Thursday, October 29, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
SPICED PUMPKIN BUTTER
This is good anywhere you would use jam. I found some cute little jars and have 10 jars ready to give away as Christmas favors.
My mother was the queen of canning when I was a child. She made Apple Butter and I loved it. Recently I have come across recipes for Pumpkin Butter. In my love for the Apple version I decided to try this. This recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens. I read the recipe reviews online and those that tried it said the ginger was too strong. I don't like ginger in my pumpkin pie so I didn't use it at all in the Pumpkin Butter. I just increased the Cinnamon and Nutmeg. I like the flavor of this. I also cooked a fresh pumpkin which is not for the faint of heart. I had a pumpkin about 1 foot in diameter which I cut up in 6-7 inch pieces and put them in a large pot with 3-4 inches of water to steam for about an hour. I then cooled the pieces on a cookie sheet and scraped the flesh off the peel. Then I put it in a food processor and blended until smooth. I put the puree back in the pan and cooked, stirring constantly for 1/2 hour or so until some of the water evaporated. Whew! This is work. I am posting an alternate way to cook the pumpkin in the oven which I will do next time because it may eliminate the thickening of the puree by cooking as the pumpkin probably dries out in baking. As you can see by the recipe you can use canned pumpkin. If you use canned I would replace the 1/2 cup of apple juice with 1 can of applesauce.
Spiced Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients
4 cups Pumpkin Puree, or two 15-oz. cans pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice or 1 can of applesauce
2 T cider vinegar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 cups Pumpkin Puree, or two 15-oz. cans pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice or 1 can of applesauce
2 T cider vinegar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Directions
1. In 5-quart Dutch oven combine all ingredients. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, 25 minutes or until thick. (If mixture spatters, reduce heat to medium-low. I used one of those grease popping screens while stirring). I suspect the canned pumpkin would cook faster than the fresh pulp. Remove from heat; cool.
2. Ladle into jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Cover; store in refrigerator up to 1 week or freezer up to 6 months.
1. In 5-quart Dutch oven combine all ingredients. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, 25 minutes or until thick. (If mixture spatters, reduce heat to medium-low. I used one of those grease popping screens while stirring). I suspect the canned pumpkin would cook faster than the fresh pulp. Remove from heat; cool.
2. Ladle into jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Cover; store in refrigerator up to 1 week or freezer up to 6 months.
PUMPKIN PUREE FROM A FRESH PUMPKIN (Oven Method)
Cut pumpkin in 5 inch pieces. Remove seeds and strings. Arrange in a single layer skin side up in foil lined baking pan. Bake covered, 1 hour or until tender. Cool and scoop pulp from rind. Puree in blender or food processor. Can be frozen. Thaw in the refrigerator to use.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
WHAT MAKES LIFE SWEET FOR MIKE ANDERSON?
Mike and his sister Alicia
Do all men get better with age or just mine? Mike Anderson is doing a very sweet thing for me lately besides the dishes every night. I go to the temple on Fridays. Sometimes before I leave and at other times not until after my return I spy a white paper sitting on my shiny black stovetop. It makes me happy because I know this sheet is a hand written note from my thoughtful husband about something he admires about me. It is usually one page with details of his admiration. Most of the notes relate to normal things we women do when we are trying to be a good wife and homemaker. Others are recognition of my personal goals that he respects. It is nice and motivating to see that my man actually notices and appreciates what I am doing...even the simple things.
One Thursday morning last summer Mike went with me on a 10-mile bike ride which loops through west Farmington. We do this route often during the summer. I have spent most of this summer going alone as Mike's hip replacement hasn’t been comfortable enough to bike. On this particular day we passed Mike’s sister Alicia, who lives in Farmington Crossing. She was walking on a street in Oakridge with a friend. We didn’t stop to talk but waved a hearty hello. (Alicia tells me that when I am alone they often see me but I don’t see them—excessive concentration?) Mike said to me as we rode along, "Isn’t that great! I saw my sister on the street this morning."
When I returned from the temple on Friday the white sheet of paper was waiting for me to read. Mike told me later that seeing his sister walking on Thursday morning inspired him to write this list:
Do all men get better with age or just mine? Mike Anderson is doing a very sweet thing for me lately besides the dishes every night. I go to the temple on Fridays. Sometimes before I leave and at other times not until after my return I spy a white paper sitting on my shiny black stovetop. It makes me happy because I know this sheet is a hand written note from my thoughtful husband about something he admires about me. It is usually one page with details of his admiration. Most of the notes relate to normal things we women do when we are trying to be a good wife and homemaker. Others are recognition of my personal goals that he respects. It is nice and motivating to see that my man actually notices and appreciates what I am doing...even the simple things.
One Thursday morning last summer Mike went with me on a 10-mile bike ride which loops through west Farmington. We do this route often during the summer. I have spent most of this summer going alone as Mike's hip replacement hasn’t been comfortable enough to bike. On this particular day we passed Mike’s sister Alicia, who lives in Farmington Crossing. She was walking on a street in Oakridge with a friend. We didn’t stop to talk but waved a hearty hello. (Alicia tells me that when I am alone they often see me but I don’t see them—excessive concentration?) Mike said to me as we rode along, "Isn’t that great! I saw my sister on the street this morning."
When I returned from the temple on Friday the white sheet of paper was waiting for me to read. Mike told me later that seeing his sister walking on Thursday morning inspired him to write this list:
SOME things that make life sweet:
-Watching our birds
-Sitting on the deck on a cool morning
-A home cooked meal
-Taking a bike ride and seeing my sister walking
-A soft mattress
-St. George in February
-A daughter who lives in the area
-Grandsons
Michael making his first par
Being called "Poppy"
Watching Luke toddle
-Your paintings
-Golf channel/Hitting a long drive
-Visiting Monterey
-Good friends
-A fresh tomato, sweet corn, watermelon, chocolate, your marshmallow frosting on cake, hot fudge
-A movie we both like
-A day without pain
-The smell of fresh cookies
-Finishing a stained glass project
-Hearing a word in Spanish, French, German or Italian and understanding it. (He knows some of all these languages)-A Sarah Brightman classic
-When a child is happy or has a success
-A pet like Puddles (Maren's wonderful cat)
-Spending my life with you
-Sitting on the deck on a cool morning
-A home cooked meal
-Taking a bike ride and seeing my sister walking
-A soft mattress
-St. George in February
-A daughter who lives in the area
-Grandsons
Michael making his first par
Being called "Poppy"
Watching Luke toddle
-Your paintings
-Golf channel/Hitting a long drive
-Visiting Monterey
-Good friends
-A fresh tomato, sweet corn, watermelon, chocolate, your marshmallow frosting on cake, hot fudge
-A movie we both like
-A day without pain
-The smell of fresh cookies
-Finishing a stained glass project
-Hearing a word in Spanish, French, German or Italian and understanding it. (He knows some of all these languages)-A Sarah Brightman classic
-When a child is happy or has a success
-A pet like Puddles (Maren's wonderful cat)
-Spending my life with you
I feel great joy that I could be a part of the sweetness in Mike’s life. Thanks my precious partner for your generous appreciation for the simple joys.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
CHOCOLATE HOT POTS
I went on a Carnival cruise with Maren in July and the Warm Chocolate Melting Cakes were their best dessert. I gained 4 lbs. eating more than my share. When I came home I began research on a recipe (love the internet). After trying 3 recipes this is the one I created and am pleased with the results. A friend named them Hot Pots.
(I have simplified the recipe for those of you who have seen this before. There was too much information) They are really very simple.
1 C. butter melted and add:
8 oz. dark chocolate – stir until chocolate is smooth. If you use semisweet add 2 T. Dutch process Cocoa or what you have. (I often 1 1/2 times this recipe which uses 1 pkg. of Hershey's Dark Choc Chips from Walmart and I still add 1 T. Cocoa. (Love these Hershey chips)
8 oz. dark chocolate – stir until chocolate is smooth. If you use semisweet add 2 T. Dutch process Cocoa or what you have. (I often 1 1/2 times this recipe which uses 1 pkg. of Hershey's Dark Choc Chips from Walmart and I still add 1 T. Cocoa. (Love these Hershey chips)
Cool the chocolate for 10 minutes if it is hot. Add 4 eggs and 1 egg yolk along with ½ C. of sugar, ¼ C. of flour and 1 tsp. vanilla. Stir well and chill until solid. This can stay in the refrigerator for a week and it will also freeze (form into balls, chill on a sprayed plate and then lift them in a fold top bag individually . (if you only want to bake a couple at a time like we do) One recipe makes about 7 cups.
The baking process is the key to success. Buy some small ceramic ramkins 3 1/2 inch (the clear glass ones get too hot. Ross has them often.
Fill the Pam sprayed cups with 1/3 C. generously filled cold mixture. If I have it I make a hole in the middle and add a T Nutella. Bake at 400 for 13-14 minutes. That's what it takes in my oven. I have also added a choc, or mint truffle in the middle and it is a fun addition. Don't bake them until the center closes over. You want the center to be gooey.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
LAST WEEK IN MONTEREY CALIFORNIA
Cheryl in the front of her house
I wonder if the friends that we make in our young married adulthood are the most important. They were for me. Cheryl was my neighbor for a few years in Somerset Farms in Farmington. We had children of similar ages. We shared a love of art, crafts and sewing. She was a sister I never had and has remained so through the years even as she has moved to Australia and other states in the US. For the last 15 years (or so) she has lived in the "Pastures of Heaven" so well named by John Steinbeck. This lovely place is located in the Salinas hills about 15 minutes from Monterey. Cheryl's sister Viki, her mother Beth and brother Larry (along with all their children) have come to be our family as well and we have all shared many good experiences together. We spent last week in Monterey with the "group". The guys golfed Poppy Hills and Spanish Bay...a rare opportunity, especially because the Bay was free and the Hills at a discount because Viki and Cheryl's husbands Steve and Ron are Golf marshals there. We love the restaurants in the area. I did a little cooking for the family which is a joy for me. We watched conference together. And we walked the beach and the Salinas hills. Thank you dear friends for sharing our life.
The front yard
Stair to the hills by Cheryl and Ron's house
Walking in the hills
Toro Park Path
