The Charmed Kitchen

Cinnamon-Vanilla Blueberry Jam

It seems to be a great year for blueberries. The ones in my yard are starting to ripen and I have more than ever before. Prices at the market have been good, too. I have been freezing berries and made some blueberry liqueur, but I also wanted to make jam. I like blueberry jam with vanilla but decided to add cinnamon this time, as well. The result was so tasty. I used the basic berry jam recipe from the Ball Blue Book, but I added some vanilla and a cinnamon for extra flavor.  The flavors worked really well together. I am making more of this one, for sure. Enjoy.

Cinnamon- Vanilla Blueberry Jam

9 c. crushed blueberries

6 c. sugar

1 T. ground cinnamon

1 T. vanilla

Pick over berries getting any stems. Rinse , drain and crush. Place berries, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla in a large saucepan and heat slowly until sugar has melted. Bring up heat and cook over high heat, stirring often. Stir more as mixture thickens. It will take 20-30 minutes to get to the gel stage. To check for gel stage dip a metal spoon in blueberry mixture and hold it up sideways. Allow mixture to drip off and when two drops come together to form one larger drop- you are at gel stage. You can also use a candy thermometer. When the jam reaches 220 degrees- or 8 degrees over the temp of boiling water- you are at gel stage. Ladle hot jam into clean, hot jelly jars. Fill to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe rims and place on lids prepared according to directions on box. Screw lids comfortably tight. Place jars in boiling water bath with water at least 1-2 inches over the tops of the jars. Cover pot and start timing when water returns to the boil. Process 15 minutes. Remove jars to towel, cutting board or cooling rack in a draft-free location. Check seals once jars are cooled. Makes 8-10 jelly jars.

Source: Adapted from Ball Blue Book

Lemonade Glaze for Chicken

I’ve been making my own lemonade concentrate for some time now. It’s just lemon juice and sugar. Sometimes I use honey, instead. I keep some in the freezer so I can make fresh lemonade whenever I want it. I also find myself looking for other ways to use the concentrate. I ended up making this glaze when I needed something to use on  chicken I was cooking. I really like it. I’ve tried it on chicken a couple of times and I could see it going well with pork or even seafood. The sweet/sour nature of lemonade works well as a base for sauces. I used homemade lemonade concentrate, but store bought is fine, too. Here is the recipe. I hope you’ll try it.

Lemonade Glaze for Chicken and More

2 T. oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 t. minced garlic
12 oz. lemonade concentrate
¼ c. red wine vinegar
2 T. hot sauce, or to taste
1 T. prepared mustard
3 T. honey
1 t. cumin
1 t. ginger
2 t. salt, or to taste

Heat oil in pan and cook onion until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add remaining ingredients and cook until mixture has cooked down and thickened- about 10-15 minutes on medium high heat. Stir occasionally. You should end up with about 1½ cups of glaze.
To use: Brush on meat during last 15 minutes of cooking if baking or grilling. Add in last 5 minutes if cooking in a pan.

Here is the recipe for the lemonade concentrate.

Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad

I make broccoli salad pretty often, but sometimes like to switch it up a little by adding cauliflower. The result is  a salad that has a great mixed of flavors, colors  and textures. The addition of bacon also adds a wonderful smoky flavor. Certainly, feel free to omit the bacon for a vegetarian salad. With or without the bacon, this is a great salad for the warmer days ahead.

Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad

1 small head cauliflower, trimmed and broken into bite- sized pieces

2 broccoli crowns, cut into bite- sized pieces

1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped

1 c. shredded cheese- I used a sharp cheddar

8- 10 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped

1/2 cup of mayo – or more according to your taste

salt and pepper to taste

Steam the cauliflower and broccoli until just tender/crisp. About 5 minutes in a microwave steamer, 6 minutes in a conventional steamer. Place in a bowl to cool down then combine with remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Serves 6-8.

Easy Blueberry Cake

I needed a last minute dessert and I had a fridge full of blueberries. This cake came to mind right away. I have made this blueberry cake before and it is really good. Not overly sweet- it can be served plain- or dressed  up any number of ways. It is also simple to make. Just a few ingredients- you can have it mixed before the oven is finished preheating.  I think I’ll top mine with cherries and vanilla ice cream.

Easy Blueberry Cake

2 c. biscuit mix*
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. milk
2 T. oil
1 egg
1 1/2 c. blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9×9-inch pan. Beat all ingredients together, except berries, for about 30 seconds. Fold in berries 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.

*Like Bisquick or Jiffy mix. I make my own. Recipe follows.

Biscuit Mix

8 c. flour
1 c. powdered milk
1 c. powdered buttermilk (or 1 more cup powdered milk)
1/4 c. baking powder
1 T. salt
1 1/2 c. shortening*

Combine dry ingredients and cut in shortening until well mixed. Store in tightly covered container. Makes 10 cups.

* You can use butter instead, but keep mix in fridge and use in a couple of months. You can also use coconut oil- also best to keep this version in the fridge.

Giant Strawberry Shortcake

If you are looking for a twist on shortcake, try making one large one instead of a bunch of little ones. It is a fun way to serve shortcake for parties. Makes quite an impression. I 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. Would be fun to add some blueberries for the Fourth!!!

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.

BLT Salad

I had all the ingredients for a BLT, but was more in the mood for a salad. I had gotten some beautiful leaf lettuce from a friend and wanted to use it up. There is only so much lettuce you can get between two slices of bread. I started with a nice bowl of  lettuce and dressed it with a drizzle of olive oil, some apple cider vinegar and a little balsamic vinegar. I also added some salt and some fresh ground pepper. I tossed the greens to coat them with the dressing, placed them on the plate and added diced tomatoes and crumbled bacon. I still wanted that toasty bread element, so I made a grilled cheese sandwich on rye bread with Swill cheese. I cubed up the sandwich and topped the salad with, sort of like very cheesy croutons. All in all it was a pretty good meal.

Sour Cherry and Mustard Glaze

Sour cherries are in season and I am loving it. I decided to use cherries in a glaze for a ham dinner I was having with friends. I often enjoy using various fruits in savory dishes. The cherries paired nicely with the ham, but this glaze would work well on duck or fresh pork, too. The mustard was a last minute addition. It added just the extra kick I was looking for.

Sour Cherry and Mustard Glaze

3-4 cups pitted sour cherries

1/2 c. cider vinegar

1/4 cup honey, or to taste

1/2 c. grainy mustard

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Place the cherries in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until much of the liquid has cooked off. Stir occasionally. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until mixture has thickened. Stir more often as mixture gets thicker to prevent scorching. Adjust seasonings. I was using this on a ham so I didn’t add much salt, but would add more if I were using it on fresh pork or poultry. Makes about 2 cups.

To use: Spoon mixture over the meat at least 30 minutes before food will be done so sauce can caramelize a bit. Could also be warmed and served on the side as a dipping sauce. I left the cherries whole, but you could puree the mixture for a smoother sauce.

Lambsquarters and Mushroom Quiche

For a weekend away with some friends I made this quiche. I used lambsquarters. Lambsquarters are a plant most people view as a weed. It is, in fact, a plant that seems so pop up almost anywhere ground has been cultivated. It is also very tasty and nutritious. When cooked, the leaves taste a lot like spinach. If you have lambsquarters growing in your yard, rather then tossing them in the compost pile, you might want to eat them, instead. I also added baby portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, fresh basil, parsley and dill and some marsala wine. The end was result was so good.

Lambsquarters and Mushroom Quiche

1 unbaked pie crust – store bought or homemade
1 T. butter
1 onion, chopped
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, washed and sliced
¼ c. Marsala wine
1 T. each fresh chopped parsley, basil and dill
4-5 c. fresh lambsquarters leaves, washed and steamed until wilted and chopped
8 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
2 T. flour
3 eggs
1 c. milk or half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste

Place crust in a 9-inch deep dish pan. Set aside. Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until golden. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are a little golden, too. Add wine and herbs and cook until liquid is evaporated. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss 2 cups of the cheese with the flour and place in pie crust. Add the onion mixture and lambsquarters. Combine eggs with milk and seasonings, beat until smooth and pour over the ingredients in the pie crust. Top with remaining cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake 45 minutes to an hour. Check quiche for doneness by inserting a knife off center. If it is clean, quiche is done. Makes 1.

Corn and Barley Salad with Basil

I think most people think of soup, when they think of barley. This versatile grain can also be a nice part of a cold salad.  It  can be served as a side dish, but I often enjoy this salad for lunch or dinner all on it’s own. The combination of corn and barley makes it pretty hearty, but still not heavy. Nice on a hot day, when you want a lighter meal. I had grilled some corn a few days ago and had some leftover. I think the smokiness of the grilled corn added a nice touch. I had some fresh basil so I added that, too.

Corn and Barley Salad with Basil

½ c. pearl barley
salt
3 T. cider or white wine vinegar
1 t. Dijon mustard
fresh ground pepper
3 T. olive oil
3 T. fresh basil, cut into thin strips
3 c. cooked corn, from six ears
1 c. diced sweet onion
1 c. diced sweet pepper, any color
¼ c. sliced green onions

Combine barley, 2 cups water and ½ t. salt in saucepan and simmer, covered until barley is tender, about 50 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Combine remaining ingredients and toss with barley in large bowl. Makes 6 servings.