Shrubs

Lately I have been very interested in drinking vinegars: aka shrubs. I have seen several people talking about it on their blogs and then noticed one in the huge envelope of newspaper recipe clippings I got from my Grandma last year.

I have been saving pretty glass bottles from the Rose’s Lime juice I use in Fresca Margaritas. They are very easy to make, and absolutely refreshing on a hot day sitting on the patio. 🙂 I decided that I’m going to make a shrub in a 1/2 gallon jar. Then once it’s perfect, I can put it in these glass bottles I have been saving and give to my coworkers as a present. 🙂

Roasted Garlic, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella Cold Pasta Salad

I made this pasta a couple times in the last 2 weeks. Wegmans has a great olive bar where you can pick up some stuff, throw it together with some pasta and dressing, and you are half way done with dinner! Its’a cold pasta salad that tastes yummy with a grilled steak and grilled asparagus.

Roasted Garlic, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella Cold Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup little mozzarella balls
1/2 cup roasted garlic cloves ( I love it’s a lot but it’s so good!)
2/3 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes and oil
1/2 a bag Wegmans gluten free spiral pasta. (it’s yummy, trust me)
Wegmans garlic herb dressing packet
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

Tools needed:

Pot
One large bowl
Bowl
Whisk
1 cup
1/3 cup
1/4 cup

Directions:

Step one: boil pasta according to directions. Once down, strain and rinse with cool water

Step two: put salad dressing pack into bowl, add the red wine vinegar and whisk. Start drizzling the oil in as you mix.

Step three: add all remaining ingredients to a bowl with pasta and dressing. Toss.

Step four: keep in your fridge until serving, mixing every once and a while.

Enjoy!

Rhubarb Bread

Rhubarb is such a yummy vegetable. I am busy trying to use up the half I didn’t freeze yesterday. I decided to google rhubarb and see what came up. Recipes for pies, crisps, jams and jellies popped up. I also noticed many rhubarb bread recipes. I made a couple changes to one. Mostly because I didn’t read the directions carefully to start with, but it turned out really yummy. *whew*

Recipe used: Rhubarb Bread

Ingredients:

Bread:
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups chopped rhubarb
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter softened
1/2 cup rhubarb chopped

Tools needed:

2 9.5 x 5.5 loaf pans
1 cup
1/3 cup
1/4 cup
1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon
Paper towel
Cookie rack

How to:

Step one: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans

Step two: In a small bowl, stir together milk, lemon juice and vanilla; let stand for 10 minutes.

Step three: In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix together 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, oil and egg.

Step four: add half the flour to the stand mixer, then the salt and baking soda. Mix. Then add half the milk mixture. Combine again. Add the rest of the fliur and milk till combined.

Step five: Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

Step six: top each loaf with the brown sugar, cinnamon and rhubarb. Using your fingers, dot the loafs with the softened butter.

Step seven: Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. I am very cautious not to over cook, so I set my timer for 35 minutes and check thematic 35 to see where they are. Then I can check them again every 5 – 7 minutes till a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Freezing Rhubarb

My friend Meg and I went to the market yesterday. When she came to pick me up, she brought with her a huge amount of red rhubarb. ❤

After the market, I decided to freeze half of it first (the rest is in the fridge). Freezing it is so easy!

Ingredients:

Any amount of rhubarb

Tools needed:

Cookie sheet
Vacuum sealer (optional)
Freezer/vacuum bags

How to:

Step one: wash rhubarb. Cut off ends. Cut into one inch pieces

Step two: lay cut rhubarb on to cookie sheet

Step three: freeze till solid (I did 2 1/2 hours)

Step four: freeze into individual servings.

Note:The rhubarb pies I like to make (strawberry rhubarb and rhubarb custard), call for 3 cups rhubarb. It loses some of its shape when defrosted so I am freezing in 3 1/2 cup servings

Step five: vacuum seal if you are going to. Label.

Should last 6 – 8 months.

Vanilla fig preserves

I love the Rochester farmers market. If you are in the area on a Saturday morning, I really suggest going. Finding a parking spot isn’t always a stress free experience, but my good friend Meg and I can usually get in with only a couple unladylike phrases. Lol. 🙂

Today I purchased asparagus for $8. Which I am currently freezing in the chest freezer. Then I’ll vacuum seal it up. 🙂

I also found figs!! They were a bit pricey…. I got about 2 lbs for $12. I really really wanted them
so I splurged. This product is definitely not local. 😦 They are from California. I just really couldn’t help myself. I’ll feel shamefully guilty when I eat some fig preserve on homemade biscuits with butter, or bake some thumbprint cookies. But I’ll find a way to get over it. :p

Ingredients:

2 lbs figs
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
6 tablespoons bottled lemon juice

Tools needed:

Large pot
Water bath canner
Jar lifter
Small bowl
6 1/2 pint jars or 8 oz jelly jars (or any combination of jars you have)

How to!

Step one: stem and wash the figs

Step two: prepare water bath canner. Once water is boiling, place jars in there to sterilize. Place lids into small bowl

Step three: once jars are ready, place figs in your large pot. Cover with at least an inch of water. Bring to a boil. Boil for two minutes to soften figs

Step four: strain figs. I leave the figs in the strainer. Add the water, sugar and scrapped vanilla bean and pod to pot. Dissolve sugar. Once boiling, add the figs back in and boil for five minutes.

Step six: using the jar lifter, lift jars out of the canner and pour out the water. Ladle some hot water to the small bowl with the lids.

Step seven: put one tablespoon lemon juice into each jar. Using a slotted spoon, gently put the figs into the jars. Ladle the vanilla syrup over the figs. Wipe the lids with a clean towel. Place a lid on each jar then a ring.

Step eight: boil in the water bath canner for 20 minutes. Take out of the water and place on a towel. Let sit 24 hours. If it hasn’t sealed place in the refrigerator.

I’m going to make something yummy next weekend. I’ll let you know the recipe. 🙂

Ginger Rosemary Rhubarb Preserves

Ingredients needed:

3 cups Rhubarb cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 limes juiced
1 inch fresh ginger cut into thin slices
2 rosemary sprigs per pint

Items needed:

Large bowl
Strainer
Pint jars
Candy thermometer
Clean spoon to skim the foam
Jar lifter
Water bath canner (or large pot big enough to cover the filled jars with 1 inch water)
Bowl to put jar lids into

Step one: mix the rhubarb with the sugar and lime juice in a clean bowl. Let sit over night.

Step two: place your jars into the canner. Fill the canner with water one inch over the jars. Put the canner on a burner and bring to a boiler. I sterilize my jars in the canner for at least 10 minutes.

Step three: strain the rhubarb and put the syrup into a clean no reactive pot. Cook the syrup down until it reaches at least 221 degrees.

Step four: add the rhubarb back to the pot and cook for 5 more minutes.

Step five: skim off any foam with the clean spoon.

Step six: using the jar lifter, pull the hot sterilized jars out of the canner, pouring out the water. Pour the water from one jar right into the bowl with the lids in it. The water should cover the lids.

Step seven: place two springs rosemary and three pieces of ginger into each pint jar. Pour the hot preserves over the items in the jar.

Step eight: put the hot lid on top of the jar and screw on the ring. Process the jar into the water bath canner. Process 15 minutes per pint.

Step nine: pull the processed jars out of the canner. Wipe off the jars with a clean towel. Let cool on your counter till room temperature. Label and date.

Step ten: enjoy this preserve on a nice pork roast! I will post a recipe as soon as I make one for my family and/or friends!

Freezing Asparagus

Asparagus is a popular vegetable at our house. We enjoy it grilled, steamed and in a variety of other dishes.

My in laws have a large garden on their property. They grow a lot of vegetables, including asparagus. The asparagus is in a large row and is so happy in their garden that it feeds my in laws, my sister in law’s family and Jacob and I. Yesterday we went over to their house and my husband cut 1/2 a grocery bag of the asparagus while I searched for rhubarb that was ready (I was able to find 5 large stalks).

Since we just cut and ate steamed asparagus Friday night, Jacob suggested we start our canning/freezing plan by freezing the asparagus. What an excellent idea! The first item we can cross off our list- well begin to cross off our list. We only obtained 2 servings of the 20 I am hoping to freeze this season. So there is much more to do.

Here is how we did it:

Step one: Jacob snapped off the woody ends at the bottom (you can use these in a vegetable stock if you want)

Step two: I cut the asparagus into about 3 inch sections (some are a bit more or less)

Step three: I got out a pot and filled it with water so I could blanch the asparagus. You will also need a  large bowl filled with ice, a cookie sheet and a clean dish towel.

Step four: bring the water in the pot to a rolling boil. Put the asparagus in the pot for one minute.

Step five: put some water into the large bowl filled with ice. Remove the asparagus with tongs or a slotted spoon and put into the bowl with ice and water. This will stop the asparagus from cooking.

Step six: place the asparagus on to the cookie sheet in a single layer and blot with the towel to remove the excess water.

Step seven: freeze the asparagus on the cookie sheet in your freezer till frozen. (For me this was over night and while I am at work today since I didn’t feel motivated to vacuum seal it at 6am!)

Step eight: portion out the asparagus into an amount you would use for one meal. Place in to a freezer bag or vacuum seal bag.

This should keep for 6 months or so.

Pepper planters

This weekend was beautiful in my upstate New York village. Saturday we planted Tomatoes, Basil, Oregano and Thyme in pots. On Sunday I sat on the porch while my husband built me cider planters for peppers.

Last year we planted peppers in our yard. The deer thought these peppers were a treat for them!

I noticed these planters at Wegmans when I pick up groceries and it gave me the idea to try putting our vegetables into planters on the patio. I am hoping that being close to the house will make my vegetables less desirable to the hungry deer.

In April I planted the following peppers from seed. I will plant 15 pepper plants at home and the rest at Jacob’s parents garden. They are so nice and let us grow stuff there AND share with us. I am so lucky Jacob’s dad has such a green thumb!

We planted:

1. Cherry peppers
2. Pepperoncini peppers
3. Bell peppers
4. Jalapeño peppers
5. Mixed Hot Peppers (not sure what came up here. I wont be buying a mixed packet of seeds again. Even though it will be a surprise!)

Here is how I planted them:

I filled the inside with a layer of pebbled stones to help with drainage.

I picked up some organic soil with Jacob from Lowes. I hope it makes our peppers grow strong and delicious!

I made sure the soil where the peppers were being planted was wet. I spaced them out, made a little hole and planted them.

I can’t wait to have baby peppers to pickle, grill and freeze! 🙂

I am the luckiest girl to have such a smart, talented, generous husband. It’s not everyday I get to brag about the beautiful things he is capable of building. I can’t wait to give Jacob lots of yummy meals, condiments and pickles from these peppers. For many many years to come! 🙂

Quick Radish and Red Onion Refrigerator pickle

Ingredients:
1 cup radishes
1/2 red onion
12 oz cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf

First I sterilized the jar in the microwave. I just filled up a pint jar with water about 1/3 of the way and set it for 10 minutes.

Next I cut up the radishes and red onion.

Next I put the cider vinegar, black peppercorns and salt in to a small no reactive pot.

Next I cold packed the radishes and onion and bay leaf into the sterilized jar. Once the vinegar was boiling, i poured it over radishes and sealed up the jar and placed it in the fridge. You should let them stay in the fridge for at least one day before enjoying. I’ll let you know tomorrow how they were 🙂

Pickling Spice

Home from Wegmans with my spices! I had a bunch already but needed to grab more Bay leaf, Dill seeds and cinnamon sticks. The spices smell so great together!

I modified the recipe I found in my Food in Jars cookbook, on page 118. I used only 1 1/2 Tablespoons bay leaf, and no cloves. The allspice is so potent, I personally didn’t think it needed cloves in it as well.

Here’s what I came up with!

Now for the Radishes 🙂