Apricot Jam

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Equipment

• ▢ 
  12 x 8.5 oz Jars
  
  

  Ingredients

  • ▢ 5.5 lb fresh apricots– prepared weight 
  • ▢ ¼ cup water
  • ▢ ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 
  • ▢ 4 lb granulated sugar

  Instructions

  • Put 2 small heatproof plates or saucers in the freezer to chill. 
  • Wash the apricots and pat dry. Remove any minor blemishes then cut them in half and remove the stones. 
  • Place the apricots in a large, wide saucepan and add the lemon juice and water. 
  • Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a long-handled wooden spoon. 
  • Cover the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until the apricots are tender and cooked through, 10-15 minutes.  

    At this stage, if you prefer less chunky jam, you could blend it using a hand-held stick blender. Take the saucepan off the heat to do this. 
  • Add the sugar to the apricots and stir constantly, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved.
  • After dissolving the sugar, increase the heat and bring the fruit to a boil to cook the liquid off. Continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture does not catch and burn on the bottom of the pan.

    As the mixture reduces, stir frequently. At this stage, the jam requires your attention so do not venture too far away from the stove. Remove any scum that forms with a spoon. 
  • When the jam looks thicker, after boiling for about 20 minutes, turn off the heat and put a small amount of jam on a chilled plate. Let it stand for a minute to cool then push your finger through the jam. If it wrinkles, even slightly, it is ready. If it is still quite liquid put it back on the heat for a further 5 minutes and check again.
  • You can also use a thermometer to check for setting point.  To use this method, you will need a sugar thermometer. Clip the thermometer to the side of your pan. When the thermometer reads 104 C (220 F) the jam is ready.
  • When the jam reaches setting point, remove the pan from the heat. If there is any foam on the surface of the jam, remove with a spoon or add a teaspoon of butter and stir well. It will dissolve the foam.
  • Let the jam stand for about 10 minutes to allow the fruit to settle. This will ensure that any pieces of fruit will be evenly distributed throughout the jam. Without standing, the fruit will rise to the top of the jar.
  • Stir the jam and carefully ladle it into the heated, sterilised jars. You need to be very careful. A splash or spill from hot jam would result in a serious burn. I recommend that you wear clothing with long sleeves. Additionally, this is not the occasion to have children nearby. 

    Immediately seal the jars tightly with sterilised lids.
  • The jam will still be liquid when you ladle it into your jars. It can take up to 48 hours to completely set. 
  • When cool, remove any spills from the jars and label with the date and name. Store the jam in a cool, dark place. It willl be shelf-stable for a year.

    When using the jam, always use a clean, dry spoon to avoid contamination. After opening a jar, as a further precaution, store it in the refrigerator.

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

 INGREDIENTS

-1 lb chicken thighs

-1/4 cup olive oil

-1/3 cup soy sauce (can substitute balsamic vinegar)

-1/4 cup honey

-1 teaspoon minced garlic

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1 red pepper

- 1 yellow pepper

- 2 small zucchini 

- 1 red onion

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the olive oil, soy sauce, honey garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Add the chicken and vegetables to the bowl and toss to marinade.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
4. Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
5. Preheat grill to medium heat, thread meat and veggies on skewers, and grill for 5-7 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Marinara Sauce for Canning

 Ingredients:

• 12 pounds ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 cup dried/dehydrated minced onion (provides a great flavor boost and is especially suited to canning for long-term storage) 
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon dark balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• bottled lemon juice, if canning (per USDA guidelines as a requirement for safe canning)

Instructions:

1. Cut out the cores and process the tomatoes in a blender or food processor until smooth. 

2. Place the tomatoes in a large pot along with the remaining ingredients (except for the lemon juice). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 2 hours, stirring every now and then.  Discard the bay leaves.  Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

3. You can use the sauce now (flavor gets better in a day or two), freeze it or can it for long-term storage. 

4. To can the sauce: Place 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice in the bottom of each sterilized pint-sized jar (double the quantity for quart jars). Ladle the hot marinara sauce into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth. Screw on the clean lids and rims. Place the jars in a boiling water canner and process 45 minutes for pints and 50 minutes for quarts. Turn off the heat and let the jars sit for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Check the seals. 

Stored in a dark, cool place the jars will keep for at least a year but for best flavor use within six months.

Makes approximately 6 pints.

Gingerbread Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 ¼ cups whole milk
• ⅓ cup unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Garden Salsa

Ingredients

• 9 cups blended tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups chopped green bell peppers
• 2 1/2 cups chopped white onion
• 4 medium jalapenos, chopped (seed all but one)
• 8 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 teaspoons canning salt
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste

Instructions

1. Make the salsa. Place all of the ingredients in a large pot (you will need a 10qt. saucepan for this batch, or split the ingredients among 2 saucepans) and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until thickened and cooked.
2. Prepare cans to be sealed. Ladle the cooked salsa into clean, sterile jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a damp, clean, paper towel, then place lids on top. To make filling easy, I highly recommend a wide funnel designed for canning jars.
3. Process using a water bath. To do this, bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil. Your saucepan needs to be tall enough to have the water cover the jars by 2 inches- though the jars will displace some of the water as they are added.
4. Add the jars to the water bath and cover with a lid. Process for 30 minutes, then remove. I use these tongs to make things easy.
5. Let the jars sit for 24 hours. The salsa will remain good in the jar for up to 18 months… if you can keep yourself from eating it all before then!

Beef Stroganoff

INGREDIENTS

• 8.5 ounces (240 grams) wide egg noodles
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• salt and pepper
• 1 onion finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 8 oz package sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup white cooking wine
• 1 ½ cups beef broth 
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Dijion mustard
• 1/4 cup plain 2% fat Greek yogurt or light sour cream
• Garnish (optional):
• fresh parsley finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot filled with salted water, cook the egg noodles according to the package instructions.
2. As your pasta water is coming to a boil, brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-heat. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add and sautee the onion for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms, and stir to combine. Continue sauteing for another 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked and the onions are soft.
4. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits. You can also use a small amount of beef broth if you don’t want to use alcohol.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijion mustard and flour until smooth.
6. Once the wine has cooked off pour the mixture into the pan, stir and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add the Greek yogurt (or light sour cream) and stir until combined. 
8. Serve this healthier beef stroganoff over the egg noodles and garnish with chopped parsley.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Amount per serving (250 g) — Calories: 398, Fat: 18.2g, Saturated Fat: 4.1g, Cholesterol: 96mg, Sodium: 147mg, Carbohydrates: 20.8g, Fiber: 1.7g, Sugar: 4.2g, Protein: 32.9g

Beef Empanadas

• YIELD36 empanadas
• TIME1 1/2 hours
  INGREDIENTS

  FOR THE DOUGH

  • 4 ounces lard or butter, plus more for brushing tops
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 750 grams all-purpose flour, about 6 cups, more as needed

  FOR THE FILLING

  • 1 pound beef chuck, in 1/8-inch dice (or very coarsely ground)
  •  Salt and pepper
  •  Lard or olive oil, or a combination, for sautéing
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 2 ounces diced chorizo
  • ½ pound potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
  • 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
  • 2 teaspoons chopped marjoram or 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon pimentón dulce or paprika
  •  Large pinch cayenne
  •  Beef or chicken broth, as necessary, or use water
  • ½ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
  • ¼ cup chopped pitted green olives
  • 2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced

  PREPARATION

  Make the dough: Put 2 cups boiling water, 4 ounces lard and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large mixing bowl. Stir to melt lard and dissolve salt. Cool to room temperature.

  1. Gradually stir in flour with a wooden spoon until dough comes together. Knead for a minute or two on a floured board, until firm and smooth. Add more flour if sticky. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Make the filling: Season chopped beef generously with salt and pepper and set aside for 10 minutes. Melt 3 tablespoons lard in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and fry until nicely browned, stirring throughout to keep pieces separate, about 5 minutes.
  3. Turn heat down to medium and add onion and chorizo. Keep turning mixture with a spatula, as if cooking hash, until onion is softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes, garlic, thyme and marjoram and stir well to incorporate. (Add a little more fat to pan if mixture seems dry.) Season again with salt and pepper and let mixture fry for 2 more minutes. Stir in tomato paste, pimentón and cayenne, then a cup of broth or water. Turn heat to simmer, stirring well to incorporate any caramelized bits.
  4. Cook for about 10 more minutes, until both meat and potatoes are tender and the sauce just coats them — juicy but not saucy is what you want. Taste and adjust seasoning for full flavor (intensity will diminish upon cooling). Stir in scallions and cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 
  5. Divide chilled dough into 1-ounce pieces and form into 2-inch diameter balls. Roll each piece into a 4 1/2-inch circle. Lay circles on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.
  6. Moisten outer edge of each round with water. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each round, adding a little chopped green olive and some hard-cooked egg to each. Wrap dough around filling to form empanada, pressing edges together. Fold edge back and finish by pinching little pleats or crimping with a fork. 
  7. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place empanadas on parchment-lined or oiled baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Brush tops lightly with lard or butter and bake on top shelf of oven until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.