Canning Apple Pie Filling

 I made this recipe for 5 jars. Came out great! Used 1 tote of Macoun and 1 bag of Honey Crisp apples. 

Apple Pie Filling

Per (US quart) jar

Prep Time 1hour hour

Cook Time 1hour hour

Total Time 2hours hours

Ingredients

• 4 cups/1 lb apple (washed, peeled, cored, sliced.  Measurements after prep)
• 1/4 cup Clearjel 
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon cloves 
• 1/2 cup water (or use apple juice)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened apple juice 
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (bottled)
• 1 dash nutmeg

Instructions

• Prep the apples. Slice no more than 2 cm (½ inch) thick. Set aside in a large bowl or pot with in water with some lemon juice or ascorbic acid in it to prevent discolouring.
• In a large pot, mix together the Clearjel, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg if using, water and apple juice. Set aside.
• Boil a large pot of water (4 quarts). Add about 4 cups of apples at a time to the boiling water. When the water returns to the boil after adding the apples, time 1 minute, then remove the apples with a slotted spoon or strainer, and put in a bowl or pot and cover to keep warm. 
• Repeat for all apples.
• Put the apple juice mixture pot on to cook over medium high-heat, whisking constantly. 
• When it starts to thicken, which will be very soon, add the lemon juice.
• Cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
• Stir in the apple.
• Ladle apple into prepared 1 quart jars. (1 quart per pie) 
• Leave 1 inch headspace/to the curve in the neck. 
• Debubble, adjust headspace.
• Wipe jar rims.
• Put lids on.
• Process in a water bath or steam canner.
• Process for 25 minutes; increase time as needed for your altitude.

Canning Creamy Rice Pudding

I understand it’s not considered safe to store canned milk/egg (low acid foods) at room temperature. I let these cool overnight then refrigerated. We had two while they were still warm and it was delicious! The rice settles at the bottom, just give it a good stir. 

 

Creamy Rice Pudding

1½ c. cold water

3/4 c. uncooked white rice

2 с. Milk

⅓ cup white Sugar

1/4 tsp salt

⅓ c. raisins

1 Tbsp butter

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract 

Dash of cinnamon

1. Pour water and rice into pot. Bring to boil and turn down heat. Add the rest of ingredients except the eggs. Mix well until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. 

Slowly whisk in the egg. 

Divide evenly between 7 half pint jars, 1” headspace. Start by dividing the liquid then the rice. 

Water bath for 25 min. Allow to rest in canner 5 min before removing. 

Enjoy!

Easy chocolate fudge

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups Chocolate chips 
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• sea salt, a generous pinch 
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 

Instructions

• Line an 8-inch greased square pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to make it easier to remove from the pan.
• In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.
• Add the chocolate and stir using a rubber spatula until the chocolate begins to melt (You can increase the heat a little but be careful, chocolate scorches quickly)
• Once the chocolate begins to melt, stir in the sweetened condensed milk.
• Once the milk is worked in completely, turn off the heat and add salt and vanilla extract if using.
• Quickly pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer using an offset spatula. (See note)
• Cover and refrigerate overnight to set.
• Once set, remove from pan and cut into even-sized 2-inch squares. (Tip: wiping off the knife after each cut creates clean slices)
• Store fudge in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper in the fridge or counter.

Notes

When spreading the batter, it may be a bit oily, which is fine. 

Canned Cranberry Sauce & Juice

 For 16oz I filled the jars halfway with cranberries then added  1/4 cup sugar. I filled them with cold filtered water from the fridge. Put them in my new electric NESCO canner for 20 min. It was probably more like 25 min because when I went to remove them, it looked like it was pressure cooking them because the valve was closed. Lol! Anyhow it worked. I added a pinch of whole cloves/allspice to each. Have to wait 6 weeks until they’re ready! Is that Thanksgiving?! 

Making sauce was more involved but deliciously messy. I tried out my new food mill and love it! I didn’t want skins in my sauce. Simmered 7 cups of berries in 2 cups water with spices added (powdered cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and orange zest). Ran through a food mill after skins popped and they simmered a bit, 5-10 mins. 

Poured back in pot and added 2c. sugar. 

Simmered 5 min then carefully divided between 5 half-pints. Processed in the big water bath for 15min. I can’t wait to try all this goodness!  I’ve caught the canning bug!  

Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

 These are delicate like shortbread but also cake-like.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree canned pumpkin
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of cloves

For the glaze- to give a shine I did 1.5 Tb light corn syrup and filled measure to 4Tb with milk. Still had to thin out with more water. 

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and set aside. In a large bowl, stir butter, oil, pumpkin, sugars, vanilla and eggs together until incorporated and smooth.
2. Slowly mix in all dry ingredients until completely incorporated.
3. Scoop onto prepared baking sheet using 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop and flatten to 1/2 inch thick using the bottom of a glass. If the dough is sticking to the glass, press the bottom of the glass in granulated sugar before flattening. Bake 8-9 minutes. Took mine more like 15 min. 
4. While cookies bake, stir all ingredients together for glaze until smooth.
5. Once cookies are finished baking, cool 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack. Spread 11/2 teaspoons glaze over each warm cookie. Let glaze harden 2-3 hours before serving.

Five Spice Pumpkin Bread

 I saw this in Better Homes & Gardens October 2023 issue and it looked too good to not try. It’s amazing! The frosting uses white miso, browned butter and vanilla for flavoring. The miso really deepens the nuttiness of the browned butter. I thought it might be too salty but once it’s mixed in it’s not even detectable. Five spice powder is a unique brilliant combo of cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns and cloves. I found it labeled “Chinese Five Spice”. I used one can of pumpkin which measures 1 3/4 c and added some leftover butternut squash to bring it to 2 cups. 

3 cups granulated sugar                                                                                   1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

1½ cups rye flour

2 Tbsp. malted milk powder (I used King Arthur powdered milk)

2 tsp. baking soda

1½ tsp. five-spice powder 

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

⅔ cup milk

2 cups pumpkin or squash puree 

Frosting 

½ cup butter (one stick) 

2 tsp vanilla 

1 Tbsp. white miso paste (Trader Joe’s has it in a squeeze pouch)

2 cups powdered sugar

2 to 4 Tbsp. milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms and ½ inch up sides of two 9x5-inch loaf pans. (I use loaf pan liners) 
2. In an extra-large bowl beat granulated sugar and oil with a mixer on medium until combined. Beat in eggs and 2 tsp. of the vanilla.
3. In a large bowl stir together the flours, malted milk powder, baking soda, five-spice powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1½ tsp. salt. Add flour mixture and the ⅔ cup milk alternately to sugar mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin just until combined. Spoon batter evenly into prepared loaf pans.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. I tested at 1 hour, visibly not ready/jiggly. Needed an extra 20 min, altogether 1 hr 20 min to bake. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans to continue cooling and make the glaze to pour over.
5. In a small saucepan cook butter over medium until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

   Remove from heat. Add miso; whisk until well incorporated.

   Whisk in powdered sugar, the remaining 2 tsp. vanilla, and 2 to

   4 Tbsp. milk to make smooth glaze. Drizzle over loaves.

   
   

   Makes 2 loaves (16 slices each). Consider making mini/tea loaves as gifts. 

Grilled Marinated Swordfish Steaks

 4 center-cut swordfish steaks, about 6 ounces each. one-inch thick

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

4 sprigs rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

¼ teaspoon red pepper fiakes

Salt & pepper the steaks

Combine ingredients and pour over both sides. Let sit 15 minutes. 

Grill at 500 for 8 minutes, flipping 1/2 way through.