Chickens in the Road Page 26
To make apple butter, core, peel, and slice the apples. Cook apples in a pot of water long enough to soften, then puree into sauce. You can also use a food strainer, like a Squeezo, to prepare the puree, which makes the process even easier. Per 2 quarts prepared puree, add:
4 cups sugar
1 cup raisins
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup whiskey
Combine the applesauce puree, sugar, raisins, and spices in a large pot. Simmer until the mixture thickens and rounds up on a spoon. Stir frequently. Add the whiskey to the pot and stir well. Ladle the hot butter into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Add lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Yield: 3 pints.
CORNCOB JELLY
Corncob jelly is a perfect example of the “waste not, want not” spirit of our ancestors, who knew how to use everything, and I mean everything. Most of us are accustomed to tossing corncobs in the trash or the compost pile, but there are actually many, many ways to utilize them. Corncob jelly is one of the tastiest. Here’s a short list of other ideas.
Give them to the animals. Chickens and donkeys love to peck and chew every bit of sweetness out of a cob.
Make a corncob doll.
Make a corncob pipe. (If you’re handy and into that.)
Stick a nail or hook in one end of the cob. Slather cob with peanut butter and seeds—tie on a tree branch as a bird feeder.
Boil down for vegetable soup stock. (Similar to the method I outline below for making corncob jelly—use the corn liquid as soup stock instead.)
Potpourri—slice cobs in thin pieces, dry, then sprinkle with scented oil. Makes a very pretty addition to a potpourri bowl.
Dry for fire starters. (You can dry corncobs in the sun, the old-fashioned way, or use a dehydrator.)
In the old days, dried, they were used as pot scrubbers.
Poke a long nail in each end of a dried cob and use as a paint roller to make a neat pattern. (Also can use corncobs held upright as a brush, or cut in half to use the even, cut edge to stamp patterns.)
Corncob wine!
You should never throw a corncob away again.
For this recipe, you can use any kind of corn. Traditionally, (red) field corn was often used, but the corn you plan to serve for supper will also make a delicious jelly.
12 large ears of corn
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
11¼-ounce package powdered fruit pectin
Salted butter
Sugar
Cook the corn; cut the kernels from the cobs and store for another use. Measure 2 quarts water into a large pot; add the corncobs.
Bring to a boil. Boil hard for 30 minutes. (If you had the pot covered when you brought it to a boil, take the lid off now. Boil it down uncovered for a more concentrated result.) Turn off the heat and remove the cobs. Strain the corn liquid through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer.
Measure the remaining corn liquid. I usually get a little over 3½ cups corn liquid after it boils down. Return the liquid to the large pot. Stir in the lemon juice and pectin. Add a dab of butter to prevent foaming. Bring to a boil. Add the sugar, cup per cup, to match the measure of your corn liquid. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring pot to a rolling boil. Boil hard one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Ladle the hot corncob jelly into hot jars. Adjust the lids and bands. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Makes approximately 5 half-pints.
This jelly comes out a beautiful pale amber color and tastes surprisingly like a light honey.
FLOWER AND HERB JELLIES
Wildflower jellies are an old-fashioned idea, and the reason for that is we don’t think we have time in our rush-rush world to pick flowers for a few hours and separate the petals. It’s a slow task, somewhat akin to stringing beans or cracking nuts.
You can make flower and herb jellies using any amount of flowers and herbs, so if you don’t want to pick any certain amount, this per cup recipe is helpful. Note: Be sure to check an expert resource when determining what flowers are edible.
This same recipe can be used to make herb jellies. Herb jelly is more than mint! Basil, rosemary, sage, and many other herbs make wonderful herb jellies.
To prepare the infusion, boil water and steep petals/herb leaves overnight, one cup boiling water per one cup petals/leaves. The next day, strain the infusion through cheesecloth to get a clear liquid. When adding up cups of strained infusion, if you’re short, add water to round up to the next cup, then make jelly.
For the jelly, per cup strained infusion, add one 1¼-ounce package powdered fruit pectin, ⅛ cup lemon juice, and 2 cups sugar. One 1¼-ounce package powdered fruit pectin will set up to 2 cups strained infusion. For 4 cups infusion, use 2 packages, and so on. (For 3 cups infusion, go ahead and use 2 packages, and for 5 cups, use 3 packages.) There is no natural pectin in flower petals and herbs, so a lot of pectin is required.
To make the jelly, combine the strained infusion, powdered pectin, and lemon juice in a pot according to the per cup measurements. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Ladle hot jelly into hot jars. Add lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
These jellies come out in beautiful natural colors, but you can add a drop or two of food coloring for a desired effect, if you wish. You can also use this same infusion method as a base for flower or herb syrups, teas, and more.
BANANA SPLIT IN A JAR
I came up with this recipe when I realized I had some bananas on the verge of going bad. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten a banana split, but I love the combination of fruit flavors. And the whipped cream. And the fudge. And the ice cream.
And I wondered why I hadn’t had one in so long. But, of course, banana splits can be a bit of a hassle to put together. You have to have all the stuff. Then I thought—banana split in a jar!
I created a recipe combining all four of the traditional banana split fruits, ready, able, and willing to go on top of a bowl of ice cream. Just add chocolate syrup and whipped cream.
½ cup lemon juice
2 cups mashed bananas
2 cups crushed strawberries
1½ cups crushed pineapple
1 cup halved maraschino cherries
11¼-ounce package powdered fruit pectin
5 cups sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup banana rum or dark rum (optional)
Mix the lemon juice into the bananas immediately after mashing to retain the fresh color, then combine all the fruit and the pectin in a big pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add the sugar and a dab of butter to reduce foaming. Bring to a rolling boil; boil hard 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add nuts and rum (if using).
Ladle into jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Process in a boiling water bath 15 minutes.
Serve over ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. This also makes a great spread on toast or topping for pancakes or waffles, pound cake or cheesecake, and anything else.
This recipe makes about 9 half-pints.
HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT
You can find whole vanilla beans at farmers’ markets, whole food stores, and even many chain grocery stores, but the best deals are available online in bulk. Store vanilla beans triple-bagged in the refrigerator and they will keep fresh up to a year. Scrapings from vanilla beans can also be used in homemade vanilla ice cream and in cookie and other dessert recipes. Add whole split vanilla beans to your sugar container to make vanilla sugar. Don’t be afraid to buy vanilla beans in bulk—there are so many ways to use them!
Making your own vanilla extract is very simple, and it also makes great gifts for the bakers in your life. Since I bake a lot, I use a 750 ml bottle of vodka, but the recipe can be downsized if you prefer a smaller batch. For “double-
strength” vanilla, increase the number of beans.
12 whole vanilla beans
750 milliliter bottle of vodka
Dark rum (optional)
Using kitchen scissors, split open the vanilla beans lengthwise, leaving about an inch connected (not cut) at one end. The vanilla beans will take up space inside the bottle, so pour out about half a cup of the vodka (or more as needed) and set aside.
Push the beans into the bottle. Add back vodka if necessary to fill up the bottle, or you can also use a little bit of dark rum for additional flavoring if desired.
Screw on the lid tightly, shake well, and store in a cool, dry location. Shake the bottle once or twice a day for the first week or so, then just whenever you think about it. It will take a month or two to steep well enough to use, but you can use it sooner if you’re in a rush. Stored properly, it will be good for years and will in fact get better all the time as it grows stronger. If you can wait 4 to 6 months before using, all the better. (Remember to make a new batch well before the old one runs out. If planning for gifts, prepare the extract several months beforehand so your recipient can use it right away.)
CRACKER CANDY
Georgia made big batches of cracker candy every winter. She’d give it away to family and friends and keep a box of it in her refrigerator. “It satisfies all my longings,” she’d say.
For a quick treat to put together, it makes pretty good comfort food. All you need for basic cracker candy is crackers (any type will do) and some semisweet chocolate. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler and dip the crackers. Let sit to harden and enjoy.
For toffee cracker candy, a little more involved but worth it, you’ll need:
Oil
Crackers (such as Ritz or Club)
1 cup salted butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup nuts (optional)
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spray a 9 x 13–inch pan with oil. Spread the crackers evenly over the bottom of the pan. Heat the butter and brown sugar in a small pot. Let boil for 3 minutes. Pour the butter and brown sugar mixture over the crackers. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts. I prefer pecans or walnuts. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven off. Scatter chocolate chips over the top and place in the still-warm (turned off) oven for a few minutes, long enough for the chocolate to melt. Let sit to cool and harden, then break the candy into pieces.
Don’t forget to hide some of it in your fridge for when you have a longing.
MOLASSES COOKIES
Clover’s favorite cookies!
1½ cups salted butter, softened
1¼ cups sugar, plus addtional for sprinkling or rolling
2 large eggs
¼ cup molasses
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1½ teaspoons salt
1 cup raisins (optional)
4 cups all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Three sticks of butter is a lot of butter. That’s why these cookies are so delicious. You can substitute margarine or shortening. If you insist.
Cream the butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs and molasses. Add the soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Stir to combine. (Optional: Add 1 cup of raisins.)
Stir in the flour. Divide the cookie dough into thirds and chill for an hour or two until the dough is easy to handle. Shape the dough into logs for slicing, or use a spoon to scoop off balls of dough. Place the slices on a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar. If scooping off balls, you can roll the balls in sugar. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. This recipe makes several dozen cookies, but that depends on their size!
These are actually people cookies, in case you’re wondering. But don’t be judging if I give them to my goats.
DRUNKEN RUM COOKIE LOGS
When these cookies come out of the oven, they’ll make your house smell like you’re inside a glass of eggnog, and they are scrumptious. This is a recipe I got from Georgia, only she makes them with rum flavoring. The first time I made them, I took a batch to my cousin and said, “Look, I made your mother’s cookies. Only I call them drunken rum cookie logs.”
He said, “Why?”
I told him, “I don’t use rum flavoring.”
He said, “Oh.” And took them. Then I delivered some to Georgia and told her the same thing.
She said, “Oh my.” (She took them, too.)
For the cookie:
1 cup salted butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons rum flavoring or ¼ cup rum
1 heaping teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups all-purpose flour
For the frosting:
3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon rum flavoring (or a big dollop of rum)
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
A couple tablespoons milk (as much as needed for drizzling consistency)
Ground nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Then start with some rum. Bacardi Gold or Calico Jack spiced rum is good. You should probably test the rum first. You don’t want any bad rum going into your cookies.
When you’re sure the rum is okay, cream the butter and sugar. You might want to stop now and check the rum again. You can’t trust it. It might go bad.
Add the egg, the vanilla extract, and either 2 teaspoons of rum flavoring or ¼ cup rum. Add the nutmeg.
This is when you’re about to get up to the real manual labor, so it might be a good time to take a break and test the rum again.
Dump in the all-purpose flour. This makes a pretty heavy cookie dough, so use a sturdy spoon to stir. Divide the dough into four parts and shape each part into a long, loglike roll. Cut into 3-inch pieces with a sharp knife.
Place the cookie logs, lengthwise, on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool before frosting.
This is a good time to test the rum again.
To make the frosting, cream the butter with the vanilla and either 1 teaspoon of rum flavoring or a big dollop of rum. Add the powdered sugar and a few tablespoons of milk until you have icing at a drizzling consistency. Frost the cooled cookies and sprinkle with more nutmeg.
Serve with rum.
SWEET POTATO PIE
My kids think they don’t like sweet potatoes, but their easily diverted little minds never make the connection between a pile of sweet potatoes in the pantry and what ends up on their plates. The first time I made sweet potato fries, Morgan said, “Why do these French fries look orange?”
I said, “Oh, it’s just some special seasoning I put on there.”
She said (suspiciously), “What kind of seasoning?”
I said, “Orange-colored seasoning! Here, you want some ketchup?”
She ate them right up. And so when I make sweet potato pie, I tell everyone it’s pumpkin pie. And they eat that right up, too. Ha. Sweet potato pie does taste very much like pumpkin pie, and this recipe is my favorite.
To start, you need a great piecrust:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cup lard or shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 large egg
½ cup cold water
Combine the flour, lard or shortening, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Blend with a pastry cutter. Add the vinegar, egg, and cold water. Mix well with a spoon, knead lightly, and divide into four balls. Chill 15 minutes before rolling out into crusts. (Extra pie dough balls can be frozen.)
To make sweet potato pie:
3 large sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)
½ cup salted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
½ cup milk
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus additional for sprinkling
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 unbaked single-crust pie shell
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Boil the sweet potatoes in their skins until very tender. Drain, then slit the skins with a knife and they’ll peel off very easily. Mash the sweet potatoes with the butter, then use an electric mixer to blend well. Add the sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Use the mixer to blend again. Pour the sweet potato filling into the unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle the top with more nutmeg. Bake (mostly on the lowest oven rack) for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Baking pies on the lower oven rack is my secret to properly baked crusts. No gooey crusts! This also prevents the edges from overbrowning.)
Cool and top slices with whipped cream. Then call the kids and ask them if they want some pumpkin pie.
COCONUT-OATMEAL RUM PIE (WITH WALNUTS)
I made up this recipe when I was baking a couple pies and managing with what I had on hand. It’s based on a coconut-oatmeal pie recipe, adjusted for the addition of rum and the lack of enough oatmeal, which I replaced with walnuts. The result was intoxicating. This one went right into my holiday pie repertoire.
3 large eggs
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup dark rum
⅔ cup sugar
⅓ cup salted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup shredded coconut
⅓ cup oatmeal
⅓ cup walnuts, chopped
1 unbaked single-crust pie shell
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a medium-size bowl, combine the eggs, corn syrup, rum, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Whisk to mix. Using a spoon, stir in the coconut, oatmeal, and walnuts. Pour into the pie shell. Bake on the lower oven rack for 40 to 45 minutes.