Michele Burke February, 2012

While everyone is busy working to use more holistic recipes into their family’s diets, a lot of times we forget about our four legged friends. Here is just one of the recipes I personally feed my dogs, and their vet says it has really done wonders for them.

Turkey Special Recipe

Ingredients

•1 lb. ground turkey

> •6 c. water
>
>  •2 c. brown rice
>
>  •1/2 c. of frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflowers.

•1 t. dried rosemary

Place the water, ground turkey, rice, and rosemary into a large saucepan. Stir until the turkey is broken up and evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce heat to low. Let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes, before adding the frozen vegetables and cooking for an additional 5 minutes.

Tags: cooking, Recipes, turkey

• Recipes

Heather Miles August, 2011

Merry Meet and welcome to my Kitchen Hearth. Come and sit for a spell while we whip up something yummy.

This month we will be looking at some preserves. Fruit and veggie preserves. I am giving the recipes only as I have touched on the canning methods in past articles or you can look online at this link… http://www.pickyourown.org/allaboutcanning.htm

Tomato Preserve

Ingredients

• 1 pound yellow pear tomatoes
• 1 pound sugar
• 2 ounces chopped or shredded ginger
• 2 lemons

Instructions

Peel tomatoes, cover with sugar, and let stand over night. In the morning pour off syrup and boil until quite thick; skim, then add tomatoes, ginger, and lemons which have been sliced and the seeds removed. Cook until tomatoes have a clarified appearance.

Apricot Jalapeno Jelly

1/2 cup jalapeno peppers — stems & seeds removed ( use other types if you want a hotter preserve.)
1 large red bell pepper — stem & seeds removed
2 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 dried apricots — chopped
6 cups sugar
3 ounces liquid pectin
4 drops red food color ( omit if you want true color)

Put jalapenos, bell pepper, & vinegar in blender. Puree until coarsely ground and small chunks remain. Combine apricots, sugar, & jalapeno/pepper/vinegar mixture in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil rapidly, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; skim off any foam that forms. Allow mixture to cool for 2 minutes. Then mix in pectin (and food coloring if you’re going to use it). Pour into sterilized jars, follow canning instructions.

Kiwi – strawberry Jam Recipe

2 cups chopped kiwi
1 cup chopped strawberries
1 package pectin
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
4 cups sugar

Combine kiwi, strawberries, pectin and apple juice in a large saucepot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4th inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. follow canning instructions. Yield: about 4 half-pints.

Pineapple Jelly
Makes about 2 pints

4 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
2 cans crushed pineapple — 8 oz cans
1 pouch (3oz) Certo Liquid Fruit Pectin — do not use powder

Add the sugar, pineapple, and lime juice to a sauce pan. Bring to a full rolling boil. Add the liquid pectin and bring back to a full rolling boil. Let cool slightly and pour into clean containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Simple Jalapeno Jelly Recipe

3 jalapeno peppers with seeds removed, chopped finely
4 medium bell peppers with seeds removed chopped coarsely
1 cup of vinegar
5 cups of sugar
3 oz. jar of pectin

cook the peppers and vinegar in a 4 quart pan until soft. Add the sugar and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add pectin then return to heat and boil for 1 more minute. Fill jelly jars. Follow canning instruction.

Apple Pie Jam
4 cups tart apples, chopped
unsweetened apple juice
1  tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
4 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 (1 3/4 oz) box dry pectin
1 tsp. butter

Measure apples in a measuring cup, and then add in the same measuring cup applejuice to fill up to the 4 cup line (with the apples in it). Put into a heavy saucepan. Add pectin, butter, spices and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.

Add sugars and bring back to a full rolling boil, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim off any foam.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4? . Put on lids, and follow canning instructions.

Mulled Apple Jelly
Makes approximately 5 small jarfuls.

Ingredients
2.25 lbs of apples – a mixture of cookers and eaters works well
water
1 quart apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
12 cloves
1/3 cup cider vinegar
granulated sugar

Method

Roughly chop the apples and place in pan. There is no need to peel and core. Cover with apple juicer (I used a little over 1 qt) and add spices. Bring to the boil and then simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.

Pour into a  jelly bag suspended over a large bowl. Leave to strain for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. Don’t be tempted to prod or squeeze the jelly bag to get more juice out as this will make the jelly cloudy.

Measure out the juice and return to the pan along with 1 lb sugar for every 1 pint of juice. I found I had exactly 2 pints of juice so used 2 lbs sugar but obviously this will vary depending on how juicy your apples were, how long you strained them and how much apple juice you used.

Stir in the cider vinegar and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for approximately 10 minutes until setting point is reached.

Pour into warm, sterilized jars, follow canning instructions.  Keep in the fridge once opened and used within 3 weeks.

Summer berry and lemon verbena jelly

1 lb plus about 2 oz. berries – any or all of the following: raspberries, blackberries, red currants. This recipes used a mixture of about 70% raspberries, 25% red currants, and 5% blackberries.

1 lb white sugar

1 tsp pectin (see Notes)

1 large handful, or a couple of sprigs, of lemon verbena

Wash and sort the berries. If you are using red currants, carefully pick off all the stems.
Put the berries and sugar into the stainless steel or other non-reactive pan. Mash and let it macerate for about half an hour.
In the meantime, put a plate into the refrigerator to make it very cold.
Mix the pectin in with the fruit. Turn on the heat, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low, and cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring up the bottom periodically to keep from burning. Skim off the scum that forms on the top.
For the last 10 minutes of cooking, drop in the lemon verbena.
Drop a bit of the jam liquid onto the cold plate. If it forms a skin almost immediately, it’s done.
Fish out the lemon verbena leaves. Pass the jam mixture a ladleful at a time through a time through a sieve or strainer, taking out all the seeds.
Can using your favorite canning method.

Notes: This recipe has used pectin, which is a natural jellifying agent. Berries in general don’t have much pectin, and it’s needed in this case to make it ‘jell’ enough. You may also be able to find something called sugar for jam making, which has pectin already mixed in. This version (with 1 teaspoon per 1lb fruit) results in a fairly runny jelly, which is great for using on yogurt and ice cream, but if you prefer a firmer jelly you will need more pectin. Follow the package directions.
If you don’t mind the seeds, especially if you don’t use red currants which have rather large seeds, you can skip the straining step. In that case you will have a jam rather than a jelly.

Grapefruit and Vanilla Marmalade

3 large grapefruits ( ruby red work best)
3 cups water
4 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
2 tablespoons rose water or lemon juice

Set a large pot of water to boil. Cut off the peel of the grapefruits, working to get good thick slices, but leaving the inner white pith closest to the fruit still attached to the fruit. Cut the peels into strips. Blanch the peels by submersing them in boiling water for about three minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under running water. Bring a fresh pot of water to a boil and repeat the blanching process again, to remove any bitterness. Drain and rinse again.
Place the peels in a large pot. Cut off all the white pith from the remaining fruits then, working over the pot, cut between the grapefruit membranes so that the fruit sections fall into the pot. Squeeze juice from the membranes and discard them.
Add the water and sugar to the pot and bring to a boil, stirring to combine. Lower the heat to a very low simmer. Simmer until the marmalade is thick and translucent, about one hour. The marmalade may still appear a touch watery- keep in mind it will thicken as it cools.
Add the vanilla bean seeds and simmer another five minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the rose water (or lemon) and set aside to cool. Follow canning instructions or use within 3-4 weeks

And lastly .. I am not even sure where this recipe came from. I am sure if I searched my cookbooks or the web I would find it.. but yummo!!!

Onion Marmalade
4 lbs onions (sliced thin)
3 slices bacon (thick cut)
2 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cup red wine
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Place a large, non-reactive pan over medium-low heat cook the bacon. The goal is to render the fat. Once the bacon has crisped, remove.
Turn up the heat to high to medium- high, add the onions, salt and olive oil. Stir to coat all the onions with the oil and bacon fat. Cook covered with a tight lid for about 20 minutes. Continue to cook stirring every 5 to 10 minutes until the onions begin to turn golden brown.
Add the sugar, brown sugar, red wine, and balsamic vinegar. Cook over medium heat until very thick. To test if it’s the right consistency, dribble a bit of the reduction on a plate and it still liquid, but slowly slips down the plate after it cools briefly. You can also look to for doneness by dragging a spoon against the bottom of the pot. If it leaves a long valley, then its done. WARNING: Do not walk away from this once it begins to get close. There is enough sugar in this that it can burn and forever attach to the bottom of your pan..
Remove from heat and let cool before storing.
Place in a glass or heat resistant container. Cover and refrigerate.
This is both acidic and high in sugar, so its excellent for long term storage. It keeps in the fridge well for at least 2 months.
ome of the fat may become solid at the top after cooling. I simply scrape it off and dispose of it.
Additionally, if the marmalade become too thick after cooling, simply reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds and it will then spread very easily.

Until next month
Merry Cooking and Blessed Eating
The Hearthkeeper

PS. If there is anything you would like to see here.. Please email me at  thehearthkeeper@gmail.com

Blessed be…

Tags: cooking, food, Recipes

• Recipes

Hearthkeeper June, 2011

Merry meet and Welcome to my Kitchen. Come on in and grab a cuppa and see what we can share. This month I am focusing on a different way to use the Bounty of our Mother Earth. The year round bounty that is accessible like it never was in years gone by. And once frozen or dried you may be able to use this beauty and flavor year round.

We do not always think about the flowers of our plants. We focus on the leaves and roots, but forget that the blooms are often as flavorful as the rest of the plant. And many are gorgeous. So this month I am focusing on the edible flowers, both herbs and plants.  I have listed some of the ways you can use them and a fairly large list. I have in no way compiled a complete list. I focused on mainly “flowers” and herbal flowers. You may wish to look further, as you can also use many fruit and vegetable flowers as well. So here we go..I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

How to Clean Edible Flowers:

Gentle shake each flower to dislodge any insects or dirt that may be hidden in the petal folds.
After carefully removing the stamen, wash the flowers under a gentle spray of water or place a strainer in a large bowl of water and gently move around..
Drain and allow them to dry completely on absorbent paper. The flowers will fresh providing they dry quickly and are not exposed to direct sunlight.

How to preserve edible flowers:

To preserve flowers, put them on moist paper and place together in a air tight container or in plastic Ziploc style bag. By using this method certain species can be preserved in the refrigerator for some 10 days.
You can also store the whole flower in a glass of water in the refrigerator overnight.

How to crystallized/candy edible flowers:

You can use candied flowers and petals in a variety of ways – decorate cakes  – all kinds of sweet things, such as ice cream, sherbet or fruit salad.

Ingredients:

1 egg white or powdered egg whites
Superfine granulated sugar –not confectioners sugar.
Thin paintbrush
A variety of flowers such as violets, pansies, johnny-jump-ups, rose petals, etc. ( see list below)
Wire rack covered with wax paper

Directions:
Carefully clean and completely dry the flowers or petals.
Beat the egg white in the small bowl until slightly foamy, you can add a few drops of water to make the egg whites easier to spread.
Paint each flower individually with beaten egg white using the small paintbrush. When thoroughly coated with egg white, sprinkle with superfine sugar.

Place the coated flowers or petals on wax paper on a wire rack. Let dry at room temperature (this could take 12 to 36 hours).. Flowers are completely dry when stiff and brittle to the touch. NOTE: To dry faster, you can place the candied flowers in an oven set at 150 degrees to 200 degrees F with the door ajar for a few hours. Or you can use a food dehydrator if you have access to one.

Store the flowers in layers, separated by tissue paper, in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.

Making Blossom Ice Cubes:

Use cleaned flower blossoms.

Boil water for 2 minutes for all the air trapped in the water to escape. Remove from heat and let the water cool until room temperature. This will ensure that the ice cubes are crystal clear.
Place each blossom at the bottom of each compartment in the ice cube tray. Fill half full with the cooled boiled water and freeze. After the water is frozen solid, fill each ice cube compartment the rest of the way to the top with the remaining boiled water. Freeze until ready to use.

How To Make Herb Flower Butter:

1/2 to 1 cup chopped fresh or dried herb flower petals
1 pound sweet unsalted butter, room temperature
Finely chop herb flowers or petals and mix into softened butter.
To allow the flavors to blend and intensify allow the mixture to stand at room temperature overnight.
Can be refrigerated for a couple of weeks or frozen for several months.

Edible Flower Chart , names and uses:

Begonia - Tuberous begonias
The leaves, flowers, and stems are edible. Begonia blossoms have a citrus-sour taste. The petals are used in salads and as a garnish.
The flowers and stems contain oxalic acid and should not be consumed by individuals suffering from gout, kidney stones, or rheumatism.

Calendula
Also called Marigolds. A wonderful edible flower, flavors range from spicy to bitter, tangy to peppery. Their sharp taste resembles saffron (also known as Poor Man’s Saffron). Sprinkle them on soups, pasta or rice dishes, herb butters, and salads. Petals add a yellow tint to soups, spreads, and scrambled eggs.

Carnations
Carnations can be steeped in wine, candy, or use as cake decoration. To use the surprisingly sweet petals in desserts, cut them away from the bitter white base of the flower. Dianthus are the miniature member of the carnation family with light clove-like or nutmeg scent. Petals add color to salads or aspics.

Clover
Sweet, anise-like, licorice. Raw flower heads can be difficult to digest.

Cornflower
Also called Bachelor’s button. They have a slightly sweet to spicy, clove-like flavor. Bloom can be used as a natural food dye.
Most commonly used as garnish.

Dandelions
Flowers are sweetest when picked young. They have a sweet, honey-like flavor. Dandelion buds are tastier than the flowers: best to pick these when they are very close to the ground, tightly bunched in the center, and about the size of a small gumball. Good raw or steamed. Also made into wine. Young leaves taste good steamed, or tossed in salads.  Mature flowers are bitter.

Garden Sorrel
Sorrel flowers are tart, lemon tasting. So use like a lemon: as a salad topping, in sauces, over cucumber salads.

Honeysuckle
Sweet honey flavor. Only the flowers are edible. NOTE: - Do not eat Berries they are highly poisonous!!

Impatiens
The flowers have a sweet flavor. Use as a garnish in salads or floated in drinks.

Johnny-Jump-Ups
Lovely yellow, white and purple blooms have a mild wintergreen flavor and can be used in salads, to decorate cakes, or served with soft cheese. You can also in drinks, soups, desserts or salads.

Lilac
The flavor of lilacs varies from plant to plant. Very fragrant, slightly bitter and has a distinct lemony taste with floral, pungent overtones. Great in salads and crystallized with egg whites and sugar.

Marigold
The marigold are great in salads as they have a citrus flavor.

Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums rank among most common edible flowers. Blossoms have a sweet, spicy flavor. Stuff whole flowers with savory mousse or pureed chicken salad. The leaves add peppery tang to salads. You can use the entire flowers to garnish platters, salads, cheese tortes and open-faced sandwiches.

Pansy
the flavor is extremely mild if you ably eat the petals, but if you eat the whole flower, there is a strong wintergreen flavor. Use as garnishes, in fruit salads, green salad, od candied on or in desserts.

Peony
Add peony petals to your summer salad or try floating in punches and lemonades.

Roses
Flavors depend on type, color, and soil conditions. Flavor varies from strawberries to green apples. Sweet, with flavors ranging from fruity to minty/spicy. All roses are edible, with the flavor being stronger in the darker varieties. Use the whole bud or flower of the miniature varieties to garnish ice cream and desserts, or sprinkle larger petals on desserts or salads. Freeze in ice cubes and float them your punch bowl. Petals can be used in syrups, jellies, and sweet spreads. Be sure to remove the bitter white portion of the petals before you use them..

Violets
Related to Johnny jump-ups or violas and pansies they now come in colorful purples and yellows to apricot and pastel hues. Eat the tender leaves and flowers in salads. Use the flowers to decorate desserts and drinks. All of these flowers make pretty decorations for cakes, sorbets, or any other desserts, and they may be candies/crystallized as well.

Herb Flowers:

Most herb flowers are just as tasty as the leaves and are very attractive when used in your salads. Use the petals in any dish you were already going to flavor with the herb.

Alliums (leeks, chives, garlic, garlic chives)
Known as the “Flowering Onions.” There are many different kinds that includes the familiar onion, garlic, chives, ramps, and shallots. Their flavors range from mild to strong and garlic. All parts of the plants are edible. The flowers tend to have a stronger flavor than the leaves. Eat the leaves and flowers in salads. The leaves can also be cooked as a flavoring with other vegetables in soups, stew and sauces.
Chive Blossoms have light onion flavor and aroma. Separate the florets and enjoy the mild, onion flavor in a variety of dishes.
Garlic Blossoms can have white or pink flowers, and the stems are flat instead of round. The flavor is milder than the garlic bulb, wonderful in salads.

Angelica
Flower range from pale lavender-blue to deep rose; and the flavor is similar to licorice. Angelica seeds and stems can be candied or used in liqueurs. The young leaves and shoots can be added to a salad. In many countries Angelica is considered a vegetable and eaten raw.

Basil
Flowers range from white to pale pink or even a delicate lavender. The flavor of the flower is milder than the leaves. Basil also coming in different varieties that taste like lemon or mint. Sprinkle over salad or pasta for a splash of color and burst of flavor.

Bee Balm
Also called Wild Bergamot, Wild Oswego Tea or Monarda. Wild bee balm tastes like blend of oregano and mint. The red flowers can have a minty flavor. Any place you use oregano, you can use bee balm blossoms. Use the leaves and flower petals in both fruit and regular salads..

Borage
Borage has lovely cornflower blue star-shaped flowers. Blossoms and leaves have a cool, faint cucumber taste. Use in punches, lemonade, gin and tonics, sorbets, chilled soups, cheese tortes, and dips.

Chervil
Chervil has delicate white flowers with an anise flavor.. add at the end of cooking or sprinkled on in its fresh, raw state in salads. Since Chervil’s flavor does not do well being dried or too much heat.

Chicory
Chicory has an earthy flavor; you can eat either the petals or the buds. Chicory has been compared to endive.

Cilantro/Coriander
Use leaves and flowers raw as the flavor fades quickly when cooked. Sprinkle to taste on salads, bean dishes, and cold vegetable dishes. Like the leaves and seeds, the flowers have a strong herbal flavor.

Dill
Dill has a tangy but stronger than their leaves. Use yellow flowers as you would the herb to season hot or cold soups, seafood, dressings, and dips. The seeds are used in pickling and baking. Add flowers to butter for wonderful herb butter.
Fennel
It has a starburst yellow flowers that have a mild anise flavor. Use as a garnish with your entrees.

Ginger
Petals may be eaten raw or you can cook the tender young shoots. The white variety of ginger is very fragrant and has a gingery taste on the tongue.

Lavender
Flowers look beautiful and taste good in a glass of champagne or as a garnish for frozen desserts. Lavender works well with savory dishes as well, from hearty stews to wine-reduced sauces. Diminutive blooms add a mysterious scent to custards, flans or sorbets. Petals can have a sweet, floral flavor, slightly citrusy.

Lemon Verbena
The leaves and flowers can be used as an herbal tea, and used to flavor custards and flans.

Marjoram
Flowers are a milder version of plant’s leaf. Use as you would the herb.

Mint
Mint flowers and leaves are great in Middle Eastern dishes. Freeze and add to punches or drop into iced tea.

Oregano
Milder version of plant’s leaf. Use as you would the herb.

Rosemary
A milder version of leaf. Use blossoms and leaves to enhance the flavor of Mediterranean dishes. Can be used with meats, seafood, potatoes or dressings.

Sage
The flowers are violet-blue, pink or white with a subtler sage taste than the leaves and can be used in salads and as a garnish. Flowers are a delicious companion to many foods including beans, corn dishes, sautéed or stuffed mushrooms, or pesto sauce.

Savory
The flavor of the flowers is somewhat hot and peppery and similar to thyme.

Thyme
A milder version of the leaf. Use sprigs as garnish or remove the flowers and sprinkle them over soups, etc. Use thyme anywhere a herb might be used.)

Until next month
Merry Cooking and Blessed Eating
The Hearthkeeper

PS. If there is anything you would like to see here.. Please email me at  thehearthkeeper@gmail.com

Tags: flowers, Recipes

• Recipes

Alex Crowe May, 2011

My Sacred Home

I close my eyes and I transform from the home I know, to the home that is me. No longer am I standing in an apartment of wood and metal walls. I am standing in a field. The view is amazing. All around I can see golden wheat tickling my fingertips as I walk.

My field is in the middle of this beautiful forest. All around me are trees as far as the eye can see. They protect my little home and keep me safe. It will always be here when I return. The animals watch over it. The air is crisp and clear. All around me is warmth and love.

The smell in the air is home to me. I feel at peace, nothing like that of the life I lead, but a serene peace from deep inside my soul. I smell earth and everything that she holds dear. Around me the sounds of birds call me. Owls, strangely out at day, come to “Who” at me. I can’t see any animals around me, but I know they are there, watching me.

In the middle of my field of gold is a wonderful cabin. It is a log cabin and when I look at it, it gives me such happiness. It is what I have always dreamed of. Most homes for me have always been a simple four walls, but this home is everything I have ever wanted. I know once I step into it, there will be a massive expansion that I can do whatever I want with. I can have it be an elegant mansion or a simple cottage. Today, the cottage suffices and it is exactly what I want.

The round archway of the door beckons me to come inside. Find what I can explore. Before today, I could never make it in the archway. Something always held me back, not allowing me to go in further. Truly I have been awakened spiritually and realize that the power to overcome whatever obstacle stands between me and the door is mine. I can go in. Nothing will stop me now.

My hand grips the handle on the door and I push it open. Inside is the living area. I have a cauldron in an old fashioned fire pit on the left wall. The chimney takes all the smoke from what is cooking inside the cauldron. The smell continues to be earthy, but this time, it is homier. Like herbal soups.

There is a bed in the middle. Made of wood and very big, it has a homemade quilt on the side. Something I always wished I could do on my own was making a quilt. I always wanted one that I could pass down from generation to generation. This one is old and well loved. In it is the spirits of witches that have come and gone. I know that this one will be handed down to my own child, but which one I am not sure. One will have a great power and decide to do wondrous things with it.

I lie on the bed and close my eyes. My familiar, a small white dog that seems to change breeds whenever she chooses, lies next to me. She warms me with a glow that seems to work on its own.

When I open them, I have returned home in the real world. My sacred place I will visit again soon, but for now, I must become the mother, wife and witch I am in reality.

When I first started learning about energy and the sacred space, my husband decided he would try to take me to mine. Since I am a water sign, he tried to tell me to picture a beautiful ocean. My body and soul would not let that happen though. I kept coming back to my cabin, waiting for me in my golden field. It beckoned me and no matter how hard I would try to get to that ocean he was telling me to be at, I couldn’t get there. Sometimes, I believe, you don’t have an option where your sacred space is. It is a home given to you, not one that can be chosen. Some people say that they have made theirs, but I can’t seem to get anywhere but my cabin. Who would want to in all reality? It is a beautiful place and feels so right to me. I don’t even want to leave.

So what does that have to do with being a kitchen witch? Well, I mentioned the soup, right? I want to share a special recipe for soup with you. This is an herbal remedy of sorts. It is great for those with stomach problems, and very tasty. I was told to eat a bland diet when I had a stomach issue and it was supposed to be something close to a liquid diet, and I am not so good with liquid diets, so I compromised. I made a soup, but not so much just blah. This one has a lot of meat in it, but I also want to add a barley and mushroom soup for my vegetarian friends.

• 64oz minimum canned or home made Chicken broth
• 1/2 lb pork cubed
• 1/4 cubed ham
• Large onion diced fine
• about 1/2lb of deboned chicken cubed small
• 1/2 lb stew beef also cubed small
• 1 Large Leek
• 2 tbs chopped parsley
• 1 cup chopped spinach (drained well)
• ½ cabbage head
• Large clove of minced garlic
• 2 Tbs Olive Oil

Start your broth in a large stock pot. You want to bring this to a nice heat before adding your other items. While that is heating, in a large sauté skillet, add onion and garlic. Lightly sauté then add each of your meats individually. You want to brown them before adding to the stock pot. Once they are all in the stock pot, bring to a boil and then simmer for an hour.

After about an hour, you want to add your seasoning and vegetables. You can add salt, thyme, bay leaf and pepper to taste. You want to simmer for another half hour to get the flavors to mesh well. It will serve about ten, so make sure you have a large stock pot.

For my Vegetarian friends, here is a Barley and Mushroom Soup for you.

• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup barley, uncooked
• 1/2 lb mushrooms
• 1/2 cups onion, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Now, bring your broth to a low boil. Reduce your heat. Add your mushrooms, onions, carrots and celery. Allow this mixture to simmer for ten minutes or so. Add the barley and garlic and allow it to simmer for another hour. You will want to use salt and pepper and any other seasonings for taste.

With Beltane right around the corner, these will be in your pocket for a great celebration with family and friends. From my family to yours, many great blessings in your sacred space and home without.

Tags: cooking, home, Recipes, space

• Recipes

Rayneschild April, 2011

Welcome to “Witchcrafts” and I hope it proves useful.  Since this is my first time with this subject here I thought I would give you a basic idea of what it is.  Over the years of practice we have so much exposure to the tools of our spirituality it stands to reason that we would start to “think outside the circle” and this is the result of that.  Sometimes it’s something related to our practice and sometimes it’s an outlet for the other “craftiness” we possess.  As a result here we are!  Hope you like it and Blessed be!

Incense recipes

You can make your own incense and customize it for Sabbats, Esbats, or whatever you wish.  You can actually use finely ground sawdust as a base for your incense.  You can use a small coffee grinder or a blender that is separate from food use to grind the sawdust as well as to grind the herbs into a much finer result than a mortar and pestle.  If you are using oils add them last.  Stay focused on your intent during the entire process.  The drier incense will often burn without a charcoal block when sawdust is used as a base, experiment with it, add the things that appeal to you for a personal meditation or everyday blend.  The following are a few recipes I’ve picked up here and there to give you some ideas to start.

Full Moon:  3 parts Frankincense 1 part Sandalwood.

Altar incense:  3 parts Frankincense, 2 parts Myrrh, 1 part cinnamon.

Horned God:  2 parts benzoin, 1 part cedar, 1part pine, (you can use cedar and pine sawdust as the base if you wish), 1 part Juniper berries, a few drops of patchouli oil.

Love Drawing:  1 part Sandalwood, 1 part lavender buds, 1/2 tsp. basil, 3 drops rose oil, 1 drop lavender.

You can be precise in the measurements, as the above recipes show, or just use the herbs in the amounts that are more pleasing to you:

Sacred smoke:  White sage, sweetgrass, cedar and lavender.  General protection:  Dragon’s blood, sage, cinnamon.  Love:  Allspice, cinnamon, rose petals, vanilla.

You can find recipe’s on the internet, or published in books, or you can mix them yourself using the herbs magical properties.  Some words of caution:  Be sure the herb’s you’re using don’t have any toxic potential if the smoke is used indoors , and be sure your smoke detector won’t be affected.  The possibilities are limitless and the results can be amazing!!!

Happy Crafting!!!!!!

Tags: incense, Recipes

• Crafts

E.R. Allen March, 2011

Ostara is approaching. I can already feel the winds of March, blowing out the winter, blowing in the spring. During this time of year, I dwell on sprouts and spring lettuces, green onions, and tender herbs. Other foods associated with the early spring are eggs, seeds, edible flowers, honey, carrots, rabbit, hot cross buns and other sweet baked goods. Again, find what is in season for your region and what “rings true with you.”

Last year I became fascinated with bento boxes and funneled that inspiration into our Ostara meal. There is a lot of prep work, but I think it engages you, reconnecting you with the food. This is a wonderful activity for a family, group, or coven to participate in. Everything can be set up in advance so that each person is able to choose their own ingredients and construct their own unique scene. You may even create an additional piece as an offering. I used the construction time to explain the significance of each ingredient and how it relates to Spring.

Ingredients

Prepared short grain or “sushi” rice, cooled (2 cups is plenty for 4)

Hard-boiled eggs

Alfalfa sprouts, spring lettuces

Raw vegetables, such as carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, green onion

Edible flowers, such as pansies, tulip petals, dandelions. Just make sure they are in fact edible and pesticide free!

Herbs, such as lavendar and thyme

Directions

1. Give each participant a plate or bowl. Set out paring knives, peelers, and other tools to share.

2. Arrange a bed of sprouts and/or greens on the dish as a base.

3. Using wet hands, roll the rice into a symbol of Spring. We chose bunnies. (Make a mini snowman. Use slivers of carrot for the ears and cucumber halves for the hind feet. Black sesame seeds work well for eyes and whiskers.) Other options could be a rain drop, clouds, or a nest to hold your hard-boiled egg.

4. Add vegetables, flowers, and eggs, carved with symbols or cut into images that represent Spring. You can use metal cookie cutters on most vegetables, as well as cheeses. If it will not go through, use it as a stencil with a paring knife.

Once everyone is finished, a blessing or poem would be entirely appropriate. Enjoy and Blessed Be!

Look! The Earth waits breathless

After winter’s strife

Ostara shows folk deathless

Spring leads death to life

-from “Ostara Carol” by Anna Stockinger

Tags: cooking, Ostara, Recipes

• Recipes

Hearthkeeper October, 2010

Samhain is a time to honor our ancestors. The veil between here and Summerland is at it’s thinnest and we can commune and communicate with our loved ones who have moved on to the next phase of their lives.  It has become traditional to have a “dumb” supper. This is a meal that is eaten in silence by candle light. Each food can be as simple or as gourmet as you wish it to be. I like mostly simple made with foods from my garden or local farms. I will add the correspondences before the recipes.

Symbols: Third Harvest, wisdom of the Crone, death of the God, reflection on our place in the Wheel of the Year, reincarnation, the dark mysteries, Rebirth after Death.

Foods: Beef, Pork, Poultry, Colcannon, Bonfire Toffee,  anything with Apples, Doughnuts, Roasted Ear Corn, Popcorn, Caramel Corn, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Bread, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, King Cake, Pomegranates, Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Beets, Turnips, Nuts, Gingerbread, Cider, Mulled Wines, Mead, Late Autumn Fruits.

Plants & herbs: Angelica, Burdock, Catnip, Pennyroyal, Rosemary, Rue, Sunflower, Sage, Thyme, Wild Ginseng, Tarragon, Mugwort, Calendula, Chrysanthemum, Cosmos and Marigold.

HOT SPICED PUNCH

1 large can of unsweetened pineapple juice

1 quart of cranberry juice cocktail

1 cup brown sugar

3 – 2″ sticks of cinnamon

1 Tablespoon of whole cloves
Put the cloves in a cloth bag. Boil in 2 cups of water. Let cool. Pour clove water and juices into large container. Mix well. Pour into large kettle and bring to a boil. Serve hot in cups or mugs.

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Sea salt
pepper, freshly ground
1 can (1 pound) pumpkin, or 2 cups fresh, peeled, and cubed
2 Yukon Gold (or yellow) potato, peeled and cubed
5 cups Chicken broth( or vegetable)
2-3 tablespoons dry sherry
1/2 cup half-and-half or soy cream (optional)

In a heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the
Onion for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in the chopped carrots
and celery and stir in the spices. Lower the heat and gently cook for
About 10 minutes, being careful not to overbrown the onions.

Add in the pumpkin, potato, and vegetable broth and stir. Add in the dry
Sherry, stir, and bring to a slow simmer, cooking the soup for about
25-35 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.

Carefully ladle the soup into a blender. Cover and puree the soup until
It is smooth and creamy. Return the puree to the soup pot and adjust the
Seasoning to your taste. Stir in the half-and-half, if desired, and
Blend until smooth. Serve at once in a festive bowls with a basket of
Warm bread  or croutons.

Serves 4-6

Wild Thyme Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
1 package spiral pasta
1 jar artichoke hearts

Lightly sautéed (or steamed) mushrooms, onion, broccoli, zucchini, carrots and

peppers(I use frozen broccoli stir fry veggies) cooled
Sliced tomatoes
Wild Thyme dressing( see below) you can use robusto Italian dressing in a pinch
Boil pasta. Let cool then add sliced tomatoes, mushrooms & artichoke hearts.
Mix well & add the seasoning. Let sit in the refrigerator for a few hours, Serve chilled.

Wild Thyme Dressing

1/2 c olive oil

1/8 c vinegar

½ tsp wild thyme

¼ tsp rosemary

¼ minced garlic

1/8 c roasted red pepper

Salt/ pepper to taste

Place in blender and blend until smooth. Place in jar and refrigerate until needed.

Quick and Simple fruit compote

INGREDIENTS:
4 apples, peeled, cored, chopped into chunks
1/2 cup pineapple with juice
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tbs. Brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Place the apples in a food processor or blender and process
For 1 minute. If you don’t have either of these appliances,
Then just chop the apples by hand, very small. Place the
Apples, pineapple and juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a
Saucepan and stir to combine the ingredients. Cook on medium
Low for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the
Heat and let the sauce cool for 15 minutes. Store the sauce
In a jar in the refrigerator.

Yield: 2 cups of Apple Sauce

Remembrance roast

1 chicken or pork loin roast

1 small Onion, chopped

1 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon Fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 Bay leaf, crushed

1/2 teaspoon Celery seeds

1/2 teaspoon Dry thyme

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon

Garlic powder

salt & pepper to taste

Fold 2 large sheets of aluminum foil together with a double fold. There should be enough to enclose the roast. Place roast on foil. Sprinkle other ingredients over top. Enclose roast tightly in foil and cook in 300 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes PER pound. Until roast reaches 160 degrees.

Cheesy Rosemary Biscuits

Old fashioned biscuits are a treat at any season.

2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese or cheddar
2 1/2tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
1 stick unsalted butter or margarine, chilled
1/2 cup milk (or more if needed)
2-3 Tbs. dry sherry
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the flour, cheese, baking powder,
salt, rosemary .
Cut the chilled butter into pieces and mix into the
flour mixture, crumbling the dough.
Add the milk and sherry and quickly ,mix the dough
just until the ingredients are moistened. Lightly
knead the dough inside the bowl a few times to
form a ball, and place on a floured surface. Roll out the dough with
a floured rolling pin ), to  about 1/2 inch thick.

Cut out rounds with a cookie cutter or jelly glass
and place them on a baking sheet. Bake them for 10
to 12 minutes, until they are golden brown.

Makes about 15 to 18 biscuits.

Garlic String beans

1-2 pounds fresh string beans

2 cloves garlic

Butter or olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Sautee green beans with garlic in the butter/oil until cooked crisp tender

Pumpkin Bread

2/3 cup Shortening

1 teaspoon Nutmeg

2 2/3 cups Sugar

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

4 large Eggs

2 teaspoons Baking soda

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 teaspoon Baking powder

3 1/3 cups Flour

2/3 cup Water

1 can Pumpkin

1 1/2 teaspoons Salt

Mix all the above ingredients together, pour into 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350~F for 50 – 60 minutes. You can add dates and nuts if you like.

Quick Apple Spice Cake

This is the fastest quickest cake recipe for those pagans that have not got enough time

to really cook!

You will need the following:

1 spice cake mix

1 small package of vanilla pudding

1 can apple pie filling

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

1 container of caramel apple dip (optional)

you will also need a microwave safe pan or Bundt type pan.

Mix all of the ingredients together except for the dip, they do not have to be mixed until
the mix is smooth. Pour into your pan and cook on 70% for 16 – 18 minutes or until done
(dry on top and pulling away from the sides). Let it cool slightly and pour the caramel
apple dip over the top and Enjoy!

Until next month
Merry Cooking and Blessed Eating
The Hearthkeeper

PS. If there is anything you would like to see here.. Please email me at  thehearthkeeper@gmail.com

Tags: holiday, Recipes, sabbat, samhain

• Recipes

Hearthkeeper July, 2010

Blessed solstice to you all … I am sorry that I was missing last month .. but chaos is often hard to control or plan for.. I will offer not other excuse than that.. and all of us know what it is to live in a state of chaos.

This month I am offering recipes for canning, relishes, sauces, jams, jellies. I know that this does not do much for our Southern Hemi folks except that you can save this and use it next year, or if you had an abundance and froze it and wish to use it. I will also offer up some cheats that I have used to make things more flavorful.

Much of this is pretty mundane but if you look the who process is magickal and spell-like in its creation. And you can add elements to it to assist in this. Knowing what the spices and herbs in your tomato sauce stand for you can create a few jars for protection to be used later on. You can create love jelly to share with your lover on valentine’s day( or any day you want to share the love) by adding simple additions to apple jelly. You only need to infuse your creations with your powerful magickal intention. Just remember that you should only give those jars you have enhanced with your intentions to people who know what you have done, as it may upset some if you do not let them know.

You can use apples, grapes, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries,  green tea, mint, corn, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs and spices.

There are 2 different canning processes, pressure canning and hot water bath canning. We will be using hot water bath canning as that is what I have and work with. Pressure canning is needed for low and non- acidic foods such as green beans, peas , meat sauces . do not hot water bath these things as they will grow toxic bacteria that will make you sick. Hot water bath canning is only good for fruit , tomatoes and things that you will be adding acid to. This acid keeps the bacteria from growing and making you sick.

You can get canning jars from BJ’s. and Sam’s club. You can also find them in your country farm supply stores such as tractor supply , ace or agway. You can and will be using these jars year after year, but I stress this point strongly.. YOU WILL NEED TO GET NEW LIDS EVERY TIME YOU RE-USE THEM. I cannot stress this enough as they have a rubber seal on the inner lid that is compromised when you can the jar the first time and will NEVER seal completely true again. So do not re-use them next canning as they will not make a seal and that will cause it to spoil.

Here are some of the equipment that you will need to hot water bath can.
Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
Jar funnel
1 large pot with lid.
Jelly strainer or cheesecloth
Large spoons and ladles
Ball jars
1 Water Bath Canner (a huge pot with a lifting rack to sterilize the jars of apple jelly after filling
You CAN use a large pot instead, but the canners are deeper, and have a rack top make lifting the jars out easier. If you plan on canning every year, they’re worth the investment.
Jar lifting tongs -helpful to pick up hot jars
Lid lifter- to remove lids from the pot of hot water
Lid - disposable – you may only use them once
Ring - holds the lids on the jar until after the jars cool – then you don’t need them
Canning jar funnel – to fill the jars

If you look online you can find home canning kits that have all the tools you will need to start up.

Here are some web sites to look at
http://canning.falbepublishing.com/index.html

http://www.pickyourown.org/pectin.htm

http://www.pickyourown.org/makeyourownpectin.htm

Apple Jelly ( we will be using this recipe for later jellies)

6 lbs. of apples  to yield about 6 cups of apple juice (see step 1)
OR 6 cups of apple juice (skip to step 7)

Sweetener: sugar, no-sugar, Splenda, mix of sugar and Splenda or fruit juice – see step 7

Pectin

Step 1 – Selecting the apples

The most important step!  You need apples that are sweet , if you choose a grany smith type apple you will need to add tons of sugar

Instead, choose apples that are naturally sweet, like Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Rome, Honey crisps and always use a mixture – never just one type. This means it may be so sweet that you will not need to add any sugar at all.  And the flavor will be great! using Fuji’s and Gala’s to give it an aromatic flavor!

You can also start with apple juice or apple cider (fresh, canned or frozen) – just use a type that does not have added sweenteners. You’ll need 6 cups of apple juice and then skip to step 7.

Step 2 – How many apples and where to get them

You can pick your own, or buy them at the grocery store.  But for large quantities, you’ll find that real farmer’s markets. You can use seconds they are misshapen but cheaper.

You’ll get about 14 quarts of apple jelly per bushel of apples.

Step 3 -Wash and peel the apples!

Using a vegetable peeler or a paring knife, peel the apples.

Step 4 -Chop the apples!

Chopping them is much faster if you use one of those apple corer/segmenters – you just push it down on an apple and it cuts it into segments. 

Using a paring knife, be sure to remove any seeds, hard parts (usually the part around the seeds) and any mush or dark areas.

Step 5 – Cook the Apples

Put about 1 inch of water or apple juice on the bottom of a huge, thick-bottomed pot. Put the lid on, and the heat on high.  When it gets really going, turn it to medium high until the apples are soft through and through.
You CAN leave the skins on; it just clogs up the strainer more and takes more time.  On the plus side, leaving on the skins usually imparts a little more flavor, plus the color of the skins to the finished jelly!

Step 6 – Sieve the cooked apples

You can either put the soft cooked apples through a jelly strainer or pour them through cheesecloth in a colander.

Or you could start with apple juice, store bought or your own.

Either way, you’ll need about 6 cups of juice now.

Step 7 – Measure out the sweetener

Depending upon which type of jam you’re making (sugar, no-sugar, Splenda, mix of sugar and Splenda or fruit juice) you will need to use a different amount of sugar and type of pectin. The precise measurements are found in directions inside each and every box of pectin sold.

Step 8 – Mix the dry pectin with about 1/4 cup of sugar or other sweetener

In a small bowl, mix the dry pectin with about 1/4 cup of sugar (or other sweetener). Keep this separate from the rest of the sugar. If you are not using sugar, you’ll just have to stir more vigorously to prevent the pectin from clumping.

Notes about pectin: I usually add about 20% more pectin (just open another pack and add a little) or else the jam is runnier than I like. With a little practice, you’ll find out exactly how much pectin to get the thickness you like.

Is your jam too runny? Pectin enables you to turn out perfectly set jam every time. Made from natural apples, there are also natural no-sugar pectins that allow you to reduce the sugar you add by half or even eliminate sugar.!

Step 9 – Mix the apple juice with the pectin and cook to a full boil

Stir the pectin into the apple juice and put the mix in a big pot on the stove over medium to high heat (stir often enough to prevent burning). It should take about 5 to 10 minutes to get it to a full boil (the kind that can not be stirred away).

Step 10 – Add the remaining sugar and bring to a boil

When the apple-pectin mix has reached a full boil, add the rest of the sugar (or other sweetener) or other sweetener, and then bring it back to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute.

Step 10 – Testing for “jell” (thickness)

Keep a metal tablespoon sitting in a glass of ice water, then take a half spoonful of the mix and let it cool to room temperature on the spoon. If it thickens up to the consistency you want, then the jam is ready. If not mix in a little more pectin (about 1/4 to 1/2 of another package) and bring it to a boil again for 1 minute.

Step 11 – Fill the jars and put the lid and rings on

Fill them to within ¼-inch of the top, wipe any spilled jam off the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Then put them into the boiling water canner!

This is where the jar tongs and lid lifter come in really handy!

Step 12 – Process the jars in the boiling water bath

Keep the jars covered with at least 2 inches of water. Keep the water boiling. In general, boil them for 10 minutes, which is what SureJell (the makers of the pectin) recommend The directions inside every box of pectin will tell you exactly what you need to do.  The directions on the pectin tend to be pretty conservative.  You can hedge your bets and start pulling them out after 7 minutes, and the last jars were probably in for 10.

You must process them with heat. Either hot water bath or pressure canner.Putting the jars in the boiling water bath REALLY helps to reduce spoilage! It really makes little sense to put all the working into making the jam and then not to process the jars to be sure they don’t spoil or risk your family’s health.!

Step 13 – Remove and cool the jars – Done!

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can then remove the rings if you like. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, then that’s a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it’s usually ok.

Once cooled, they’re ready to store, they last up to 12 months. But after about 6 to 8 months, they get darker in color and start to get runny and the flavor and texture aren’t as good. So eat them within the first 6 months.

Now I am offering some interesting additions..  you can add to the apples or strain through them.

Add cinnamon
diced hot peppers
2 tablespoons diced mint leaves
Green Tea( or other flavor tea)
mulled cider spices
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
use your imagination and open up a world of flavors.

Now everyone that gardens or family farms will have an over abundance of zucchini and tomatoes—they have even written poetry and short stories to commemorate the glut of zucchini we have.. but if you use this recipe you will have friends looking for your zucchini and tomatoes rather than running from you ..LOL

Zucchini Relish

5 cups finely chopped zucchini
3 cups finely chopped celery
3 cups finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped green and red bell peppers

If you want it hot you can add some Jalapeño or other hot pepper to the mix.

Add chopped vegetables to:
6 cups water
¼ cup canning/pickling salt

Place a heavy plate on top of vegetables in water to keep them submerged. Allow vegetables to sit overnight (12 to 24 hours) in brine. Then drain vegetables and squeeze excess liquid from them.

In a big pot on the stove, mix:

3 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
5 cups sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
2 tablespoons celery seed
1 tablespoon turmeric

Add the drained vegetables and cook at a nice even boil for 10 minutes.

Add hot mixture to sterilized ½ pint or pint Mason jars. Leave ½ headspace. Process in a water bath for 10 minutes.

Remove jars from water bath and allow to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Then wipe clean jars and lids and store in a cool dark place for up to 12 months. (You will likely hear the jars pop when they seal shortly after removal from water bath. The next day test the seals by pushing on top. There should be no movement of the lid. Also gentle pressure from your fingertips on edges of lid should reveal that it is securely suctioned onto the jar.)

Note: The relish tastes good from the start, but allowing it to set for 6 weeks will deepen the flavor, which is often the case with pickled items.

Tomato Relish

2 gallons sliced cored peeled tomatoes
6 bell peppers — seeded, sliced
6 medium onions — sliced
6 jalapeno peppers
1 cup salt
6 cups sugar
1 quart vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons celery seed
1 box mustard seed – (2 oz)

Finely chop or grind tomatoes, peppers, onions and jalapenos in a food processor (in several batches). In large bowl, mix vegetables and salt well. Place in a cheesecloth bag, fold down the top and hang on a clothesline overnight to drain.

The next morning, empty contents of bag into a large container and add sugar, vinegar, celery seed and mustard seed. Mix well and let stand 2 hours.

Divide mixture into pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch of head space. Wipe jar tops and threads clean. Place hot lids on jars and screw hot bands on firmly.

Process 6 to 8 minutes in a pressure canner under 10 pounds pressure, according to manufacturer’s instructions. I think you can use this in a water bath canner but not sure. This was an old recipe I have not used myself

This recipe yields about 8 pints.

Canning Tomato Puree

Ingredients:

Firm red ripe tomatoes

Salt — (optional)

Canning jars (pint and 1/2-pint only)

You’ll need all the basic equipment for boiling water bath canning, plus a sieve or food mill and large preserving kettle. Use 1/2 pint or 1 pint jars only. The quantity of canned tomato puree will vary greatly, depending on how long you simmer the tomatoes.

Select fresh, firm, red ripe, perfect tomatoes. Organize and prepare equipment and work area.

Dip tomatoes into boiling water for 1 or 2 minutes to loosen the skins.

Then dip them in cold water. Slip off skins and cut out cores.

Cut tomatoes into chunks and place in a large preserving kettle. Cover and cook over low heat until the tomatoes are soft. Uncover and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until very, very soft.

Press through a sieve or food mill, then return to kettle and simmer until the mixture is the thickness of catsup, stirring frequently.

Pour or ladle into hot 1/2-pint or pint jars to within 1/4-inch of the tops. Add 1/2 teaspoon each of sugar and salt per pint, if desired. Wipe tops and threads of jars with a damp clean cloth. Put on lids and screw bands as manufacturer directs.

Process in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes for 1/2-pints and pints.

From this recipe you can make your own tomato sauce, or you can make your own sauce now and can it similarly to the above directions.

Green Tomato Relish

Ingredients:

6 red sweet peppers
2 pounds green tomatoes
2 pounds sweet onions
1 small cabbage head
3 sweet green peppers
1/4 cup pickling salt
3 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons celery seed

Coarsely grind all vegetables in blender or food processor. Mix vegetables with salt. Cover and let stand 12 to 18 hours.

Drain vegetables and rinse. Mix vegetables and remaining ingredients.

Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes.

Pack mixture in hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space; seal. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

This recipe yields 5 to 6 pints.

Here are some other yummy ideas

Canned Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

4 quarts chopped peeled cored ripe tomatoes
2 medium onions — quartered
2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped sweet green or red peppers
2 hot red peppers
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon peppercorns
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup brown sugar – (packed)
1 cup vinegar
2 garlic cloves — crushed
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Combine tomatoes, quartered onions, celery and peppers. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes. Press through a fine sieve or food mill. Cook until mixture is reduced to about one-half (for about 45 minutes).

Tie peppercorns in a cheesecloth bag, add with remaining ingredients and cook slowly until mixture is the consistency of catsup, about 1 1/2 hours. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Pour, hot, into jars leaving 1/4-inch head space. Adjust caps and process half-pints and pints 20 minutes in boiling water bath.

To use: Add 1 cup salad oil to 1 pint jar of barbecue sauce and mix thoroughly.

This recipe yields 4 to 5 pints.

Canned Summer Antipasto Mix

Cooking Directions:

2 1/2 pounds sweet peppers — any color
2 1/2 eggplant
5 cups white wine vinegar
6 whole cloves – (to
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1/2 cup coarsely-chopped parsley
2 teaspoons salt
20 fresh green or purple basil leaves
4 ounces pitted large green olives – (about 1 cup)
1 1/4 cups good-quality fruity olive oil

Cut sweet peppers in half lengthwise. Remove and discard stems, seeds and ribs. Cut peppers into 1/2-inch long strips. Set aside.

Remove stems from eggplants. First cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds, then cut each round into 1/2-inch wide strips. Set aside.

In a stainless steel or other non-reactive saucepan, combine vinegar, cloves and 1 tablespoon of peppercorns, and bring to a boil over high heat.

Add pepper strips, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove peppers from vinegar; set aside. Add eggplant to vinegar and simmer in the same manner. Remove eggplant as well. Have ready clean, dry jars with sealable lids.

Arrange a layer of eggplant strips in jar, then top with layer of pepper strips. Sprinkle with parsley, salt and 1 or 2 peppercorns. Then press a basil leaf against the wall of jar, scatter a few olive slices on top and pour in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Repeat layering process until jars are full.

Add olive oil to jars to cover contents completely to reach within 1/2-inch of jar rims. Using a damp cloth, wipe the rims clean. Cover with lids and process for 30 minutes in a hot-water bath. Remove jars. Let them cool for 12 hours or overnight. Store in a cool, dark place.

Will keep for up to one year. Once opened, refrigerate.

This recipe yields about 3 pints.

Confetti Cucumber Relish

Ingredients:

4 medium to large cucumbers – (to 6)
4 medium sweet red peppers
4 medium green peppers
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 cup pure granulated salt
1 tablespoon mustard seed
2 teaspoon whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 quart vinegar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar – (firmly packed)

Organize ingredients, equipment, and work area. Scrub cucumbers and cut off stem and blossom end. Chop cucumbers. Stem, seed, and chop peppers.

You should have 2 quarts chopped cucumbers and 2 cups of each color of chopped peppers. Combine them with onion in a large mixing bowl; sprinkle the vegetables with turmeric.

Dissolve salt in 2 quarts cold water; pour over vegetables. Let stand for 3 to 4 hours. Drain vegetables thoroughly. Cover them again with cold water and let stand another hour. Drain well.

Tie the spices in a cheesecloth bag and put in a large preserving kettle with the vinegar and sugar. Heat to boiling, then pour over the vegetables. Cover and set aside in a cool place for several hours or overnight.

Slowly heat the vegetables and syrup to boiling, then pack relish into hot jars to within 1/4-inch of tops. Run a slim, non metal tool down along insides of jars to release any air bubbles. Add additional relish, if necessary, to bring to within 1/4-inch of tops.

Wipe tops and threads of the jars with a damp clean cloth. Put on lids and screw bands as manufacturer directs. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

This recipe yields 6 pint jars of relish.

This recipe is a good way to use cucumbers that grew too big to pickle.

Strawberry Jelly With Powdered Pectin

6 cups crushed strawberries (about 3 one-quart boxes berries)
1 package powdered pectin
8 1/2 cups sugar

To prepare fruit. Sort and wash fully ripe berries; remove any stems or caps. Crush berries. If they are very seedy, put part or all of them through a sieve or food mill.

To make jam. Measure crushed berries into a kettle. Add pectin and stir well. Place on high heat and, stirring constantly, bring quickly to a full boil with bubbles over the entire surface.

Add sugar, continue stirring, and heat again to a full bubbling boil.

Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim.

Pour immediately into hot, sterile canning jars to 1/4-inch from top.

Seal and process 5 minutes in boiling water bath.

This recipe yields 11 or 12 half-pint jars.

Now if you remember some of the other articles I have written your herbs can have a dual purpose, mundane spices and magickal enhancers.. I am placing here just a brief list..

Basil for love and prosperity, for protection to attract wealth, to assure fidelity. Use it to bring new love in, or to free yourself of an old love.

Cinnamon spirituality, success, healing, lust, protection, love.

Clove protection, exorcism, love, money, good luck.

Tea Riches, courage, strength. A stimulant. Green tea is rich in antioxidants, and other youth enhancing compounds.

Thyme for good health and healing, for purification incense.

If you go online you can find the meaning of many more herbs and spices. You can make you kitchen as magickal a place as you wish. Do not allow the limitations of other to block your creativity. Bring Deity into your Kitchen as well and research which of your herbs are male/female, what Deity they correspond to as well as what elements or astrological sign. There is so much information out there .. go look and then make it your own

Until next month
Merry Cooking and Blessed Eating
The Hearthkeeper

PS. If there is anything you would like to see here.. Please email me at thehearthkeeper@gmail.com

Blessed be…

Tags: Recipes

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Hearthkeeper December, 2009

Tags: cooking, Recipes

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Hearthkeeper October, 2009

Merry Meet all… this time of year has so many possibilities. With the harvest just finished.. we have so much to choose from.. it is amazing. This month not only will I have Samhain recipes.. but some good old fashion tummy filling recipes as well.

Magic Baked Apples

When you polish an apple on your shirt before taking a bite, you are
continuing an ancient tradition. The Celts rubbed apples to drive
out evil fairies hiding inside the fruit. Medieval Christians
thought the practice kept away the devil. These customs reflect the
belief that apples contain Earth energies.

Magic Apples Recipe:
4 medium-sized apples
8 tbsp brown sugar
4 tsp butter
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Rub the apples over your heart then core them. Place in a baking
dish. Fill each center with 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon butter,
and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Add 1/4 inch water to the pan. Bake 30–40
minutes at 375°F.

Hallowmas Cakes

1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups cake flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup confectioner’s sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine vegetable oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar.  Blend in eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture.  Chill for several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Roll about a Tbsp. of dough into a ball.  Drop balls into confectioner’s sugar, and roll until coated.  Place balls about 2″ apart on a greased baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  The cakes should be  soft and the edges firm.  Do not over bake; they burn easily.  Makes about 3 doz.
Autumn Butter

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup butter, softened

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Spread onto your favorite muffins, quick bread, sweet crackers, or drop a dollop onto morning pancakes

Greenman’s Blend
This is a classic cheese blend made with fresh herbs that can be frozen to store.
2 tablespoons fresh chives
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh marjoram
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon thyme
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Chop the herbs and garlic in a food processor; add pepper. To make spread, add 1/2 cup blend to 8 tablespoons softened butter (or margarine), 1 pound softened cream cheese (or light cream cheese), and whirl until blended. Chill in refrigerator for several hours.
Store in freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
The herbs can also be stored frozen in butter; then add the cream cheese just before serving.
If frozen, thaw in refrigerator, and then re-blend with an electric mixer before serving.
Variation. Chop the herbs in a food processor and add enough olive oil to form a thick paste that can be stored in the refrigerator for a week to 10 days or can be frozen for 2 to 3 months. Pack paste in glass jars and cover with a layer of olive oil to prevent drying out. Use to make marinades or add to steamed vegetables, soups, and stews.

Suggested Use cheese spread on crackers or raw vegetables. Warm cheese spread in a saucepan and add Parmesan cheese to taste for an Alfredo sauce to serve over pasta.

herbal properties:
Chives———–protection
Parsley———Calms and protects the home. Gives added energy, and vitality.
Marjoram——–Cleansing, purification, dispels negativity.
Basil————- love, exorcism, wealth, protection.
Lemon Thyme—-cleansing, purification. Healing, strength.
Garlic———–cleansing, purification, dispels negativity. Strong protection..
Black Pepper—–protection, exorcism
Dragon’s Breath Samhain Dip

There are two heads (yes, entire heads) of garlic in this dip!
(That’s why it’s called Dragon’s Breath).
But when garlic is roasted, it becomes sweet and nutty.
2 heads garlic
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
8 oz. Brie cheese (or cream cheese if you cannot eat brie)
1/2 tsp. Seasoned salt
Cut top 1/2″ off the top of the garlic heads. Remove some of the
loose papery skin, leaving the heads intact. Place each on a square
of foil and wrap well. Bake at 350 degrees 50-60 minutes, until the
Garlic is very soft and begins to brown. Cool until easy to handle.
Squeeze each head to remove the soft roasted cloves.
In a food processor( or electric mixer), process Brie cheese with the seasoned salt and
Garlic cloves. Refrigerate several hours
to blend flavors. Serve with crackers or sliced French Bread
Blood Orange Sangria
Ingredients
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups apple juice
2/3 cup Triple Sec (orange-flavored liqueur)
1/2 cup sugar
4 whole cloves
3 seedless blood oranges, each cut into 16 wedges
2 (750-milliliter) bottles fruity red wine
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher, and stir until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight. Discard cloves and cinnamon sticks. Pour sangria into individual glasses, including the fruit.
Yield 16 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Pentacle Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
1 1/2lb fresh Pumpkin
4oz super fine Sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 teaspoons cinnamon
5 tablespoons evaporated milk
10oz flour
2 1/2oz hard butter
2 1/2oz crisco
3-4 tablespoons water

1) Place Pumpkin (cored, peeled and diced) into a colander over boiling water and steam for about 20 minutes (or until tender). Then mash to a pulp and set aside to cool.

2) Sift the flour and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon into a bowl. Cut in the butter and crisco until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.

3) Mix with water to form a firm dough, knead lightly and roll out onto a floured board.

4) Lightly grease and then line a round Pie pan with the pastry, reserving the pastry trimmings.

5) Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes.

6) Whisk the eggs and sugar together adding the nutmeg, ginger and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Fold in the mashed Pumpkin and 4 tablespoons of milk, then pour into the pastry case.

7) Roll out pastry trimmings and cut into strips. Form pentacle with strips, using milk to stick down, then brush remaining milk over any visible pastry.

Bake at 375F for about 40 minutes or until filling has set. Sprinkle with a little sugar and serve hot or cold! Delicious hot with ice cream or whipped cream!
Baking in advance of your Samhain celebrations can enable you to add a touch of Kitchen Witchery to it, and preparing food with love and care is a great way to imbue them with that extra special energy that home cooked foods really have.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick melted butter
1 egg
Beat with a spoon and set 3/4 cup aside
Pat dough into the bottom of 9×11 pan
1 large can pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup evap. Milk
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Mix and pour over cake dough

Add 1/4 cup sugar to remaining dough, mix with a fork to crumble and sprinkle over top .
Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

The end of summer is the perfect time to enjoy these savory-sweet pork chops. The combination of apples and squash will get you ready to welcome fall.

Apple Crisp

8 cups peeled, cored &thinly sliced apples(granny smith)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 or 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup regular rolled oats
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine (cut into 1/4″ chunks)
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Vanilla Ice Cream

Preheat oven to 350….

in a 9″ square baking dish or shallow 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole,
mix apples with granulated sugar,2 tbsp. cornstarch and cinnamon…

In a bowl, combine rolled oats, brown sugar, butter and 3/4 cup flour..
Rub mixture between fingers until butter pieces are no longer
distinguishable…Stir in chopped pecans.. Sprinkle topping
evenly over apples…
Bake crisp on middle rack of oven until apples are tender when
pierced and topping is brown and bubbly, about 45 minutes to 1 hour…
If topping browns first cover with foil…
Spoon apple crisp, warm or cool into bowls…
Top with scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream..

Harvest Pork Chops recipe
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1 cup fat-free chicken broth
1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
2 Granny Smith apples, washed, quartered, sliced thin
1 pound butternut squash, trimmed, peeled, seeded, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon ginger

Directions:

Season the pork chops with pepper. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook for 10 minutes, turning once, until well browned. Remove from pan, transfer to paper towels to drain and keep warm.

Add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is soft and the garlic is golden. Stir in the broth, orange juice, apples, squash and ginger. Heat to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender. Return the chops to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Sausage-Stuffed Squash

1 medium acorn squash
6 oz. Bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped celery, optional
2 TBSP chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped peeled tart apple
1 tsp. All-purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sour cream
1/8 tsp. Salt
1/3 cup diced process cheese (Velveeta)
Cut squash in half; remove seeds. Place cut side down in a greased 13-in.x9-in.x2-in. Baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook the sausage, celery if desired and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add apple; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Drain. In a bowl, combine the flour, egg and sour cream until smooth; stir into sausage mixture.
Turn squash over; sprinkle cut sides with salt. Stuff with sausage mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
YIELD: 2 servings.

Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole
This butternut squash casserole includes apples and is topped with a buttery spiced crumb topping with brown sugar.

Ingredients:

* 1 small butternut squash (about 2 lbs)
* 2 apples, cored, peeled, sliced
* 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
* 4 tablespoons butter, cold
* 1 tablespoon flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation:

Peel, seed, and cut squash into small slices. Place squash and apple slices in a baking dish, about 11- x 7-inches Combine brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; cut in butter with fork or pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over sliced squash and apples.
Cover and bake at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes.
Corn Bread with Honey Butter

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Combine the cornmeal, flower, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium-sized bowl.  In a small bowl, beat the buttermilk, oil, and egs.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients; mix thoroughly.  Pour the batter into a greased 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish let sit on counter 5 minutes..  Bake for 25 minutes.

While the cornbread bakes, blend the butter, honey.(with electric mixer if possible)

Serve hot or cold. With the honey butter

And here is a helpful tip for your kitchen..

Storing Apples

Buy apples on sale and store them through the winter! . There are so many varieties, and they are such a great food. Thankfully, there is always some variety available in the stores year round. To save money, you can buy them on sale and store them. Almost any kind of apple will keep for several months if properly stored., even though we do not have root cellars like our grandparents may have had to store their produce; We still can effectively store apples with just a box and some newspaper. One of the important steps in storing apples is to store them so they don’t touch each other. If one apple rots, it will spread to the others if there is not a barrier between them. That is the reason for the newspaper.

Each apple should be individually wrapped with the newspaper (use only the black and white paper). They should be carefully placed in a box, and then the box placed in a dark room. You could use your garage, a pantry, an unheated porch or your basement. Anywhere where it is dark and cool (but not freezing) will work.

Only store apples without bruises or soft spots, and with the skin in perfect condition. Apples that have thicker skins will store longer than ones with thin skins, like Red Delicious. Jonathan is an example of an apple with a thick skin. Some varieties actually taste better after a few months of storage.

Until next month

Merry Cooking and Blessed Eating

The Hearthkeeper

Yield:  12 servings

Tags: cooking, food, Recipes

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