Rhubarb Cinnamon Jam Recipe

Ingredients:

6 cups Rhubarb - chopped
1 cup water
1 box Sure-Jel
1/2 tsp butter
6 1/2 cups of sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1.  Bring a boiling-water canner, 3/4 full with water, to simmer.  Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water, rinse with warm water.  Pour boiling water over flat lids in a saucepan off the heat.  Let stand in hot water until ready to use.  Drain well before filling.

2.  Place the chopped rhubarb along with the water in 4-qt saucepan and bring to boil on high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer until the rhubarb is tender (about 2-3 minutes).  Measure 4 1/2 cups of prepared rhubarb into large pot.

3.  Slowly stir the pectin and lemon juice into the prepared rhubarb.  Add butter to reduce foaming.  Bring to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.

4.  Slowly stir in the sugar and cinnamon and return to a full rolling boil for 1 minute, making sure to stir constantly to avoid boiling over.  Remove from heat and skim off any foam with metal spoon.

5.  Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling within 1/4 inch of tops.  Wipe jar rims and threads.  Cover with two-piece lids.  Screw bands on.  Place jars on elevated rack in a canner.  Lower rack into canner.  Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches, add boiling water if necessary.  Cover, bring to a gentle boil.  Process for 10 minutes.  Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely.  After the jars have cooled, check the seals by pressing middles of lids with finger.  If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.

Yields: 5 - 12 ounce jars or 7.5 - 8 ounce jars.

Flan Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups full-fat milk
2 vanilla beans (or 2 tsp vanilla extract or 2 tsp vanilla paste)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place six 1-cup sized ramekins in a 9x13 baking dish.  Fill up with warm water (directly from the tap is fine) until the ramekins stand about 1/4 - 1/2 in water.  Set aside.

2.  In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, cook 1 cup sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved and liquefied with a golden brown color. Stir constantly and be careful not to cook it too long.  The sugar burns very quickly.  Immediately spoon into warmed ramekins equally.  If the sugar gets to firm while spooning into the ramekins, place back on the heat in-between for a few seconds to liquefy again.  Let stand until you are done with the filling.

3.  Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk eggs and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar on medium-high speed until creamy for about 2-3 minutes.  Add milk and vanilla and stir to combine.  Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove most of the air bubbles.  Divide into the ramekins equally.  Cover each ramekin with aluminum foil separately and seal tightly.  Bake for 60-70 minutes.  The Flan should wobble like a pudding or jelly when moved.  Remove from water bath and let cool to room temperature.  Chill for 4 hours in the fridge.

4.  Before serving, run knife around the sides where the flan is touching the ramekins.  Flip over the ramekins onto plates.  The sugar syrup will run over the flan like a sauce.  Don't scrape out the remaining hard sugar from the ramekins.  For easier cleaning, fill the ramekins with hot water from the tap and let stand until the hard sugar crust dissolved.  Store leftovers in the ramekins in the fridge up to one day.

Italian Sub Salad

Ingredients:

2 hearts of romaine, chopped
1/2 lb salami, chopped
1/2 lb provolone, chopped
8 oz package mini fresh mozzarella balls
1 cup shredded Parmesan
1 package mini pepperoni
1 cup milk pepper rings
1 small purple onion, thinly sliced
1 package cherries tomatoes, slice in half
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon dried basil

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.  Whisk together ingredients or salad dressing.  Cover and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl.  Add Romaine lettuce.  Top with meats, cheese, and remaining veggies.  Sprinkle with pepper and basil.
3.  Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight (to let flavors meld).
4.  When ready to serve, toss, and drizzle with dressing.
5/. Serve cold garnished with fresh basil.

Wholegrain Mustard

Mustard made with both yellow and brown mustard seeds and preserved in a water bath canner.

Equipment

• Water Bath Canner
• Mason Jars, Lids, and Rings

Ingredients

• ½ cup yellow mustard seeds 
• ½ cup brown mustard seeds 
• 1½ cups apple cider vinegar 
• ⅔ cup water 
• 2 tsp. salt

Instructions

• In a quart mason jar, combine all ingredients together and let sit overnight to rehydrate the seeds.
• Next day, prepare your mason jars and water bath canning equipment.
• Pour mason jar into a blender and blend until mustard mixture thickens. There will still be seed showing in the mustard.
• Pour blended mustard in a large sauce pot and warm. You need to pour hot mixture into a hot jar.
• 

  Ladle in hot mustard into hot canning jar with ½ inch headspace, remove bubbles, wipe rim, and top with lid and ring.
• Process in water canning bath for 10 minutes.
• It is best to let mustard sit unopened for at least 4 weeks or more. The hot taste will mellow out the longer it sits.

Hibiscus Strawberry Jelly

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cup Strawberry juice (cook 6 cups of strawberries with 4 cups of water bring to a boil and cook until strawberries turn almost white, sit a strainer on top of a bowl and pour strawberries into strainer, let set for 30 minutes.  Do not mash on strawberries as this will make your juice cloudy.)
1 cup of Hibiscus water (put 1 cup of dried hibiscus flowers in a bowl pour 2 cups of boiling water over the top and let steep for at least 15 minutes, I do this the same time I strain the strawberries so mine steep for 30 minutes.)
4 1/2 cup sugar
1 TBS butter
1 box Sure-Jell

Directions:

1. Prepare lids and jars
2. Measure exact amount of prepared juice into 6 to 8 quart stockpot.  (if necessary add up to 1/2 cup water ti get exact amount.). (If you prepare juice as I have stated above you should have enough juice to make 2 batches of jelly).
3.  In separate bowl measure out exact amount of sugar.
4.  to juice add butter and Sure-Jell to prepared juice in pan. Bring mixture to a rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.
5.  Add sugar to juice mixture in stockpot.  Return to a full rolling boil; boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.
6.  Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling each to within 1/4 inch of top.  Wipe jar rims and threads.  Cover with two-pieced lids.  Place jars on elevated rack in canner.  Lower rack into canner.  (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches.  Add boiling water, if needed).  Cover, bring water to gentle boil.  Process jellies for 5 minutes.  Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely.  After jars cool, check seals b pressing centers of lids with finger, if lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary. 

Let prepared jars stand at room temperature 24 hours.  Store unopened jellies in cool, dry, dark place up to 18 months.

Hershey's Syrup Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownie:

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes, melt in microwave)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 (16 ounce) can Hershey Syrup
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Icing:

3 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted (no substitutes)
4 TBS cocoa powder
4 TBS milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Brownies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the bottom of a 10 x 15 inch pan.  After melting butter in microwave, cream sugar and butter together.  Add eggs, one at a time and beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla extract.  Add flour, mix well.  Add Hershey's syrup, mix well.  Add chopped nuts if using.  Pour batter into pan.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until brownies test done with a toothpick.  When brownies are almost done baking prepare icing.

Icing:

Bring to boil in the microwave, the butter, cocoa and 1 TBS milk.  In a mixing bowl, add confectioner's sugar, add cocoa mixture and mix well.  Add vanilla extract, and milk until desire consistency is met.  Let brownies cool about 5 minutes, QUICKLY spread with icing and sprinkle with more nuts if desired.  The icing will harden to a fudge like consistency.  Let brownies cool completely before cutting into squares.

Honey Wheat Brown Bread

Ingredients:


2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 TBS granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 TBS butter, melted
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
rolled oats for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. In large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and yeast.  Set aside.
2.  In another bowl, stir to combine the warm water, molasses, butter and honey.
3.  Make a well in your dry ingredients and then pour the water mixture in and wither with a sturdy spoon or using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, mix until the dough comes together.
4.  Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer's dough hook for about 5 to 8 minutes,  If kneading by hand , knead on a heavily floured board, adding just a bit more all-purpose flour as needed.
5.  Place the ball of dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a dish towel and set to rise for 2 hours.
6.  Divide the dough into 3 pieces.  Roll each piece out into about 9-inch log.  Place loaves onto a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet.
7.  Sprinkle a bit of rolled oats on top of each loaf if you choose too, and lightly score each loaf diagonally.  Cover with dishtowel and se aside to rise again for 30 minutes.
8.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
9.  Bake the loaves for 30 minutes.  When done, cool on a wire rack.

Gingerbread Cake with Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:


For the cake:

3 cups of all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, (2 sticks), room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 cup water

For the frosting:

2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 stick of butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla
8 cups of powdered sugar
2 tsp milk

Instructions:

Cake:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 9 inch round cake pans.  Set aside.
2.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda together.  Set aside.
3.  In large mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together until creamy.
4.  Add molasses and eggs.  Beat until well combined.
5.  Alternate flour mixture and water into the wet ingredients making sure to mix well, between each addition.
6.  Divide evenly into prepared cake pans.
7.  Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8.  Cool on a wire rack.

Frosting:

1.  In medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until combined.
2.  Add molasses and vanilla.  Beat on low until well combined.
3.  Add a little powdered sugar at a time.  Mix until each addition is well combined.
4.  Add 1 teaspoon of milk after 4 cups of powdered sugar has been added.
5.  Finish mixing in the powdered sugar and the remaining teaspoon of milk.
6.  Frost the cake once it has cooled completely.