Bluhbarb Jam

This is one of my favorites that I make every year. This year I made the jam on the stove top and didn’t worry about digging out the slow cooker.

1 1/4 pints

Recipe:

4 cups rhubarb, chopped

2 cups blueberries

1/2 cup brown sugar

In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Allow to sit overnight.

In a large sauce pan cook the ingredients at medium temperature. Stir often. Once the mix is easily mashed, do so and continue cooking until a jam forms. Place in sterile jars and place in a hot water bath for 15 minutes and allow to rest for 5 before tightening or testing the seal.

Homemade Yogurt

I love yogurt

 

After the yogurt was cultured and ready to eat, I put a little homemade jam in the bottom of some jars and added the yogurt on top. I made my won fruit on the bottom!!! I am a domestic genius!

In a large sauce pan pour 4-6 cups of milk. Heat the milk slowly to between 190 and 200 degrees. Do not let it boil. Once it reaches the proper temperature, place the pot in a sink full of ice water. Keep your eye on the thermometer, once it reads 120 degrees you are ready for the next step. Take 2 or 3 tablespoons of a plain yogurt you like and mix it into the warm milk.

Now you may add a flavor or sugar but I must want you they tend to settle to the bottom. Pour the cultured milk into glass mason jars and place them inside a water proof cooler. Try and work quickly.

Fill the cooler with water of a 125 degree temperature. Fill to the yogurt line in the jars, don’t cover the jars. Close the cooler and let it sit at room temp overnight; 8-12 hours. In the morning refrigerate. You now have yogurt.

For a thicker, more Greek yogurt; wet some cheese cloth and line a fine mesh strainer. Pour the yogurt in the strainer and allow it to drain to the consistence you prefer.

Happy culturing!

Honey-Rhubarb Butter

As you may recall from previous posts, I have an obscene amount of rhubarb. Here is another recipe.

Honey Rhubarb Butter

I had over 30 cups after I chopped it all up.

I only needed 2 cups for this recipe

…among other things

cook

store

Method:

2 cups rhubarb, chopped

1 tbsp. water

1 sprig lemon grass

Juice of half a lime

2 tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 cup brown sugar

In a small sauce pan add the rhubarb, water, lemon grass and the lime juice. Cook on medium high heat, covered for 10-15 minutes or until the rhubarb is easily mashed. remove from heat and add sugar, honey, cinnamon and cloves.  Mix well and store in the refrigerator. This recipe makes 2 cups. If you wanted to make a bigger batch you could preserve a bunch in jars. I like this stuff so I just may.

Rhubarbeque Sauce

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and had to make it. It turned out so delicious. I also had to make something rhubarb-ish because I have 5lbs. of the stuff in my kitchen.

the supplies

choppedy chop

softening

tomato paste

brown sugar

vinegar

boiling so fine!

Instruction

2 cup rhubarb

1 red onion, diced

1 tbsp. red pepper flakes, add more to taste

1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. mustard

2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce

4 tbsp. tomato paste

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup water.

Mix all the ingredients together in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Store in jars and enjoy on whatever!

3 Rhubarb Preserves

Rhubarb-Rosewater Jam

Another rhubarb recipe! This stuff is delicious on toast, scones, cornbread and pork!

Ingredients

4 cups chopped rhubarb

3 cups sugar

2 generous tbsp. rosewater

2 lemons, juiced

Instructions

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and allow sitting until the mixture forms a juicy syrup.

Pour into a large sauce pot and bring to a boil. Cook the mixture for 15 minutes or until the rhubarb has broken down.

Let the jam boil for 2 minutes and remove the pot from heat.

Pour jam into sterile jars. Process jam jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Makes 3 half pints.

Rosewater-Rhubarb Syrup

This season provided me with a huge amount of rhubarb. I could only make so much strawberry-rhubarb sauce before I knew it was a bad idea. I did some research and found a recipe for this. I was hesitant at first for I had never tried rosewater syrup, but I must say this was a good choice.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups rhubarb chopped

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups water

2-3 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons rosewater

Combine the rhubarb and sugar in a bowl.  Allow to macerate over night or at least 4-6 hours. In a medium saucepan, cook at stir mixture occasionally for 30-40 minutes.

Once the rhubarb has begun to break down, mash it until the mixture is slightly chunky. You can strain the rhubarb out if you prefer a smooth clear consistency. Stir in the lime juice, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for another 15 minutes or until the syrup has reduced and thickened.

 Remove from heat. Stir in the rosewater a bit at a time, until it is to your liking. If you wish to preserve the syrup, fill sterilized jar and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. If you prefer to keep the syrup on your refrigerator, cool the syrup completely. I couldn’t find rose water anywhere, but my local organic food store carried rosewater syrup. The recipe calls for 2 tsp. of rosewater, if you use the syrup I recommend 3-6 tbsp. depending on your taste.

This makes one medium jar of syrup. Prep time: 45 min – Cook time: 50 min

Rhubarb-Strawberry Jam/ Pie Filling

This would be one of many rhubarb recipes. This jam is delicious. My suggestion would be to not add pectin, and add 1-2 tbsp. cinnamon. If you preserve this mixture, as I have, then you can use it as a pie, cake or cookie filling.

2 cup of chopped rhubarb

4 cups of chopped strawberries

3 cups sugar

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 packet liquid pectin

Combine rhubarb, strawberries, juice and sugar in a bowl. Allow to macerate for at least one hour.

In a medium to large pot add the sugary fruit and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Once the jam has begun to thicken, stir in the pectin. Cook only for a few more minutes until the jam has really begun to thicken.

Pour into hot, sterile jars and process in a hot water bath for ten minutes. Makes approximately 2 pints

Cranberry-Rosemary Chutney

I recommend removing the rosemary after cooking. If not, definitely before using in another recipe.

This recipe was inspired by a cranberry chutney recipe that I tried once. It was so delicious that I begged the chef for the recipe. After countless visits to her restaurant begging she finally gave me a list of the ingredients without the amounts. I made a few batches with a few tweaks and came up with this.

Ingredients:

2 Cup dried cranberries

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

¼ cup brown sugar

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 sprigs of thyme

½ cup orange carrot juice

Add everything to s slow cooker. Cook for 4-6 hours on high on until greatly reduced and quite sticky. Serve with cheese and bread or use it as a spread on an off season thanksgiving sandwich.

Vanilla Extract

This homemade vanilla extract can be transferred to little jars and given as cute gifts for those who bake. I find that the oil pouring jars with the spout on the top work well and look great with the long gorgeous vanilla beans floating in them. The Madagascar vanilla extract you buy in the store can be incredibly expensive. This DIY is a great alternative.

Supplies:

1 8oz. Mason jar

1 cup Vodka

3 Vanilla beans

Cut the vanilla beans lengthwise and place them in a clean sterilized mason jar. Measure out the vodka and pour over the vanilla beans. Secure the lid and store in a cool dark place for at least four weeks. Shake the jar periodically so that the tiny bean particles mix in well and really infuse into the alcohol.

You can add vanilla beans to any alcohol for a different flavor. Get creative with the containers, especially if you find yourself using vanilla often. If you run low on your already made vanilla extract, simply add more alcohol. The beans will last for at least three to five batches.

Peach-Cherry Vanilla Jam

As usual this one is soaked in booze. It is a slow cooker recipe so the alcohol cooks off, very delicious if I do say so.

Ingredients

3 Peaches

2lb Cherries

2 vanilla beans

2 cups sugar

½ cup vanilla vodka

Instructions

Peel and pit the peaches. Cut them into pieces. Pit the cherries and combine them in a large bowl with the peaches and vanilla. Be sure to cut the vanilla beans lengthwise so the flavor will infuse. Add one cup of the sugar and the vodka. Allow to soak overnight. I let mine soak for a week in the refrigerator because I just couldn’t bear to can in the heat. It came out great.

Add juicy mixture to a slow cooker with the remaining sugar. Cook on medium-high for 4-6 hours with the lid propped open.

Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes; be sure to allow for a 5 minute cool down in indirect heat. This recipe makes 2 pints and 4oz.

Mincemeat Pie

I couldn’t resist trying something new. My grandmother always used to have mincemeat cookies, pies, muffins and other wonderful foods covering the counter tops every time I went to visit. I recently had some mincemeat and pumpkin muffins that a relative made and I just had to go home and get started.

Ingredients:

2lbs Lean Beef

4 Apples chopped

½ cup candied fruits, chopped

2 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

3 cups raisins

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ground cloves

1-1 ½ cup chopped dates

Brown the beef in a pan, cooking it almost through. Drain the fat off and place into a slow cooker. Add all the other ingredients in the slow cooker also. Cook for 4-6 hours on medium high.

I put them all in jars in the refrigerator once it was cooked down. If you have a pressure cooker you can preserve the mincemeat and keep it for 6 months in storage.

Homemade Apple Sauce

I made this sauce many times before. I have tried different apples too. Most recipes will call for grannie smith because they stay the most firm through the cooking process. I have used the pink crispies or something similar. It is a firm and sweet apple so I don’t have to add as much sugar. The way I see it; you are going to mash or blend the apples anyway, you may as well use an apple you like. I offer this suggestion because I don’t like grannie smith because they are too sour. Happy apple picking!

Ingredients:
4-6 cups apple wedges
2-3 tbsp. lemon juice
½ cup apple cider or water
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. grated nutmeg
½ tsp. cloves
3-5 cups sugar
Quarter the apples and peel them. Coat them with the lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. They look gorgeous as little white pieces after they are cooked. Tumble the apples into a 4 quart slow cooker with the liquid, spices and the sugar. Allow to cook for 4-6 hours. Keep checking periodically to make sure the apples haven’t dried out. Add more water if necessary. Half way through cook time, mash the apples until they are small chunks.
Once the sauce is fragrant and delicious, pour applesauce into your prepared jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and screw on rings. Process jars in a water bath for 15 minutes for half-pints and pints, 20 minutes for quarts.
When time has elapsed, remove jars from canner and let them cool on a towel-lined countertop.
To store, remove rings and keep in a cool, dark place. Applesauce will keep in storage up to one year.