Apple Jelly

Apple Jelly

(4 half pints)

Ingredients:

5 lb. Apples (see note)

5 cup Water

3 cup Sugar

¼ tsp. Crystalline Ascorbic Acid

Directions:

Wash apples and remove stem & blossom ends. Cut apples into wedges (no need to core or peel) and place in the water of a large sauce pan. Over medium heat, bring apples to a boil and gently cook for about 20 minutes or until very soft. Line a colander with 2 layers of cheesecloth and suspend over a stainless steel bowl (china bowl works too). Place the cooked apples into the cheesecloth and let drip several hours or until apples are dry. This should yield 4 cups of apple juice. If need to be press apples to yield more juice but do it through a new piece of cheesecloth. In a stainless steel pot, combine the apple juice, sugar and ascorbic acid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Heat to 220 degrees or until mixture sheets on the back of a metal spoon. Remove pan from heat and spoon off any froth before filling jars within ½ inch of top. Make sure the jars have in sterilized and are warm before adding mixture. Wipe rims with a clean cloth and pour the melted wax on top to a thickness of 3/8 inch (approximately) and let cool. Once cooled, put lid on jar and store in a dark cool place. After opening a jar, please refrigerate.

Note: To seal with paraffin wax, please be careful. Place a small to medium sauce on the stove top with an inch of water in it. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. Place a disposable foil pie pan on top of the sauce pan. Cut one slab of wax (4 in a box) into several pieces and carefully place them in the pie pan. The heat will melt the wax. Once all the wax in the pie pan has melted, carefully pour over the apple butter in the jars. Repeat the process until all the jars are sealed.

Note: To sterilize jars, you can place them in boiling water for a few minutes. USDA guidelines suggest 15 minutes of boiling for the jars. Be sure to use only clean equipment when making jellies or canning other products.

Ideas for Future Efforts

Rhubarb-Cherry Jam

Rhubarb-Cherry Jam

(8 - half pints)

Ingredients:

5 cup Fresh Rhubarb, diced (see note)

4 cup Sugar

1 (21 oz.) can Cherry Pie Filling

2 (3 oz.) pkg. Raspberry Jello Mix

as needed Wax, melted to seal jars

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan, bring the rhubarb and sugar to a boil and continue 10 minutes. Add the pie filling and return to a boil continuing for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the dry jello to the mixture. Combine well and then fill half pint jars to within ½ inch of top. Make sure the jars have in sterilized and are warm before adding mixture. Wipe rims with a clean cloth and pour the melted wax on top to a thickness of 3/8 inch (approximately) and let cool. Once cooled, put lid on jar and store in a dark cool place. After opening a jar, please refrigerate.

Note: You can use frozen rhubarb in this recipe. Just thaw before using but include the liquid from thawed rhubarb.

Note: You can use blueberry pie filling to give a different flavor profile for the jam too.

Note: To seal with paraffin wax, please be careful. Place a small to medium sauce on the stove top with an inch of water in it. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. Place a disposable foil pie pan on top of the sauce pan. Cut one slab of wax (4 in a box) into several pieces and carefully place them in the pie pan. The heat will melt the wax. Once all the wax in the pie pan has melted, carefully pour over the apple butter in the jars. Repeat the process until all the jars are sealed.

Note: To sterilize jars, you can place them in boiling water for a few minutes. USDA guidelines suggest 15 minutes of boiling for the jars. Be sure to use only clean equipment when making jellies or canning other products.

Ideas for Future Efforts

Jellies & Jams.

Jelly and Jam making can be fun and quite tasty. They are both similar and different in their processes for making the finished product.  Today's blog will not be a full in-depth course in making jelly and jam but a good introduction.

There are already a couple of recipes on the blog.  One is for Apple Butter (V).  Another is for Green & Red Pepper Jelly (V).  The green & red pepper jelly gives you both a different heat level and color for presentation.


Let's get on with jelly and jam making.  Starting with equipment, you'll need heavy stainless steel pots or kettles.  They will need to be size appropriate to the batch size you will be making.  It would help to have a scale, candy thermometer, ladle, funnel, canning jars (1/4 pint, 1/2 pint & maybe pint) and proper lids.
I use paraffin wax to seal my jars.  That was how I was taught by my mother and grandmothers.  Some people today don't believe this method to be the safest way and suggest canning lids, filling jars almost full and doing water baths for jams (jelly doesn't need one).  You can go whichever way you feel most comfortable.  You do need to be careful when melting the wax.  It is flammable so you need to pay attention.  I've never encountered a problem or even heard of anyone who has either.  You do need to keep them in a cool dark place.  If it gets too hot the wax will have a problem.
Another piece of equipment you may want is a jelly bag and stand for your jelly making.  If you don't have one, cheesecloth, a colander and a stainless steel bowl will work just fine.
In making jelly, you need to extract the juice from the fruit (reason for paragraph above).  You then combine sugar (amount depends on the fruit) and another ingredient or two depending on type of jelly you're making.
Jams use fruit pulp instead of juice.  This makes a thicker heavier spread.  It still takes sugar and a few other ingredients again depending on what fruit you are working with in the recipe.
You need to be a little more hands on with jams.  They can stick, scorch or burn easier than jellies.  So you need to stir more and watch your pot.
Measurements need to be accurate when making both jelly and jam.  Some say that recipes should be for no larger of a batch than to fill 4 half-pint jars.  I usually double that amount and have not had any problems once again.
It also helps to be organized and start early (especially with jelly) when making these types of recipes.
This week the 2 recipes are for "Rhubarb-Cherry Jam" and "Apple Jelly."  The rhubarb-cherry one is a favorite of mine.  Well enjoy trying one of these or the ones mentioned at the start of this blog.  "Happy Cooking" until next week.

Apple, Fennel & Sage Covered Pork Chops

Apple, Fennel & Sage Covered Pork Chops

(6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

8 (3 to 4 oz.) Thin cut Boneless Pork Chops

as needed Salt & Black Pepper

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter

1 Leek, (white & light green part only) thinly sliced

1 bulb Fennel, halved lengthwise, cored & thinly sliced (crosswise)

1 medium Fuji Apple, halved lengthwise, cored & thinly sliced

8 small Fresh Sage Leaves, coarsely chopped

1 cup Hard Cider

Directions:

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large saute pan over high heat, bring the oil to almost smoking. Cook chops until browned on both sides turning only once (1-2 minutes per side). Remove chops to a platter and keep warm. Using the same saute pan, add the butter and reduce heat to medium. Add the leeks and cook for about 3 minutes or until tender. Now add the fennel and apple continuing to cook an additional 4 minutes or until softened. Next add the sage and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, remove to a plate and keep warm. Pour the hard cider and any meat juices from the platter holding the chops to the saute pan. Bring to a boil over high heat until it thickens (about 4 minutes). Place the fennel mixture over the pork chops and top everything with the sauce and serve.

Note: If you don't want to use hard cider, just substitute plain apple cider.

Note: You can use other types of apple in this recipe too.

Ideas for Future Efforts

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

(6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

2 (6 oz. Pkg.) Long-Grain & Wild Rice Blend w/seasoning

¾ lb. Cooked Chicken, diced or shredded (see note)

1 (10 ½ oz.) can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 (10 ½ oz.) can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 (4 oz.) can Mushrooms, stems & pieces drained

¾ cup Celery, chopped

½ cup Bacon, cooked and chopped (see note)

¼ tsp. Black Pepper

½ cup Plain Bread Crumbs

½ cup Slivered Almonds

2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted

Directions:

Cook the rice blend according to package directions. While the rice is cooking, combine the ingredients from the chicken to the pepper in a large bowl. Now mix the rice with the chicken mixture and transfer to a greased/sprayed 2 qt. baking dish. Place the baking dish in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. While the casserole is baking, combine the bread crumbs, almonds and melted butter in a small bowl. After the 30 minutes, pull casserole from oven and sprinkle top with the butter mixture. Return casserole to the oven and continue baking another 10 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Note: I've discussed using rotisserie chicken for other dishes. This one works well for the rotisserie chicken. I will pull both breasts off and use for another recipe or meal. Then use the remaining chicken for this recipe. If you remember from that blog, I 'll make stock from the bones and skin too.

Note: Here you can cook off your own bacon or buy the real bacon pieces that come in a jar.

Note: This recipe makes for a great dish to take to a potluck event too.

Ideas for Future Efforts

Hearty Fall Dishes

It's fall and with that comes cooler temperatures, furnaces and/or fireplaces to keep warm.  Unlike bears that put weight all summer and fall to get ready to hibernate all winter.  We humans seem to loss weight in the spring and summer just to put it back on in the fall and winter.

One of the buzzwords today in the food area is "Comfort Food" and it really comes into play during the start of the fall season.  They are usually a little heavy food than the grilling and salads we've consumed during the summer.  It's more meat and potatoes, casseroles and hearty soups.

Now I'm not saying this is bad for everyone but we do need to think moderation during this season.  Maybe pick up a little more on the exercise too.  Fall is similar to an appetizer before the main course of a meal. That main course is coming in late November through early January and it's called the holiday season.  That's where we pack on even more weight.

I'm not trying to scare you but just want you aware of the potential effect on your body and current clothes fitting appropriately.  I really want you to enjoy these fall dishes because they are terrific.  So make yourself a game plan to be able to enjoy them without any negative affects.

As a reminder, I'll point out some of these hearty fall dishes already in one of the recipes pages of the blog. For entrees you might try one of these; Pasta with Pumpkin & Sausage, Jambalaya (Slow Cooker), Tasty Stuffed Pork Chops and Pan Fried Chicken.

This week I have 2 new entree recipes for you.  Tomorrow is one for "Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole" and you can take advantage of using rotisserie chicken in it.  You may remember I did a blog on the use of rotisserie chicken in recipes back in August.  Then on Thursday, the recipe is "Apple, Fennel & Sage covered Pork Chops".  You could use chicken breast instead of pork chops in this recipe if it fits your needs better.

There are many great fall recipes that you can find to try.  Not just entree recipes like I'm showing you here, but great side dishes and desserts too.  So enjoy the colors of fall as well as the good food.  "Happy Cooking" until next week.

Hot Spiced Cider

Hot Spice Cider

(½ gallon)

Ingredients:

8 cups Apple Cider

½ cup Molasses

12 whole Cloves

2 Cinnamon Sticks

4 slices Fresh Lemon, halved

¼ cup Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions:

In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, bring the first 5 ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer about 15 minutes remembering to stir occasionally. Remove cloves and cinnamon sticks using a slotted spoon. Stir in the lemon juice and serve.

Note: Garnish cups with lemon slices, cloves and/or cinnamon sticks for presentation.

Note: You could add your favorite alcohol to make it an adult beverage. I would do this by the cup so you still have a child friendly drink to serve.

Ideas for Future Efforts