Raspberry or Blackberry Vinegar Juice Concentrate.

Raspberry or Blackberry Vinegar Juice Concentrate

2 Parts Berries

1 Part Vinegar

Sugar

Lightly crush berries in large bowl or bucket. Pour Vinegar over and stir. Cover and periodically stir over 2 days. Strain. Add 2 more parts berries to liquid. Let set 2 more days periodically stirring. Strain and add 1 part Sugar to 1 part juice. Boil and then hot water bath in jars for 20 minutes.

• You can use either fresh or frozen berries. I find that you seem to get more juice out of frozen berries.
• Black Currents also make an excellent tasting juice.

Makes a juice concentrate. Mix it 1 part juice to 3 parts water.

Egg Nog Recipe

Ingredients

    * 4 egg yolks

    * 1/2 cup sugar

    * 2 cups milk

    * 2 whole cloves

    * Pinch of cinnamon

    * 1 cup cream

    * 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

    * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    * 2 Tbsp each of bourbon and rum or brandy, or to taste (can omit for kid-friendly eggnog)

    * *4 egg whites (optional) 

Method

1 In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until they become lighter in color (can whisk by hand or use a mixer for this). Slowly beat in the sugar, whisking until fluffy.

2 Combine the milk, cinnamon, and cloves in a thick-bottomed saucepan. Slowly heat mixture on medium heat until it is steaming hot, but not boiling.

3 Temper the eggs by slowly adding half of the hot milk mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly while you add the hot mixture. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.

4 Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it begins to thicken slightly, and coats the back of the spoon. It helps to have a candy thermometer, but not necessary; if you have one, cook until the mixture reaches 160°F. Do not allow the mixture to boil, or it will curdle. (If the mixture does curdle you may be able to save it by running it through a blender.) Remove from heat and stir in the cream. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove the cloves. Let cool for one hour.

5 Mix in vanilla extract, nutmeg, and bourbon/rum and brandy (feel free to omit for kid-friendly eggnog). Chill.

Optional: Beat egg whites until they reach soft peaks. Add a teaspoon of sugar and continue to beat until they reach stiff peaks. Gently fold into eggnog.

Makes 1 quart. Serves 4-6.

Chewy Caramels & Turtle Chews

I've found this most delicious recipe for Chewy Caramels and decided to give it a go to make Turtle Chocolates.

Chewy Caramels

1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Cup, White Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Tsp Kosher Salt

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Grease and line an 8X8 pan with parchment paper.

In a heavy bottomed medium sized pot, mix cream, sugar and salt.  Heat on medium high heat stirring constantly until sugars dissolve and it comes to a boil.  

Stop stirring.  Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot and let it boil until the thermometer reaches 245*F or 118*C.  Keep a close eye on the thermometer.  DO NOT STIR.  If crystals form on the side of the pot, brush down with a wet pastry brush.  

As soon as the temperature reaches 245*F, Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour into prepared pan.  Let sit 8 hours to set.

To Make Chocolate Turtles

Before you begin your caramel, toast some pecans.

Toast enough Pecans to cover bottom of pan.  To toast pecans, put in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven at 350*F for about 5 minutes or until you start to smell them.

Cover bottom of pan with toasted pecans.  Pour caramel over top of the pecans. Let set.  Once the caramel has set, cut into squares.

Dip the caramel pecan squares in chocolate and set on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Place pecan half in center of square.  You can speed up the setting of the chocolate by refrigerating the sheet.  Store in wax paper lined layers in a tin or air tight container in fridge.  

All photos have disappeared....

So it seems that all my photo's for my recipe's have disappeared.  It is going to take me some time to try and fix this problem.  I'm so sorry for the inconvenience .

Medium - Hot Salsa Recipe ~ Smoky Chipotle Salsa

Today I made a nice big batch of Salsa.  I like to call it Smoky Chipotle Salsa.  It is so yummy and tasty!  I tried making it for the first time last year.  Well, a few weeks ago we finally ran out and I just couldn't bring myself to go out and buy a jar of the store bought stuff.  So I made another batch.

Medium-Hot Salsa

16 cups very ripe tomatoes, cored & chopped (no need to peel or seed)

5 cups yellow onions, chopped

4 cups green peppers, chopped

1 canned chipotle chili (optional– or you can add more for super hot salsa)

1 sm can of chopped green chili's

5 small green hot peppers (can't remember the name)

12 cloves garlic

3 teaspoons cumin

4 teaspoons black pepper

4 Tablespoon canning salt (also called pickling salt — it has no iodine)

2/3 cup white vinegar

30 ounces tomato sauce (homemade or from the store)

24 ounces tomato paste (homemade or from the store)

juice of 2 lime

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Chop tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic and chipotle chilies by hand or in a food processor. Make it as chunky or fine as you like. In a large non-aluminum pot, mix everything together except the lime juice and cilantro.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Continue boiling 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro.

Fill jars with hot mixture. Wipe rims and add lids and screw-bands. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Make sure the boiling water is deep enough to cover the jars by at least one inch, and start timing when the water returns to a boil after adding the jars.

Check the jar seals. If any haven’t sealed, you get to eat that right away! Keeps in the fridge for several weeks once opened.

If you want a very mild salsa, start by omitting the chipotle, cutting the cumin to 1 teaspoon, and removing the seeds from the hot peppers. Once the mixture has cooked for about 5 minutes, give it a taste, and season to desired “hotness” by adding the cumin, hot pepper seeds and chipotles (with or without the adobo sauce in the can). The recipe as listed makes a medium-hot version.

If it is not spicy enough, you could add a cup of chopped jalapeno peppers with or without the seeds.

This recipe is doubled so if you want a smaller batch, just cut the recipe in half.  I got 16 pints of Salsa today.

Enjoy!

Excellent Zucchini Salsa

This salsa has a really delicious flavor, and keeps you going back for more.

Zucchini Salsa

10 cups zucchini, peeled and shredded

4 onions, chopped

2 green bell peppers, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1/4 cup pickling salt

1 tablespoon pickling salt

2 tablespoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon cumin

2 cups white vinegar

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon black pepper

5 cups chopped ripe tomatoes

2 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cans of 156ml tomato paste

In a large bowl combine; Zucchini, onions, green pepper, red pepper and the salt Mix together cover and let stand over night.

This time I used Yellow Zucchini.

Next day rinse, drain well and put into a large pot then add mustard, garlic, cumin, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper flakes, cornstarch, nutmeg, pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste.

I like to premix the dry ingredients.  I find that doing it this way helps to prevent the Corn Starch from clumping.

Mix well.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

Water bath jars if they have not sealed properly.

Note: If you want it "HOT" just add a dozen finely chopped jalapenos 

*** Note from my kitchen****

I used 4 - 6 cloves of Fresh pressed garlic instead of the tablespoon of powdered.

I used 3 tablespoons (heaping) of Crushed Red Pepper flakes instead of the called for 2 because I didn't have jalapeno's.  It turned out quite spicy.  So Reduce or add pepper flakes depending on how spicy you like it.  I think next time I will try 1 1/2- 2 tbsp pepper flakes, so it's a little less spicy.

Sponge Candy ~ Cinder Toffee Recipe

I haven't had this candy since I was a kid and it was a special treat.  It would come in this block, all wrapped in clear plastic.  And you would eat it until your tongue hurt and your teeth ached.  And still it would be so good that you just had to keep eating it.  But as the years went by and I didn't see it forever, I just forgot about it.

Sponge Candy

2 1/2   Cups Sugar

2/3      Cups Light Corn Syrup

6 Tbsp Water

2 Tsp   Vanilla

2 Tbsp Baking Soda

In a large pot put Sugar, Corn Syrup, Water and Vanilla.  Heat on medium/high heat (do not stir) until candy thermometer reaches 300* (hard crack stage).  It will turn a light brown color.  (I don't know if I messed it up, but I did stir it before I turned on the heat... I couldn't resist).

Remove from heat and immediately stir in baking soda.  Mix quickly (like around 5ish seconds), and pour into parchment paper lined greased pan.  Leave it to set and get hard, then pry it out of the pan, and break it into chunks.  This can be messy, but I do it on a huge cookie sheet to catch most of the crumbs.

Store in an air tight container.  I use quart jars.  If you leave it out and air gets at it, any moisture in the air will make the candy shrink and get harder.

****  Make sure you use a very large pot, because when you add the baking soda it will foam up like crazy.  Also, pre-measure the baking soda so you have it on hand ready to go.  I also sifted my soda because the first time I made it, it had lumps and every once in a while when you were eating it you would get a lump of baking soda.  

****You are supposed to use one of those round cheese cake pans that the sides comes off of but I don't have one, so I used a rectangle cake Pan, but I greased the sides really well  (I used butter.) and made sure I had the bottom lined with the parchment paper.  

~~~~~  Now, if you want to get fancy, you can dip chunks into melted chocolate, and then you will be doomed to eat it all for sure.  The result is this delicious Crunchy Chocolate bar that crunches, and then somehow melts in your mouth and leaves you reaching for more.  It is seriously maybe even better then those store bought crunchy bars.~~~~~~

Anyways there you have it.  And it's seriously good, and not even hard to make.  Surprisingly easy in fact.  And sooo so good.  Everyone who tried a piece said it was just like when they were a kid.

Enjoy!

All jarred up!  Good to give out to friends or to hide in the pantry for a sweet craving.

Marble Almond Roca

Every year around Christmas I make this yummy treat.  They also make a wonderful gift if you put them in a pretty tin or jar.

Marble Almond Roca

1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds, Toasted

1 Cup Butter, Cubed

1 Cup Sugar

3 Tbsp Boiling Water

2 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup

1/2 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips

Brown Almonds at 300*F for 15 minutes or toast in a pan on the stove top.  Spread on a Parchment Paper lined 15 X 10 inch baking sheet.

In a large saucepan, cook butter and sugar for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Add water and corn syrup.  Bring to boil over medium heat.  |Cook string occasionally until candy thermometer reaches 300*F (Hard Crack Stage).  Quickly pour over Almonds.  Sprinkle Chips and let set for 2 minutes.  Swirl chocolate over candy.  Cool completely.  Break into pieces.  

Stores well in Freezer for quite a long time.  Not sure exactly how long, since it always gets eaten.  

I like to toast my nuts on the stove top.  I just put them in the pan at medium heat.

I keep tossing them in the pan or stirring them around until they start to get a nice toasted scent and color.

Spread them on a cookie sheet that you've lined with parchment paper.  Otherwise the candy will stick.  Don't worry about getting the nuts right to the edge.  The candy won't spread that far.

Mix your semi sweet and white chocolate chips in a bowl and set it aside.

In a large saucepan, add the sugar and butter.

On Medium heat, cook the butter and sugar for 5 minutes or so.

Add in the light corn syrup and boiling water.  Thbis will make the sugar mixture bubble and steam.

On medium heat cook the mixture until it reaches 300* (Hard Crack Stage) on the candy thermometer.  The sugar mixture will darken in color.  Give it a stir once in a while.

When it reaches 300*, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it over the toasted almonds.  You will have to sort of pour it her and there over the almonds.  Be careful, it is very, very hot and will stick to you and burn you if you get it on yourself.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over top of it and let it sit for 2 minutes.  Sometimes I will wait a minute before sprinkling the chocolate chips as the candy is really hot and cooks the white chips so that they don't melt that great.

After a few minutes, give the chips a swirl around.

Let the candy completely cool.  You can quicken the cool time by popping it in the fridge.  This works for me if I can't wait.  Once it is cool break it into pieces and put it in a tin, or jar.

Enjoy!

Boterkoek ~ Dutch Butter Cake

This is a favorite in our house.  It's so buttery and moist.  It's quite a rich cake actually.  It's something that I don't mind making year round.  It's pretty quick and easy to do.  Perfect if you have someone coming over for tea!

Boterkoek ~ Dutch Butter Cake

1 1/2 cups Sugar

2 Cups Sugar

3 Cups Flour

2 Tsp Baking Powder

2 Eggs

1- 1 1/2 Tsp Almond Extract

1 Egg White

Sliced Almonds

In a large mixing bowl, add sugar butter and eggs.

Blend until well creamed.  Add in Almond Extract. and blend until it's mixed in.

A bit at a time, add in your Flour and Baking Powder.

Mix until Flour is blended. 

It will form a soft dough.

Divide dough in half and press into two 9 inch pie tins.  This time I did one pie tin and 10 tart tins for my kids to bring in lunches.  Take an Egg White and beat it some with a fork, then brush it over the tops of the pies.  This will stick the Almonds to the tops and give it a bit of a shiny crust.

 Sprinkle sliced almonds over the tops of the pies.  You could arrange the Almonds if you want to take the time.  They look quite pretty.

Bake 350*F for 30 minutes until the edge is the pie is golden.  Remove from oven and set on cooling racks. 

This is the first time I've baked it in the tart tins.  I think they came out quite nicely.  The tart sized ones had a bake time of 20 minutes.  

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

These muffins are a nice moist dense muffin with good flavor.  The Sugar and Lemon Zest on top give it a little extra sweetness and crunch on top.  If the muffin isn't sweet enough for your taste, you can add an extra half cup of sugar to the batter.  

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

4 Eggs

2 Cups Sugar + 1/2 cup

1 Cup Melted Butter

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Sour Cream

4 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Baking Soda

2 Cups Blue Berries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Zest the yellow part off of 3 Lemons.  Put the zest from one of the lemons in a smaller bowl and mix with 1/2 Cup of Sugar for topping.  Set aside.

Gather your ingredients. 

In a separate bowl, mix Flour, Salt and Baking Soda with a dry whisk until blended.  Then add in your Blueberries, and give them a mix in with the dry ingredients.  Today I used berries that I froze earlier this summer.  

In a separate bowl blend the Sugar, and melted Butter, then add in your Eggs and Vanilla.

Blend your Sour Cream into the Sugar, butter, eggs mixture. 

Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix it in with a spoon or rubber spatula.  The batter should be kind of thick and lumpy.  Don't over mix it.

 Spoon into greased or lined muffin tins.

Sprinkle Lemon Sugar on top of muffin batter.  

Bake in the oven at 400*F for 20 minutes until they start to get a little golden. 

 Cool on racks.

Crock Pot Roast Beef

I had yesterday off and thought it would be a great day to put a roast in the crock pot...  Ok, what inspired me was, a few days back my boyfriend and I were in Safeway and he was drooling over a piece of hot Roast Beef in gravy.  Well, I haven't made a roast in a long time, so I decided that enough was enough and I wold go all out and put on a roast...

My friend was over for coffee and got to witness my magic in action.  Ha ha!  Magic I say.  She probably thinks I'm nuts now.  I secretly (or now not so secretly) hate touching meat.  But alas, meat must be handled somewhat.  So she had to witness my delight in repeatedly touching the lovely roast.  Don't get me wrong... I have handled a lot of meat in the past, and can do this.  I just don't like to.  Not my favorite thing.  

Anyways... Crockpot Roast Beef...  There is no real set rules in my kitchen for what goes into it.  But one thing I do like to do is put some sort of veggies into the bottom of the pot.  I think this adds flavor to it and helps to make yummy gravy.

So before the roast goes in, I put in some celery chopped a few times, but left in pretty long chunks.  Peel and chop up a few carrots, big chunks.  Peel and halve and roughly chop an onion into big chunks.  Spread out on bottom of crock pot.  Then I sprinkle in some onion soup mix.  Put in a cup or so of Beef Stock.  Yesterday I threw in a few springs of fresh Savory.  

The roast its self, I gave a rinse.  Stabbed it full of holes with a thin knife and stuffed them with slices of fresh garlic.  (About 3 or 4 cloves.) |All over top bottom and sides, randomly.  Put pepper all over the outside. Ok, sometimes I will sear the roast in a hot pan with oil to brown the outside and seal in the moisture.  This time I didn't.  I figured it usually comes out tender enough out of the crock pot.  You can sprinkle on more herbs or spices if you want.  Because I used Onion Soup Mix, I didn't add any salt to anything.  It was salty enough.  I put another sprig of Savory on top.  and dusted a little more onion soup mix on it.  You can also just use onion powder if you want.  Whatever floats your boat.

Into the Crock Pot.

Put a lid on it.  Pug it in and set it to Low.  Now, Forget about it.... For about 8 hours.  Or if you put it on High, then leave it for 4 hours.  Let the crock pot do it's magic!

In about 8 hours you will lift the lid to see this steaming beauty!

So last night to go with my roast I cooked Butternut Squash.  Just cut in half, seeds scooped out, and into a casserole dish.  I dab butter here and there all over it and sprinkle it over with salt and pepper. You cold put in a little splash of water if you want.  Cover with tin foil.  Bake at 350" until tender... (It takes my oven over an hour I think).

Also had Mashed Potatoes.  Peel, quarter, and boil until fork tender, Drain.  Throw in some butter, whipping cream (or milk), salt and pepper and mash.  Also good with a some dill sprinkled on top.  Yummm!

Of course we needed cooked carrots with butter and dill.  They go so well together.

Then I got all ambitious and attempted Yorkshire Pudding.  Oh yeah.  Something I haven't done for several years.  I will post the recipe separately as soon as I can.  I just love Yorkshire Pudding with roast and gravy.  Mmmm!

Oh yes!  Lets not forget the gravy.  Gravy is pretty easy.  After I took the roast out of the crock pot, I strained the juices and veggies.  The liquid went into a pot.  And back on to the stove top to be brought to a boil.  You can thicken it with flour and water shaken in a jar, or you can use a gravy browner.  I used a gravy browner for the first tiem ever last night and it came out really nice.  I just sprinkled it over the boiling broth and whisked it until it was thickened.  I didn't need to add anymore spices or salt, because of the onion soup mix.  Easy and good to go.

Oh yeah!  We also had my Wicked Greek Salad with our meal!  
http://thekitchenexpedition.blogspot.ca/2013/08/wicked-greek-salad-recipe.html

Well, I wish I had taken more pictures, but I was too busy preparing and by the time I was ready to eat I it was smelling to good to take the time.  Ahhhh!  What a life!