked great. We had a few extra and used them in dinner that night. Now plans are to do tomato sauce, apple sauce and maybe more stuff. For me, this was probably the most fun I ever had canning. Partly, because I normally can alone. so the company was great. It was also special because I got to share an activity I love with a friend, and got her to understand what I have been talking about all these years. We followed the NCHFP recipe for crushed tomatoes. Here it is, in case you want to can tomatoes, too. Invite a friend to join you.

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. We used lemon juice. 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.

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.

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