Dutch Girl Dinners: Quick Dinners by Ingredients Continued

Dutch Girl Dinners: Quick Dinners by Ingredients Continued: This post is about meat....fresh, frozen, leftover or purchased from the deli counter on your way home, how to make it appetizing, or ideas ...

Quick Dinners by Ingredients Continued

This post is about meat....fresh, frozen, leftover or purchased from the deli counter on your way home, how to make it appetizing, or ideas to make it different that just plain meat, potatoes, veg/salad dinner.

*Frozen preformed hamburgers, Homemade or purchased
-mashed while cooking, add leftover veggies, mix in quart of beef stock for soup;
-can be made into any kind of burger, Mexican flavour-try using pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole,
hot peppers, Swiss cheese, mushrooms, fried onions, blue cheese,
barbeque sauce, hot salsa mixed with mayonaise, garlic and green onions mixed with mayonaise;
-cooked, crumbled, mixed into macaroni and cheese dinner, mixed with chili powder and fresh cherry tomatoes;
-hot hamburger sandwiches, (frozen burger heated with can/package gravy, over bread)with veggies;
-broken up into your favourite pasta sauce for a quick meaty pasta;
-Crumbled up to make sloppy joes, spice mix from a package/can;
-Add it to a can of thick soup, over left over mashed potatoes, or rice;
-Crumbled up,fried, added to canned or packaged gravy over frozen French fries, with your fav cheese,a great poutine;
-crumbled up, fried with a bit of onion, chili powder, can of drained rinsed,red beans, and cooked rice to make southern dirty rice;
-cut into halves, with fried mushrooms and onions tucked into a 4-6 inch piece of crusty bread, cheese optional;

*Sausages
Italian
-cut into slices, cooked with escarole, left over potatoe slices, pinch crushed chili, vegetable boullion, add a cup of milk, makes a potatoe/sausage/greens soup like Olive Garden;
-remove casing, fried with onions and peppers and fresh cherry tomatoes, tucked into mini sub rolls;
-sausage slices, cooked,add to your tomato sauce, frozen or jar, over penne pasta;
-sausage meat, casing removed, fried with onions, canned tomatoe sauce, add your fav spices,served over polenta;
-any sausage rolled into pilsberry refridgerator crescent rolls, baked and served with brown beans and/or eggs;
-breakfast sausage cooked, added to frittata(baked eggs/vegetables);
Bavarian or Oktoberfest
-sausages, baked with sliced potatoes(left-over/frozen hash browns) and sauerkraut, serve with mustard and rye bread;
-sausages, fried with onions and kraut tucked into pretzel flavoured rolls;
-sausages cooked with Dutch Girl red cabbage, left over(recipe on Dutch Girl Dinners), served with mash potatoes;
-any type of sausage meat, cut into slices, mixed with macaroni and cheese dinner, along with salad;
Chorizo or any Hot Spicy Sausage
-cooked, chopped into Spanish rice,made with a package or homemade;
-chopped, cooked with hot or sweet peppers,tucked into cheesy crusty garlic bread;
-chopped cooked with jar salsa, scrambled egg, tucked into heated flour tortillas;
Chicken Sausage
-cooked, sliced mixed with Alfredo sauce and sun dried tomatoes, over ziti/penne pasta;
-cooked without casing, made into white chili with white kidney beans, cumin, Mexican green chilies, veg stock and a cup of cream.

Any kind of deli meat, sliced thick, or left over meat from roast beef or pork
-paired with any type of potatoes, left over, frozen Hash browns, packaged scalloped potatoes;
-Chef salad;
-leftover pork shredded with barbeque sauce served with slaw and soft bread rolls;
-any type of left over meat, deli, sausage, hamburger, mixed with packaged rice or pasta mix(Knorr, uncle bens, Lipton);
-Cut into can soup, can stew, can beans;
-Heated and served with deli potato salad,and coleslaw, rye bread/rolls;
-sliced ham, chopped with green onions and egg made into western omelets;
-hot roast beef sandwiches, from deli slices, heated with gravy and over bread;
-roast beef, fried mushrooms and onions, flavoured horseradish mayonaise tucked into crusty rolls, salad;
-Italian style deli meats paired with olives, cheeses, grapes, crackers,served with your favourite soup;
-any kind of deli meat and cheese made into quesadilla, served with guacamole and salsa;
-chopped ham mixed with macaroni and cheese dinner, and crunchy celery, on the side

Quick Dinner Ideas Continued

This is the final post in this series of quick dinner ideas. Many of us have used canned fish for sandwiches or salad, but how about salmon loaf, crab cakes, or tuna melt? These all sound complicated but are easy to make and takes just a few minutes from start to finish.

Canned Salmon or Canned Crabmeat

-salmon cakes/loaf: 1-14 ounce can salmon or 2-7 ounce cans, drained, flaked, add an egg, a sprinkle of pepper, 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons mayonaise, a pinch of Old bay seasoning or dill or summer savory, mix together then pat into cakes or a small loaf, bake 350 degrees F, until it is hot 10-12 minutes, (add salt at table)serve with crusty bread, toasted English muffins, or with mashed potatoes and salad;
-creamed salmon with peas-1-7 ounce can salmon, drained, make a classic white sauce (or from package)2 tablespoons butter, melted, 2 tablespoons flour,pinch salt, pepper, dill, mixed into butter, heat for about 1 minute, add 1 cup milk, stir with whisk, heat until thick and bubbly, add salmon, and defrosted peas, heat through,whole dish can be cooked in microwave, serve over mashed potatoes, toast or dip crusty bread into mixture, with salad;
-add salmon to any Alfredo sauce over pasta,rice
-add salmonor tuna to packaged rice pilaf, serve with broccoli
-add salmon to chef salad, with hard boiled eggs, white cheddar, bread sticks
-salmon salad to whole wheat mini tortillas/or bread and cucumber slices


Canned Tuna or Canned Crabmeat

- classic tuna melt- toast crusty bread, bagels, English muffins, then mix the tuna with mayonaise,chopped green onion, salt, pepper, dill, lemon juice; lay toasted bread slices on baking sheet, cover with tuna mixture, add slices of cherry tomato, cover tomato slices with shredded mozzarella, or other white cheese, pop in oven until cheese is melted and bubbly, serve with cucumber slices, celery sticks; can use a flour tortilla and make a wrap instead;
- tuna is great in a quick Italian style salad: to washed and dried romaine/mixed greens, add a can of Romano/mixture of beans, drained and rinsed, thinly sliced small red onion, chunks of cucumber and a few cherry tomatoes, and jar artichokes, cut up, use Italian dressing, or use oil from the artichokes with white wine vinegar, garlic salt and pepper, mix altogether, top with shaved Parmesan cheese, serve with crusty bread;
- to mixed greens, a few small cooked red potatoes,a handful of cooked green beans, hard boiled eggs,tuna, compose a nicoise salad, use oil and vinegar as dressing, serve with crusty bread or bread sticks;
-add tuna to any Alfredo sauce with sharp cheese over macaroni or penne, slice a few grape tomatoes or use sun dried tomatoes;
- mix tuna with dry mash potatoes,chopped dill and green onions,mix all together to make cakes, if the cakes don't hold together, (add an egg and a bit of breadcrumb until they do)place on parchment covered baking pan, add dots of butter to each cake, heat in 350 degree F oven until golden brown, serve with broccoli, or green beans;

Mexican Wedding Cookies aka Pecan Sandies

My mother used to make these at Christmas, rolling the dough around candied red and green cherries, but these cookies are great as they are.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Oven 325 degrees F

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup pecans, toasted then crushed into tiny pieces
1 teaspoon good vanilla
1 cup cold salted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
Additional icing sugar

To a food processor bowl, add the flour and icing sugar, mix well, while the machine is running, add half the butter until it is incorporated, then add the crushed pecans, then the rest of the butter, using short pulses, add the vanilla, run the processor until the mixture starts to clump together, dump it onto a piece of parchment paper, knead until smooth. Roll dough into walnut sized balls, set them onto the parchment lined baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown, rotate the pans during baking for even baking. Remove from oven, let cool on racks for 5 minutes, then toss each cookie in icing sugar, repeating if necessary until well coated with the icing sugar. This recipe makes about 50.

Cheesy Shortbread

This recipe is for adults, to have with a glass or two of your favourite wine. You can make them with your favourite cheese, but make sure the cheese you use is strong, like aged cheddar, blue cheese, or Oka.

Cheesy Shortbread
Oven 375 degrees F

1 cup salted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups all purpose flour
Pinch or two of cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, line sheet pans with parchment. With a stand mixer, whip 1 cup softened butter until it is fluffy, scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl then slow the mixer down, add the shredded cheese, mix well, then while the mixer is running on slow speed, add the flour and cayenne. Speed the mixer up scraping down the sides until all is incorporated, you may need to knead the mixture until it is smooth. Drop by teaspoons on parchment lined sheet pans,2 inches apart, bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom. This recipe makes about 5 dozen small bite size cookies.
Note- you can also wrap the mixture in plastic wrap, refridgerate for about an hour then roll into 1 inch balls, placing them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Cookies for Santa

Every year I tell myself that this year I will not bake too much, but the spirit of Christmas always seems to interfere with those plans, so here we are a few days to go, I have made these recipes for cookies you can make in an afternoon, with or without the kids! Enjoy

Whipped Swet and Salty Shortbread

Oven 300 degrees F

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1 cup icing sugar
1 pound salted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon good vanilla

Measure the dry ingredients,whip them together with a whisk, set aside. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F, prepare sheet pans by lining each with parchment, this recipe makes 9 dozen. With a stand mixer, whip the butter until it is light and fluffy, pausing now and then to scrape down the sides of bowl, about 3-4 minutes, then add the vanilla, whip for a minute. With the mixer on the lowest setting, slowly add the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl, until all the flour mixture is incorporated, then speed the mixer up for a minute to whip the ingredients together. At this point, you can scrape the whole mixture onto a few pieces of plastic wrap, shaping it into a small cylinder, then refridgerate for about an hour, this makes it easy to slice the shortbread and prevents it from spreading too much. But, if you prefer,you can drop mixture from a teaspoon, immediately after mixing, onto the prepared pans. If you have tasted the shortbread dough, and wish to add a bit more salt, add a few coarse grains of salt on top of each cookie, bake the shortbread for about 18 minutes or until the cookies are golden on the bottom, rotate the baking pans periodically during the baking time for even browning.

Quick Dinners, By Ingredient

Did the chicken come first....or the Egg?

Chicken and Vegetables

If you have left over chicken, and other left over meat, put it together with a previously made rice dish, or one of those noodle, rice packages for a quick dish. Thinking about that...if you didn't have enough of the meat, after pairing it with the rice, you could fold the rice mixture into a few eggs, scrambled to make Egg Foo Yong, paired with a bit of soy sauce, you will have a great meal...low cost, too.

Chicken
Ideas:

*chicken pot pies,(see recipe Dutch girl dinners) cover with left over mashed potatoes, puff pastry, or breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter;
*tortilla wraps, heat the tortillas in dry fry pan, butter with your favourite sauce(mayo, BBQ, mustard, guacamole)add the chicken, veggies, salad, cheese, wrap up, great dinner, everyone love;
*chicken stir fry, with frozen stir fry veggies, add left over rice, or one of those seasoned rice packages, quick and tasty;
*chicken and gravy poutine, use left over chicken, left over gravy, or gravy from package or can, frozen French fries, done extra well, with chunks of your favourite cheese, add a few frozen veggies for a real unique healthy poutine;
*quesedillas made with left over chicken and shredded cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and guacamole;
*casseroles made with any leftover chicken, vegetable, a can of cream soup mixed with 1/2 can milk and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce topped with cheese and a few breadcrumbs mixed together;
*Hot chicken sandwiches, use regular gravy or St Hubert's chicken sauce(like Swiss Chalet)
*Chicken burritos, made with Mexican rice, chicken, cheese, salsa, fresh veggies, guacamole, hot peppers, etc rolled into a large flour tortilla, baked for 10-12 minutes until tortilla is a little crunchy.
*Chicken salad, made with celery, onions, grapes, or olives,mayonaise, herbs, onto toasted French stick;
*Chicken and sautéed mushrooms and chees, on a toasted roll;
*chicken warmed, paired with a jar of masala sauce,or butter chicken sauce, served with rice and Naan bread
*chicken and sun dried tomatoes in creamy pasta sauce served over pasta.

Eggs
Ideas:

*omelets which can include anything, from herbs, leftover vegetables, ham, onion, salsa, cheese, leftover bacon;
*wrap your omelet into a hot tortilla, add some salsa, hot peppers, yum!;
*eggs Italian style, just sauté a bit of onion, add a can of Aurora tomatoes, add the eggs, let them slowly cook in the tomato sauce, add cheese, serve with crusty bread (see recipe Dutch Girl Dinners);
*Eggs Benedict, for a great dinner, very quick and easy, hollandaise sauce from package, poach eggs, use back bacon or ham and toasted English muffins;
*egg Foo Yong, any left over veggie, meat, a few bean sprouts or water chestnuts from a can and fresh mushrooms, makes a great meal;
*egg sandwiches, hot or cold, with fresh tomatoes, bacon, ham, hot toast, can have a bit of soup with that if desired;
*French toast with Carmel apples, bananas foster, fresh fruit, whipped cream or not....You could also use your banana bread instead of regular bread, French bread, brioche, any style;
*French style breakfast for dinner, ham, or bacon, eggs any style, baked beans, hot crusty bread
*eggs and veggie frittata, just mix a few eggs together with vegetables of your choice, heat pan, add egg mixture, pop into 350 degree F oven bake until set;
*to any cream soup, enrich with a couple of beaten eggs, temper eggs with a few spoonfuls of hot soup, add into soup a little at a time to prevent scrambling the egg, makes a satisfying soup.

Dutch Girl Quick Dinner Ideas-pantry list

Even if you love to cook, and make great meals, there are days that you are not interested in being the "Family Gourmet". Not even when you work full time would you have time to cook that way except at the weekends, I know that I certainly had no energy at the end of a busy workday especially after the long commute. So, in the next few posts I will give you several ideas for quick dinners, that are not only tasty, but healthy and takes no more than 20-30 minutes from start to finish.

Grocery List Pantry Items
No refridgeration necessary

Quick seasoned/flavoured noodle or rice packages(uncle Bens, Lipton, Knorr)
Any type tortilla chips
Canned Salmon
Canned Tuna
Canned crab
Canned thick soup, any flavour
Canned mushroom soup
Canned mushrooms
Jar artichoke hearts in oil
Jars of olives, different types
Canned hot peppers, Mexican type
Pasta
Macaroni and cheese dinner
Packaged or Canned gravy,
packaged hollandaise sauce
Packaged guacamole seasoning
Any type of canned beans, including pork and beans
Jar best pasta sauce
Plain tomato sauce (hunts)
Canned whole tomatoes
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Dried spices, including minced garlic, onion
Dried herbs

Pantry items
Refrigerator

Eggs
Side bacon
Back bacon
Sausages, any type
Frozen preformed hamburgers
Chicken thighs, breast
Thin pork chops, boneless
Flour tortillas
Crusty bread
Pizza dough, frozen
Canned Biscuit, Pilsberry
English muffins
Bagels
Bagged salad, any type
Prepared carrots, celery

One of the biggest time savers is to double any recipe, such as chili, stew, pasta sauce, soup, even vegetables, scalloped potatoes, any rice dish or plain rice (except boiled potatoes) can be successfully frozen and pulled out for dinner, along with a bagged salad, (rinsed and spun dry) or frozen vegetables.

Breakfasts and Lunch Ideas
I have made muffins/small loaves of corn bread, zucchini bread, banana bread, and date/nut loaf, for delicious but super fast breakfasts, or snacks, or accompanying any dinner. I have even been known to make a loaf or two of sandwiches, using cold cuts, minus the veggies and condiment, so lunch making is simplified, all that needs doing is at the same time you make the loaf of sandwiches, put together a few small snack sized ziplock bags with carrots, celery, lettuce, grape tomatoes, even olives, that can be put together with your frozen sandwich and a piece of fruit, for easy, fast lunch making.

The thing with frozen dinners that you have previously made, you have to remember to take it out of the freezer.....in the morning, or the night before, put it in fridge to defrost, then, just heat it up and eat, most soups, stews and pasta sauces are better after a day or so, anyway, so you will not lose any flavour. Also, slow cookers are great for throwing your frozen soup/stew into, just put it on low, if you have a timer, great, just put it on to start after lunch,so your dinner will have defrosted, then by the time you are home it will be hot, great invention. Although I really never cook in mine, just use it for keeping things hot at my buffet table. So in the next few posts, I will endeavor to give you ideas on how to make quick easy and nutritious meals without calling your favourite pizza place.

Spicy Spanish Rice with Chorizo

Everyone has their favourite Spanish rice recipe, this one is mine. If you don't want it too spicy leave out the hot chilies.

Spicy Spanish Rice with Chorizo

3 tablespoons corn oil
2 cups long grain rice
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 red or green sweet pepper,chopped
2 small stalks celery chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1-28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
2-3 cups water
2-3 chorizo sausages, baked til almost cooked through,chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch red hot crushed chilies
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 vegetable boullion cube

In a Dutch oven, heat oil, add onion, celery my sweet pepper, sauté for a few minutes, add rice and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until rice starts to brown a little bit, then add the tomatoes, and water, stir well, bring to boil, add the boullion cube, salt, pepper and spices, stir well, lower heat, simmer for 10 minutes, add the chopped Chorizo sausage, turn heat to low, stir and simmer for another 10 minutes, then turn heat off, put lid on until rice is tender. This is a great meal unto itself, or an accompaniment to chicken. You can also add cooked left over chicken to the rice dish.

Best Ever Banana Bread

Banana bread is very healthy and a great way to use up those last 3-4 bananas that have gone past the enticing stage. Oh did I say this recipe is fat free? Banana bread can be eaten for breakfast, snacks, as an accompaniment to stews or soups. Even my baby Shihtzu, Wookie loves the flavour, eventhough he doesn't eat the fruit! Mind you, he is always interested in trying whatever I am eating, (but he won't eat from anyone else's hand, even if it's the same thing!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Best Ever Banana Bread

3-4 medium bananas, peel removed
2 eggs

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2-3/4 cup walnuts

Prepare loaf pan, grease and flour or line with parchment paper. In food processor, or stand mixer, add bananas, process or mix until almost liquified, add the 2 eggs, mix well. Measure all dry ingredients,mix well together, except walnuts, add dry ingredient mixture to banana mixture, mix well, then add the walnuts. Pour into prepared loaf pan, or small loaf pan size. Bake at 350 degree F until toothpick comes out clean! about an hour for large loaf sized pan, or 35-40 minutes for small loaf size.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie

I like roasted chicken for this recipe, whether you roast it yourself, or buy it from the store, it will be just as good. I also roast vegetables along with the chicken, any assortment will do, I use mushrooms, onions, carrots and a couple of small sweet peppers. No need to cut them into small pieces, just cut them into equal sizes so that they are more or less ready at the same time. Mushrooms take less time, so you will want to take them out earlier.

1 3-4 pound roasted chicken, skin removed, chicken cut into chunks, 3 cups, set aside

4 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
1-2 yellow onions, quartered
2-3 small sweet peppers, left whole, but deseeded
1/2 pound white mushrooms
2-3 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper

Clean and prepare all the vegetables,using a sheet pan covered with parchment, lay the vegetables out,coat lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, removing the mushrooms, when they are nicely browned, and the onions when they are translucent, cut into smaller sized pieces, set aside.
Sauce
1 can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can of milk
2-3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Add 3 cups of the chicken and roasted vegetables to your sauce, add 1/2 cup frozen peas, if desired, pour into casserole dish, large enough to accommodate this mixture and the whipped potatoes, or use individual casserole dishes.
Topping
4-5 large potatoes, peeled if desired
1/2 cup milk
3-4 tablespoons butter
Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, drain, mash add the milk and butter, add salt if necessary, whip with balloon whisk, don't make the potatoes too soft, they are the top crust of your pot pie, smooth the whipped potatoes on top of the chicken and vegetable mixture, sprinkle with a little coarse salt, dot with a bit of butter, bake at 350 degrees F until potatoes are lightly browned and casserole is bubbling.
If you are in a hurry,either use defrosted puff pastry to top the casserole,wet the edge of the casserole, cover with the puff pastry to fit, cut a steam hole, baste pastry with a little half and half, bake it at 400 degrees F until pastry is browned and puffed OR mix 3-4 tablespoons melted butter with 2 cups fine bread crumbs, seasoned or plain,cover the chicken vegetable mixture, bake at 350 degrees F until crumb topping is golden brown and casserole is bubbling.

Italian Sausage and Roasted Vegetable Soup

Sometimes I try different types of canned soup then see if I can replicate the taste but into something better, in this case a sausage and pasta soup that Ray likes. I always think I can make it healthy, certainly without the additives and preservatives in a can!

4-6 Italian sausage, medium or hot or combination, remove casing
12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
4 small sweet peppers, cut in half, de seeded
2 large onions cut into eighths
1 hot pepper, de seeded, cut in half
2-3 garlic cloves, cut in half
2-3 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper

On a sheet pan, arrange cut vegetables and sausage, sprinkle with the oil and salt and pepper, roast in 350 degree F oven until sausages are cooked, about 20-25 minutes, onions will be soft, peppers and tomatoes will start to turn brown, remove from oven

1-32 ounce bottle of strained tomatoes +1cup water to rinse bottle
1/2 can Tomato paste
1 cup shredded zucchini
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 vegetable boullion cubes
Dash hot sauce, optional

1 cup short penne/ziti pasta
4 cups water

In a stock pot, bring the 4 cups water to boil, add 1 boullion cube and the pasta, cook until pasta is starting to get soft, but still essentially hard, (do not drain water)add the strained tomatoes, water, tomato paste, zucchini,oregano, parsley, garlic powder, salt pepper, continue to cook this mixture stir occasionally. When sausage and veggies are ready, cut sausage into small bite size pieces, add them to soup, add roasted tomatoes, then blend the sweet and hot peppers and onions in a small food processor, then add to soup, taste soup, add the Worcestershire sauce and another boullion cube and the hot sauce, simmer for 20-30 minutes until the pasta is cooked through, serve with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Dutch Girl Egg Tortilla

My husband really loves egg tortilla sandwiches, he has them whenever he can, even from the fast food restaurants. Here is my take on one of his favourite breakfasts.

4 flavored flour tortillas
1 tablespoon oil
4 eggs
4 tablespoons chopped onion
1 small sweet pepper, chopped
1/2 hot pepper, de seeded, chopped
2 slices ham, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded cheese, your choice

Heat a flat griddle or fry pan over medium heat, add the tortillas, turning once, then adding the shredded cheese, once the cheese has melted a bit, remove to a piece of parchment or foil, repeat with the remaining tortillas, while you heat the oil in another medium sized fry pan, add chopped onions and peppers, sauté over medium heat until translucent, about 2 minutes, break eggs into a small bowl, add chopped ham, a little salt and pepper, add to the pepper/onion mixture in the pan, stir around, like scrambled eggs, once the eggs are solid, but still a little soft add egg mixture to the prepared cheesy tortillas, roll up, wrapping the filled tortilla in foil to keep hot, serve with hot sauce of your choice, enjoy!

*Note-you could make a bunch of these and keep them in freezer until you want some, easy to defrost in the microwave or on "keep warm"setting in oven.

Date and Bran Muffins

The first time I ever ate a bran muffin was when I was 17, no joke! They had some terrific baked goods at a little bakery near to me, but I always chose the date and bran muffins. Here is my version of this moist delectable muffin that will make you forget it is a bran muffin!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, line muffin tins, I have medium sized tins, so this recipe will make 16 muffins

Step One
1 cup chopped dates
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup +1 tablespoon orange juice
1-2 tablespoons Orange zest, optional

In a medium sauce pan, assemble these ingredients, bring to boil, then let simmer until thickened, remove from heat and let cool, you may wish to add some orange zest to this mixture.

Step Two
1 cup flour
1-1/2 cups bran
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Mix these ingredients in a large bowl or large measuring cup, set aside, (I use a large 8 cup measuring pitcher making it easy to fill muffin tins)

Step Three
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

In a small bowl, beat these ingredients together, then add all at once to the flour mixture, followed by the cooled date mixture. Fill lined muffin tins, bake at 375 degrees F for 20-22 minutes, makes about 16 medium sized muffins that are low in fat but very tasty!

Dutch Girl Fantastic Beef Stew

I have tried so many recipes for beef stew, some were good, but lacked something, some were old time style, using all spice and nutmeg, which gets bitter if cooked too long, but somewhere in between was a good stew, so......many years and many stews later, I think I have the best combination of ingredients that is even better than Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon, another recipe I tried! Really, I'm not kidding! this is a one pot meal, unless you are cooking veggies/potatoes on the side.

Dutch Girl Fantastic Beef Stew

2-3 tablespoons oil
3-4 beef shanks,bone in, or 2-1/2 lbs stewing beef, dried with paper towels, at room temperature
Salt and pepper, Enough to season meat, lightly


2 tablespoons butter
3 stalks celery, chopped medium dice
4-6 slim carrots, cut into coins
3 medium onions, chopped, medium dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pinches dried thyme, rubbed between your fingers,(to release the essence)
1 cup dry red wine, drinkable
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
3-4 cups water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 small bay leaves

3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

Heat oil in a 4 quart Dutch oven, brown seasoned meat, do not crowd, brown in batches if necessary, I often brown the meat in a preheated 400 degrees F oven (in the Dutch oven) while I clean and cut the vegetables, if you do that, take the Dutch oven with the meat out of the oven, remove meat to plate, put pan on burner, turn heat to medium high, add the butter to the pan (with the residual meat juices), when that has melted, add celery, onion and carrots, salt, pepper, pinches of thyme, cook and stir until all vegetables are coated with butter, for about 3-4 minutes, stirring all the while, add the garlic stir for half a minute, then add the wine, stir well, bring to boil, add the water,just enough to cover the veggies, the bouillon cubes, tomato paste, and bay leaves, cook on medium high stir the vegetable mixture, taste broth for seasoning, add a bit more to taste but don't overdo it or the meat will dry out too much, (salt draws moisture out). If you used the beef shanks, cut the shanks into managable pieces, bury the meat amid the veggie mixture-bones and all, and any accumulated meat juices, stir, then add the fresh thyme sprigs on top, put lid on bake in oven at 350 degrees F for 1-1/2-2 hours, let stand with lid on for 15 minutes, remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves, then serve as is over mashed potatoes OR, remove meat in order to blend the veggie mixture into a sauce/gravy, using a hand blender, blend the liquid and veggie mixture until smooth, strain if you wish, add back the meat, then add freshly cooked carrots, beans, peas, parsnips or leave plain and serve with mashed potatoes, and a green salad; that gravy will be the talk of your dinner believe me!
*Note-(blended gravy is great for kids/adults who don't like veggies, they will get the full benefit, as long as you don't tell them and they don't see you blending the vegetables away from sight!)
*Note-If you used beef shanks, save bones for soup, once you remove them from the beef stew.

Ramblin' Ray's M/C Midnight Special

My husband of 40+ years asked me to post his favourite sandwich. He says after a long day in the saddle, say 1000 miles in 22.5 hours(he earned his Iron Butt Challenge in July at 65 years old) a guy gets a wee bit peckish, even after a big Dutch Girl supper, he will make this before heading to bed.

On a piece of waxed paper, large enough to cover the entire sandwich,place:
2 slices of your fav fresh baked bread
Peanut butter
Nutella
Banana
Drizzle of honey or maple butter for a variation

Spread (on one side)each slice of bread with a thin (1/4 inch) layer of peanut butter, followed by a thin (1/4 inch)layer of Nutella, slice banana onto one of the bread slices, drizzle the other slice of bread with honey or maple butter, mash the bedecked sides of bread together, fold the wax paper over the top of the sandwich, then smash the sandwich until the ingredients are melded together and nothing will fall out, fold up the wax paper around the sandwich leaving one side exposed, take a bite, enjoy!

Lamb Shanks and Polenta

Lamb is one of those meats that is popular in Europe, and Britain, more so than here in Canada, but having lamb once in a while is a treat, one worth a little extra effort because it can be costly. I have a couple of lamb recipes that use the cheaper cuts of meat, but ensures the maximum flavour and tenderness.

Lamb Shanks

3-4 tablespoons olive oil
4 lamb shanks 1/3-1/2 lb each, seasoned with salt and pepper
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 small to medium onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small red onion chopped
3/4 cup dry red wine, or Marsala
3 ounces tomato paste
4 cups vegetable stock,(made with 3 vegetable bouillon cubes and water)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4-6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1-2 small sprigs Rosemary
Bay leaf
Polenta, recipe below
1/2 cup Fresh chopped parsley, a few mint leaves torn, 2 cloves of garlic, chopped, zest from one lemon, mix this together to serve with the lamb
A few shaves of Parmesan or Romano cheese

In a 12-16 cup Dutch oven, on medium high, heat olive oil, brown seasoned lamb shanks in batches until browned,all over, remove to a plate, add a little more oil if necessary, lower heat to medium, drop in the chopped onions, carrots, celery, stir until the veggies are coated with the olive oil, cook and stir for about 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, stirring all the while so the garlic doesn't burn, add the wine, bring heat up to medium high, when the wine is boiling, add back the lamb shanks, and the accumulated juices from the plate, mix the vegetable stock, salt, pepper,the Tomato paste together with the halved cherry tomatoes, pour over the lamb and veggies, add the Rosemary and bay leaf, stir to combine, bring to a boil, put lid on, then transfer to a 325 degree F oven for 1 hour, turning and basting the shanks often, take lid off, bake for another 15 minutes, or until the meat visibly has pulled off the bone a bit. Take out of oven, remove the bay leaf, the Rosemary, discard, then remove lamb shanks to a platter, cover, let rest while you bring the juices to boil, letting it reduce by half, turn heat to medium high, then using your hand blender, blend the veggies and liquid together until smooth, stir in a mixture of 2-3 tablespoons flour and 3/4 cup water, add to the liquid, stirring together letting it boil until mixture is thickened, strain the liquid,give a squirt or two of 1/2 lemon, mix well into the gravy, pour a little over the lamb, cover; reserve the rest of the gravy in a gravy boat to serve together wit the polenta.

Polenta
1 cup fine corn meal or Italian polenta
3-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated
2 tablespoons butter
Bring water to boil, add salt, then in a thin stream, pour the polenta/cornmeal into the water, stirring all the while, once the cornmeal/polenta has been incorporated into the water, turn heat to low, stirring frequently until the mixture has thickened to the texture of pudding, and it makes huffing/popping noises, remove from heat, add the Parmesan/Romano,stir well, then add the butter, taste for salt, it should be just right, but add a bit more if you like along with a shake or two of pepper.Stir well. Serve while it is still soupy, before it gets hardened
Serve the polenta in a nice bowl with a rim, with the lamb shank placed on top of the polenta, a little of the sauce then a bit of the fresh parsley/garlic/lemon zest mixture. Serve with a few shaves of Parmesan on top, if desired. A side salad or cheese course follows this meal swanky enough for company, homey enough for "just us"!

Dutch Girl Hearty Meatloaf

I have always loved meatloaf, one of the standards in my repertoire since I married, it is tasty, easy to put together and has an endless variety of tastes, depending on what you put into it. This recipe is the starting off point to any spin you want in your meat loaf...whether it is to include more veggies for the kids, or to make an elegant dinner version for guests, this is the basis for a successful product.

2-1/2 lbs ground beef-1 part lean 1 part medium ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
12 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons each Worcestershire sauce, ketchup
1 teaspoon each dried basil, and parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion minced
1-1/2 cups fine breadcrumbs, seasoned or plain
1/4 cup ketchup

Put the fresh ground meat in a large bowl, the reason for the mixture of meat is to ensure good, moist flavour, most of the fat will be drained off, but it does increase the juiciness of your meatloaf, always a good thing. In a smaller bowl mix the other ingredients except for the 1/4 cup ketchup, mix all well then add to the meat in the large bowl, mixing in lightly so as to not compact the meatloaf too much. Put this mixture onto a rimmed sheet pan, shape into a loaf at least 4-5 inches high by 8-10 inches long, being sure that it is even everywhere so it will cook evenly,cover with the 14 cup ketchup, cover lightly with parchment paper, bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours in a 350 degree F oven.
Before patting it into a loaf, you can add the following for a different flavour profile than the standard as above:

1/2-2/3 cup shredded veggies,example: carrot, zucchini, summer squash, vegetable marrow, pumpkin, sweet potatoe, rutabaga, parsnip, sweet peppers, hot peppers-(use as you like but only a little as they can over power);

1/2-2/3 cup finely sliced mushrooms, canned mushrooms or rehydrated dry mushrooms;
1/2 cup roasted red pepper, cut into chunks;

Tuck whole peeled garlic cloves into the meatloaf, or baby onions, or whole fresh basil leaves, spinach leaves, pre-cooked kale;
Instead of breadcrumbs, you can use oatmeal, whole wheat flakes or bran flakes/buds to increase the fiber content, or
Substitute 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in place of 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs;
If you want to add cheese, add in shredded form in center of loaf;
You can also stuff your meatloaf with your favourite sausage,casing removed, whole boiled eggs, small or quartered pre-cooked potatoe, whatever you add will cook at the same time, just place it into the center of the loaf;
Instead of using ketchup to seal the juices in, you can use Barbeque sauce, Heinz 57, HP sauce, or any thick sauce you like, there is another sauce by Grace called Chipotle, which will also be nice, it is a thin layer, so won't interfere with the taste on the whole.

Thai Sweet Potato and Chicken Soup

This soup is relatively new to me I have only made it a couple of times, tried a recipe for it the first time, and as usual, the recipe was wrong, so here is my version of this warm and cosy soup.

Thai Sweet Potatoe and Chicken Soup

3 chicken drumsticks
4 cups water
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a medium sauce pan, bring chicken, water and seasoning to boil, reduce heat and let simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken to a plate to cool, reserve chicken stock for the following:

2 tablespoons oil
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsley chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4-5 stalks/roots of cilantro chopped
1-2 small baby red/yellow sweet peppers, de seeded and chopped
1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds, ground to powder
1/4 tablespoon cumin seeds ground to powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Zest of two limes
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 stalk lemon grass, bruised or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons more or less Thai brand red chilli pepper paste from the jar

1 tablespoon or so sambal oelek optional
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled chopped
3 cups reserved chicken stock
1-400 ml can Thai brand coconut milk
1-160 ml can Thai brand coconut milk
Heat the oil in a stock pot, (big enough to hold at least 12 cups), when oil is hot, reduce heat slightly, then add ginger, garlic, cilantro roots, sweet peppers, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, lemon grass, or lemon juice, salt and pepper, cook and stir, until you can smell the spices, then add the lime zest, fish sauce, and red chili paste, stir well, then add the sweet potatoes, stir to coat the sweet potatoes, then add the chicken stock, coconut milk, taste for salt and pepper, add a bit more if necessary, cook the mixture until the potatoes are tender, taste for "heat" add sambal oelek if you like more "heat", simmer for a couple more minutes, then using your hand blender blend this mixture until smooth, (or use the regular blender, remember to hold a tea towel over the lid because mixture is very hot and may explode).

Chicken cut from three drumsticks, skin discarded, chopped
Juice from 1 lime
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1-1/2 tablespoon sugar
Few leaves cilantro
Return soup to stock pot if you used a regular blender, stir in the chopped chicken, the lime juice, sugar and the final tablespoon of fish sauce, stir well, simmer to blend the last ingredients, taste, adjust seasoning, (more salt, pepper, sugar or lime), serve with a couple of cilantro leaves as garnish with a quartered lime on the side to squeeze into soup (at the diners discretion). This soup takes 1-1/2 hours to prepare from beginning to end, one of those quick meals to go to during the week. Enjoy with a few spring rolls, or Chinese dumplings as you prefer.

Dutch Girl French Onion Soup

One of my earliest memories of favourite restaurant meals in the 1970's was French Onion Soup.....it was different than what I had grown up eating(canned or packaged soup-with added left-overs was the norm in our house), it was decadent and fun to eat, with the cheese covering the dish, around the rim, so it took a long time to finish, but delicious to the very end! I still like it in the fall when the new onions are harvested.

Beef Stock

3-4 marrow bones, or left over rib bones from roast with some meat still clinging to it
2 carrots
1-2 stalks of celery, preferably the center of the celery bunch, leaves and all
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
Water to cover at least 8-10 cups
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
2 small Bay leaves
2 beef bouillon cubes
Pinch of dried thyme, or 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, left whole

Wash vegetables, cut tops and tips off the carrots, the stalk end off the celery, peel the onion and garlic, cut all into large chunks, add the meat bones and veggies into a large stock pot, cover with 10 cups water, add the salt, pepper, bay leaves, bouillon cubes, thyme, dried or fresh. Bring to a boil, stir frequently, then turn heat down to simmer, for about 2 hours, if the water level gets too low, just add more water, taste for salt, add more but remember not to add too much, because the stock is being added to the onion mixture, which will also be seasoned.

Onions for Soup
1/4 cup butter
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10-12 onions, yellow, red, sweet, mixture, peeled and sliced, if the onion is large, cut in half, then slice
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
2/3-3/4 cup red wine
3-4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Strained Beef stock, either using the above recipe or reduced salt beef stock from the store
in a large Dutch oven, heat the oil and butter, add all of the onions, stir to coat with the oil/butter mixture, cook and stir for 15-20 minutes over medium heat then medium low heat, until onions are golden and caramelized, add salt, pepper and garlic, stir the mixture until the garlic has blended into the onions, turn the heat up to medium high, add the wine, stir well, scrape up the bits of onion on the bottom of the pot, cook this mixture until the wine has reduced by half, add the Worcestershire sauce, then add the strained beef stock, if you are using store bought beef stock, add a bit of Worcestershire sauce to it (to Jazz it up and give that homemade flavour)adding any meat from the bones, cut into little bits, stir well, taste for seasoning, add more salt but not too much, because you are adding cheese toast to the soup, cheese already has lots of salt, so the overall dish will be perfectly seasoned if you go easy on the salt all the way along.

Cheese Toast

Crusty Baguette, cut into 1 inch rounds
1 cup Gruyere, shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Dutch cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese, shaved
2-3 tablespoons butter, cut into tiny bits, to dot the top of the soup

Cut the baguette, put on a sheet pan, bake in a 350 degree F oven until it is toasty,this will take about 15 minutes, turn as necessary. Mix all of the cheeses, cover the baking baguette with the cheese mixture for the last 5 minutes of baking, ladle the hot onion soup into oven proof bowls, add one or two cheesey breads to each bowl, top with shaves of Parmesan cheese, and a couple of dots of butter, put the bowls of soup on a sheet pan, broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is bubbly, serve on a small dish being careful because the bowls are piping hot! Serve with a green salad and more bread if desired. Perfect for lunch or light supper. Enjoy!

Potato Stampot

Stampot, a potatoe dish that has different herbs, spices and leafy green vegetable, along with butter and cheese......Yum! every Dutch cook has there own version of it, going back generations! I serve it with Dutch Meatballs, but pork chops, a Dutch stew called hashee(another Dutch dish I will post when it gets colder out), smoked sausages would also go very well with these potatoes; or serve it when you want to get more veggies into you kids! When I was young I loved the contrast of hot potatoes and crunchy endive, all buttery and really yummy, who's kidding who! I still love it! you can substitute baby spinach or kale (you will need to cook the kale for a little while first) for the endive, or you can mix in peas and carrots, parsnips, leeks, green onion, garlic.....the only limit is your imagination! But this is the traditional Dutch version.


5 oz cheese cubes, mozzarella, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, white cheddar
2-3 pounds potatoes, peeled rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp coarse mustard
1/3 head curly endive, chopped
1/2 cup milk
1/3-1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 teaspoon Salt, divided
A few slices of black olives to garnish

Put peeled potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, add a teaspoon of salt, bring to boil over high heat, when it boils, turn heat down to low and let them simmer until tender;
meanwhile assemble the rest of the ingredients:
1- mix the mustard and milk together and heat until steamy in the microwave;
2-sauté the onion in a little of the butter;
3-for the endive-wash and cut into coarse dice, green part only then spin dry in your salad spinner;
4-drain the potatoes, put them back into the same pot, then add the rest of the butter, the sautéed onion and butter mix, and hot milk/mustard, mash halfway, taste for salt, add more if necessary, then add the pepper nutmeg, and mash until you have good consistency, add the cheese, and the chopped endive, stir well, put the lid on to keep hot and to let the flavours develop, and the cheese to melt. Stir once more before serving. Serve in gaily colored bowls with your choice of meat on top, delicious! Take it to your favourite chair, and enjoy! no need to share if you have made enough, so make sure you make more than you think you need because everyone will want a second helping!
Can be made in advance, but wait to put the chopped endive in to at least 10-15 minutes before serving.Variation if you have made the dish then have time on your hands because no one is home to eat yet, turn oven on to 350 degreeF toss 1/4 cup melted butter and 1 cup of dry fine breadcrumbs, sprinkle over the potatoes put into oven bake the dish until the top crust turns golden and potatoes are hot, about 10-15 minutes, then serve! Just adds another decadent dimension to an already fabulous dish!

Hachee, Dutch Meat Stew

This dish is a great way to use a cheaper cut of beef steak, sirloin, round steak or a small pot roast that is too small to heat the oven up for, you could also use the tougher cuts of venison, that sit in the freezer after your friend went hunting and presented you with a piece of his bounty! but cut the meat into pieces and sautéed wth a few good ingredients, turns the tough meat into something wonderful, all on top of the stove, stir occasionally.

2-3 pounds of chuck steak, round steak, or even stewing beef
2-3 tablespoons canola oil or your favourite oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
4 large onions, peeled and chopped large dice
1/2 cup dark brown ale, or red wine
2-1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons golden syrup, or dark honey
3-4 small crab apples, or 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
A handful of fresh grape tomatoes
2 beef bouillon cubes
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1 big bay leaf
4 cloves
A pinch of allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
6 peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Wash and dry meat, cut into smaller pieces about 2 inches square,(it is important to dry the meat or it won't brown) heat the oil in a large sauté pan, or low Dutch oven,on medium high heat, brown pieces of meat on all sides in batches in the hot oil, remove to a platter, add the onion and cut up apples to the pan, scraping all of the brown bits up while you stir the onion and apple around cook until onion is translucent and getting golden brown, add butter, let it melt over the onions/apples then add the flour, stir well to coat the onions/Apple and mix with the pan juices, cook and stir for a minute or so, then add the beer or wine, stir well let the booze smell dissipate, then add the meat back in, along with the handful of grape tomatoes, stir all the ingredients in the pan so everything is coated with the juices, then add the mixture of water,golden syrup or dark honey,bouillon cubes, Tomato paste, and the fresh or dried herbs, bay leaf,cloves, allspice, nutmeg, peppercorns and salt. Simmer with the lid off, until meat is falling apart and mixture is almost dry, but saucy, you may need to add a bit of water from time to time during the cooking process, stir occasionally, taste for salt, add if needed, then add the 1/2 teaspoon of pepper at the very last if necessary, serve over Potatoe Stampot, buttered broad egg noodles, or spooned over toasted buns, like an upscale sloppy joe! Enjoy!

Roast Pork Loin with Apples and Apple Salsa

This recipe for pork loin is simply delicious and very easy, and classy enough to serve to company. To save steps you can brown the roast and veggies in the oven, just turn heat down after 20 minutes.


2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (2-pound) boneless center cut pork loin, trimmed and tied
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon each, cinnamon, nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
3-4 thick slices of bacon, optional
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
2 carrots,peeled, washed, thickly sliced
2 stalks celery, washed, thickly, sliced
3 cloves garlic, smashed, sliced (can be inserted into slots cut into the pork loin, if desired)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, divided
2 apples, such as Gala or Mutzu, peeled, cored and cut into 8 slices or skip in favour of the Apple salsa
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

Apple Salsa
Wash and core a green and red apple, cut into medium dice, add a quarter of a red onion, medium dice, a hot pepper, small dice, (with or without seeds, it makes it hotter if you include the seeds), 1/4 of sweet red pepper,small dice 1/4 tsp.salt, pinch of pepper,1/2 tsp.sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, a few dashes of hot pepper sauce if desired, mix fruit and vegetables in a medium sized bowl, sprinkle with the lime juice, then in a jar with a tight fitting lid add the salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar, oil and hot sauce. Shake, taste for seasoning, adjust as necessary, pour over the apple/ veggie mixture, stir well to coat, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve meat. Can be made 2-3 hours ahead of time.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, season the pork loin all over generously with mixture of salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and pepper. Do not trim or cut the layer of fat covering the loin, if it has one, the fat layer helps to prevent the meat from drying out,if it has no outside fat,you can add a few pieces of thickly sliced bacon to the top of the meat, after browning. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme sprigs, and 2 tablespoons of the butter (cut into tiny pieces to dot the veggies)to the roasting pan or Dutch oven, place meat in the center of the vegetables, brown all in the preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, turning meat and veggies over midway to ensure even browning. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F, then add the sliced apples,stirring them into the veggie mixture, cover top of roast with bacon, if desired, if not using bacon or if there is no fatty layer on top of meat, cover the browned meat loosely with a piece of buttered parchment paper, roast the loin until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 140 to 150 degrees F, about 40 to 45 minutes.(See Cook's Note.)

Transfer the pork onto a cutting board and cover it loosely with the parchment paper and foil while you make the sauce. Arrange the apples and vegetables on a serving platter and set aside. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Return the roasting pan or Dutch oven to a high heat and add the vinegar scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen up any browned bits. Reduce by half then add the cider and reduce by about half again. Pull the pan from the heat and whisk in the mustard, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.

Remove the strings from the roast and slice into 1/2-inch thick pieces and arrange over the apple mixture. You may wish to serve the fresh apple salsa alongside roast for garnish. Drizzle some sauce over meat and serve the rest on the side.

Cook's Note: Pork cooked this way will be slightly pink, but today's pork products are safe eaten this way, however if desired, cook the pork to 160 degrees F, but be aware that this lean cut will not be moist at the higher interior temperature.

Dutch Girl Minestrone Soup

I love vegetable soup, any kind, these soups are healthy and filling, virtually fat free, and can be enjoyed anytime of the year. This version of minestrone soup has no cabbage, but you can add 1 cup of shredded cabbage when you are sautéing the carrot/celery/onion, to maximize the flavour of the vegetables. I do have another soup recipe that uses cabbage and will post it when I make it, if anyone is familiar with the Pickle Barrel Restaurant, their sweet and sour cabbage soup is truly delicious, and mine is similar(but uses no ketchup).

Minestrone Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3-4 stalks celery, with the leaves diced (white part removed)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium red onion diced
3-4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 24 ounce bottle strained Tomatoes
1-28 ounce can San Marzano whole tomatoes
1-14 ounce can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen green beans
1 beef bouillon cube
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon thyme, dried or
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, left whole
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, or
3-4 leaves fresh basil, torn into small bits
1 tablespoon parsley, dried
1 bay leaf
2/3 cup macaroni
Shavings of Parmesan

In a large stock pot, melt the butter and oil, add the carrots, celery, (cabbage if you are using it), and onion, stir to coat in butter/oil, cook and stir over medium heat, until the carrots start to change color, then add the garlic, cook and stir well for about 1 minute, then add the strained tomatoes, the whole tomatoes, and 1 liter of water, stir all well, bring mixture to boil for 3-5 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients except the pasta, turn heat to simmer for 25 minutes, stir and taste the broth, add more water or seasoning, if needed, remove the whole fresh thyme, add the macaroni, turn heat to medium high and stir to keep macaroni from sticking to the bottom, cook on medium high until macaroni starts to get soft, then turn to low, once macaroni is cooked the way you like it, turn soup off, shave Parmesan cheese into individual servings, Enjoy!

Meat and Mushroom Pie

I love making meat pies, they are easy to make and easy to freeze if preparing food ahead of time, not only that a large meat pie will serve 8-10 servings. You can dress it up for company, or serve as is when you are rushed, it's a great recipe for your collection!

Meat and Mushroom Pie

Pastry

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 pound tenderflake lard, cut into little pieces
1/4 pound butter, cut into little pieces
1/2 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
water to fill 2/3 cup liquid (with egg and vinegar)
Use your food processor to put the pastry together, measure the flour, spooning it into the dry 1 cup measuring cup, add it to processor with the salt, and sugar, pulse for a second or two to combine those ingredients, then, add the lard and butter, pulse a few times to incorporate the lard/butter until it looks like little peas, when you take the lid off, reach in and take a handful, it should hold together a little, put the lid back on and pulse a few more times if there are large lumps of fat remaining, otherwise put mixture in a large enough bowl, crack the egg into the (wet)measuring cup, beat it a little, then add the vinegar, then add enough cold water to measure 2/3 cup, add to the flour mixture in the bowl, stir with a fork until well incorporated, using your hands to knead just a little, pat into 2-3 rounds, wrap in Saran Wrap, put into fridge while making the filling.

Meat and Mushroom Filling

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
2-3 tablespoons corn oil
2-3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
2-3 green onions sliced
1 pound assorted mushrooms, wiped and sliced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
Pinch of hot pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup red wine
1 cup water
1 beef bouillon cube
A few dashes of jalepeno hot sauce
Approximately 2/3 cup dry breadcrumbs, fine
grape tomatoes, oil cured olives, sun dried tomatoes, large diced sweet pepper, or small dice hot pepper

In a sauté pan, over medium high heat, melt the oil with the butter, add the onions, green onions, sauté until translucent, add 1/2 the garlic, cook for 30 seconds, add the mushrooms, sauté until mushrooms give up their liquid, let it evaporate, then stir in the 2 tablespoons flour, stir together for a minute, remove mushroom mixture from heat. Then in a large sauté pan, add 1/2 tablespoon oil, brown beef and pork, breaking meat up, add the garlic, thyme and seasonings, cook and stir until it is browned, add the red wine stir altogether, then add the water and beef bouillon cube, simmer until the meat is fragrant, remove the thyme sprigs, add the mushroom mixture, stir well, simmer for 5-8 minutes, add some of the breadcrumbs, to soak up the liquid, add more if necessary, turn the heat off, set aside to roll out the dough. This recipe makes enough for a 8-9 inch by 3-4 inch high springform pan. Roll dough out to fit into the springform pan, trim bottom to 1/2 inch over the rim of the pan, fill with the meat and mushroom filling, you can add little grape sized tomatoes in various places or olives, sun dried tomatoes, little pieces of red or green or yellow sweet pepper, or hot peppers, strewn around meat/mushroom filling, cover with pastry, cut a vent hole, trim top pastry to 3/4 inch over the rim, pinch the top and bottom crust together, brush top of pie with half and half cream, bake in a 375 degree F oven for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees F for another 20 minutes, serve with homemade gravy and a fresh salad, or any vegetable that appeals. Enjoy!

Turkey Noodle Soup

Well, I hope you all had a terrific thanksgiving, and you've probably had your fill of turkey sandwiches, maybe you have a little turkey left, maybe you have the turkey drumstick and wings that are now a little dried out? So, what to do with the turkey bones? I have a terrific recipe to make stock out of the bones and also a soup recipe that uses the stock you have made.

Turkey Bone Stock

1 leftover Turkey carcass, drumsticks, wings, neck, skin removed
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
2 stalks celery, washed and cut into 3-4 inch lengths
2 carrots, washed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 bunch parsley stalks, (reserve parsley leaves/tops for soup)
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
2 medium bay leaves
1/2 tablespoon sage leaves, dried or
5 fresh sage leaves, left whole
2 allspice berries
Water to cover

Place all ingredients in large 10-12 cup stock pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, skim off any foam, boil for 3-4 minutes, then turn heat to medium low, cover half ways and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, add water if the water level drops too low, taste for seasoning, add more salt if desired, simmer on low for another 1 hour. Remove the carcass and other bones to a plate. strip bones of any useable meat, reserve for turkey noodle soup. Strain stock into a large bowl, or another stock pot if you are making soup. Otherwise, cover the stock, let cool in fridge, next day, skim and hard fat off the stock and divide into 1 liter sized freezer containers, or zip locks, freeze then use in your favourite soup or stew recipe.

Turkey/Chicken Soup

8 cups Turkey stock
3 stalks of celery, washed chopped into bite size pieces
2 large or 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into half coins
2 medium sized onions, peeled and chopped medium dice
Any leftover veggies from thanksgiving dinner(if they are not more than a day or two old)
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon pepper
1 pinch of hot pepper flakes
1-1/2 cups Left over turkey meat, cut into bite size pieces
Parsley tops reserved from the stock making, chopped
1 cup rotini, or curly (no-yolk) egg noodle
A few dashes of hot sauce if desired

In a large stock pot, place all ingredients except the Leftover turkey, parsley and noodles. This is one soup that is nearly fat free, so I usually don't sauté the veggies before adding the stock, because we could all take a break from rich and heavy food after the big meals thanksgiving weekend. Bring to a boil, stir well, taste for salt, if you add some and it's still not salty enough, add a vegetable boullion cube. Simmer until the veggies are almost tender, then add the parsley, left over turkey meat, and noodles, cook and stir until the noodles are tender, adjust seasoning, add hot sauce, let stand for 5 minutes, then stir and serve. Any leftover soup can be frozen.

Phenomenal Apple Pie

I have posted a picture of my thanksgiving apple pie, but I bet you want the recipe......this pastry is so flaky you will not want to share the pie with anyone else! Oven 375 degrees F, for the first 30 minutes, then 325 degrees F for the next 45 minutes. Pies will take approximately 1-1/4 hours to bake, if they brown too much, cover with a piece of parchment.

Pastry for 2 double crust pies and 1 single crust or 12 tarts

6 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup, not scooped
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 pound tenderflake lard, cut into pieces
1/2 pound butter, cut into pieces
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Cold water, when added to egg and vinegar makes 1-1/4 cups liquid

In food processor, measure 1/2 or 3 cups of flour, salt, sugar, and the 1/2 pound lard, cut up, pulse the processor until the flour and lard is well incorporated, transfer to a very large bowl. Measure the rest of the flour and the 1/2 pound butter into processor, pulse until the flour and butter are incorporated but the butter is in pea size pieces, (sort of lumpy). Pour into the large bowl with the flour/lard mixture, either with a whisk, or your hand, mix the two together, lightly. In a 2 cup measuring cup for liquid, crack in the eggs, beat lightly,add the tablespoon of vinegar, then add enough cold water to measure 1-1/4 cups, make a well in the center of the flour/butter/lard mixture, dump all of the liquid, then with the handle end of a wooden spoon, mix thoroughly, but lightly until all of the flour mixture holds together, with clean dry hands, finish mixing then form 5-6 rounds of pie-dough, wrapping each round in Saran wrap, or ziplock bag, refridgerate for at the minimum 1 hour. Enough time to peel and cut the apples......

Apple Pie Filling

I use a mixture of apples, I don't like the mushiness of Macintosh, but if I'm using a harder apple like Granny Smith, Macintosh will blend well so that you get juicy and crispy bites. My ideal combination is Mutzu and Fuji apples, they hold their shape and when baked long enough have the most ideal flavour and texture.
This filling recipe is enough for 2 double crust pies.

10-12 apples 1/2 Mutzu; 1/2 Fuji apples, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces about 8-10 cups of apples cut up
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
2/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
6 tablespoons butter, or honey butter
3-4 tablespoons of half and half cream

Put peeled and sliced apples in a large bowl,squeeze lemon juice over and combine well, this gives the apples a little more acidity and helps to keep them from turning brown. In a smaller bowl combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, stir well, pour over apples in large bowl, stir all together until every piece of Apple is covered. Cover with Saran Wrap, let maserate for 20-30 minutes, while you roll out the dough.

Roll out dough and ease into pietin, or glass pie plate, trim around the pietin until there is 1/2 inch overhang, fill with apples to overflowing,!very important! Don't forget to dot filling with 3 tablespoons butter, then roll out top crust, make a steam hole, before putting it on top of filling, trim top crust to 3/4 inch overhang, then tuck the top crust under the bottom crust either pinch them together or go around rim of pie with a fork, to pinch top and bottom edges together. Brush all over with the cream, put on a sheet pan to catch the drips, bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes then reduce the heat to 325 degrees until the filling is tender (test through steam hole) not mushy 30-45 minutes.

Thanksgiving the Big Day

These pictures are a follow up of the preparation you made up to and including the big day.....please enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!

Preparing for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in Canada is this weekend, it is a busy time for families who are working outside the home, or even for those who work at home to get prepared for this holiday without the heavy workload associated preparing and cooking meal. By spending 30-45 minutes a few days prior to "turkey day",eases the time spent in the kitchen, the day of, time better spent visiting with your guests.
At least 3-4 days before your big day, take your turkey from the freezer, put it in the veggie crisper lined with paper towels; 1/2-3/4 loaf of white bread or any day old buns, French or Italian loaf or combination, cut or tear into bite sized pieces, the bread you are using for the stuffing/dressing, lay it out on a sheet pan, or in a well ventilated strainer.turn the bread frequently, it must be dry to absorb the best flavours from the turkey and herbs you are using for the dressing. Prepare the pastry for pies if you are making them, wrap well, place in a zip lock in pie sized portions, for easy and fast pie making.
2 days before, Wash and cut up vegetables you are using for the dressing, put into a ziplock bag until ready to combine with the bread. Measure out the dressing herbs, sage, poultry seasoning, pepper and salt, strew over bread that is drying on the sheet pan. Prepare veggies for the side dishes, place in ziplock bags.
1 day before, prepare fruit for apple, pear/ginger, or pumpkin pie. prepare the squash for baking, roll out the dough for the pies, fill with fruit, and bake off until just about ready, fruit pies can be put back into oven after you remove the turkey for final baking, while you eat the main meal. check the defrosting turkey unwrap to be sure it is thawing, remove the package that holds the liver, heart and neck, place in a pan of cold water, enough to cover 2-3 cups along with a teaspoon of salt and a bay leaf, let simmer for an hour, remove foam, refridgerate until the day of, this is the stock for your dressing and gravy. Set table, linens, centre piece, dishes and glasses and flatware. Remember that you can always do a buffet in the kitchen, inviting guests to sit wherever they like or around the dining table, however you do it, don't forget he napkins!
Day of, try to get this done early in the morning, to have the turkey out of the oven before noon, the turkey can rest under foil, tea towels and blankets, for at least 3-4 hours, this produces the most juicy turkey and leaves time for you to finish the other prep, cooking and baking. First, sauté your prepared veggies for the dressing, put together with the dried bread 2 beaten eggs, and 1/2-1 cup of stock, wash and dry turkey, stuff inside with your prepared dressing, the dressing should hold together a bit when you squeeze it. If you are preparing the dressing in a casserole instead, make sure the dressing is more wet, and that you have added extra butter on top. Bake dressing, squash, sweet potatoe casserole, or other baked veggies in the oven the last hour of roasting the turkey. Take turkey out, put on a board that has a well around the edge so the juices will not overflow, cover turkey with foil, then a couple layers of tea towels, finally a thick blanket or two, to keep the heat and moisture in. Don't cut turkey until ready to serve. The turkey drippings and a bit of flour is a good start for gravy, heat roasting pan juices then add a few tablespoons of flour, enough to absorb the pan juices, cook and stir until all is bubbling, then slowly add the stock you made with the turkey neck and giblets of the bird, stir all well, it should start to thicken, transfer it to a pot, stir well, taste for seasoning adjust, then simmer until ready to serve. Put oven on the keep warm feature, place all dishes needing reheating in now, either in their oven proof serving dish or in the pan they were cooked in, wrapped well to keep them from drying out.
Get yourself ready, entertain your guests, either bring the turkey to carve at the table, or, carve in the kitchen, pull all of the side dishes from the oven set out, ready to serve with appropriate serving utensils, enjoy your dinner!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

As a fan of soup of any kind, this is one of my favourites, quite easy too, you can even make it with left over cauliflower, and the cooking liquid which we all know has all of the nutrients of the vegetable. Not only is this soup vegetarian, but also gluten free.

1 head of Cauliflower, white part broken into equal sized pieces
8-10 cups of water, or enough to cover
1-2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon salt
1-12 ounce can carnation evaporated milk
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 tablespoon white pepper
1/2 whole nutmeg, grated

2 tablespoons butter optional
1/2 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese grated if desired
Or top each serving with a 2-3 tablespoons grated cheddar

Cut the cauliflower into equal sized pieces, put into a tall stock pot, cover with cold water, add salt, bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium, add the bouillon cubes, simmer until tender/soft, if you wish take out a good sized piece of cauliflower to add into the soup later, then, with a hand blender, blend he remaining cauliflower to a purée with the cooking liquid until smooth. Mix the evaporated milk and the cornstarch together, mix into the purée,add the reserved cauliflower, cook over medium heat stirring until the soup is thickened, add the white pepper and nutmeg, Add salt to taste, stir well, add the butter for a little richness,or you can also add cheese to the soup pot, stir well. You could also add 2-3 tablespoons of grated cheddar to each serving, if you prefer, then serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!

Proper Canning Procedure

I have posted a couple of recipes that I "canned", or more properly, put into jars and processed in a boiling hot water bath for 15-20 minutes until when the jar is removed from the water bath canner, the snap lids on the jars pop meaning they are sealed.

First things first, if you have mason or bernardin jars left to you from an aunt, or grandma, wash them in the dishwasher, or boil them in a tall stock pot to be sure they are sterile. Purchase new snap lids to fit, they are available at most grocery stores, Walmart, hardware stores, not expensive. The second part of the lid is the threaded ring that goes over the snap lid to hold it down until it is processed,it should be free of rust, if not, you can also purchase them, either separately or in sets with the snap lids, again not expensive.

Second is the recipe, there is a science involved here, you need to make sure that there is enough acid or enough sugar, to keep your product viable, not go bad in the jar, to find out what that is, go to www.bernardin.ca for the specifics. I have canned/processed sweet yum yum style and/or dill pickles, beets, all different types of jam, corn relish, chow chow, red pepper jelly, crab apple jelly, peaches in light syrup, spiced pears, etc..... Most of those I used a vinegar/sugar mixture, straight sugar/fruit or with lemon juice, most recipes can be found on the bernardin website, along with the reasons why you shouldn't can meat or fish unless you follow strict instructions.

Third, keep everything very clean, utensils, pots, strainers, funnels, tasting spoons, use once only, don't taste with your main wooden spoon. Use stainless steel pots and utensils to fill hot jars with product, they don't carry germs that may spoil the contents of the jar.
In the old days, they used to cover the jam or jelly with a layer of paraffin wax, which worked, but it too can introduce germs into your product that will spoil in the jar, keep an eye on your canned product, watch for bulging snap lids, green mold or any discoloration that should not be there, if you see it, dispose of that jar right away, don't just scrape off the offending bit and carry on.....don't laugh, in the old days these things happened, they used the product anyway as the saying went "waste not want not!"

Fourth, the procedure: you have made the product, you have the hot jar ready to be filled, your snap lid is waiting in boiling water to be slipped onto the filled jar, so using a wide mouth funnel, fill the hot jar with hot product until 1/2 inch "headspace", a little space between the lid and product that allows for expansion during processing and then allows the snap lid to compress or pop, sealing the product from air, but before the snap lid goes on, you must wipe the edge and threads of the jar to make sure the snap lid makes a good seal. Then the hot snap lid goes on, the rubber on the lid is activated by making it hot with boiling water so it makes good gripping contact with the edge of the jar, then you put the ring on, tighten, finger tight only, then immediately place filled jar in water bath canner, or tall stock pot with enough boiling water in it to cover the filled jars, process according to type of product and size of jar, again the list is on the bernardin website. I hope this is informative enough for you to feel confident to can your first jam, jelly or pickle! Don't forget to label the product, you might forget what it is or the date you made it, most home canned product is good for a year.

Mexican Fresh Tomato Sauce

If you hadn't noticed, I have an abundance of fresh tomatoes, and recipes for them. Since we live in the Niagara region and my neighbors are farmers, I always have lots of tomatoes at this time of year. I love them with bacon, or in oil and garlic, or just fresh on crusty bread....I could rhapsodize the fresh summer tomato for hours and the wonderful flavour they have at this time of year, but you get the picture, I love tomatoes! The following recipe,can be used for making Chili Con Carne, just add the meat and beans, the sauce has all of the spices, ready to go, or if you like tacos, or tortillas, Spanish style eggs, enchiladas, burritos, or just on top of chicken, or hot dogs for a chili dog, or coney fries......

Mexican Fresh Tomato Sauce

6 quart basket of field tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 pint grape tomatoes
4 tablespoons oil
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 yellow onions chopped
2 hot peppers, red or green, chopped with seeds
1 jalapeño, chopped, with seeds
1 small can green chilies
1 3 ounce can Tomato paste
A few sprigs of fresh oregano
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed chilies
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 vegetable bouillon cube
Several dashes of hot sauce
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
In a large Dutch oven, heat oil, add onion, cook and stir until onion is translucent, add garlic, the chopped hot peppers, and all of the dried spices, (crushed chilies, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice), salt and pepper, cook and stir until the onion is coated with the spices and you have a terrific aroma of Mexico coming from the pot, add the grape tomatoes, and the quartered tomatoes, add 1 cup of water,cook over medium heat, stirring until the tomatoes are starting to cook down a bit, with the lid on, continue to cook and stir until you can stir more easily, add the sprigs of oregano, the can of green chilies, and the whole can of tomato paste, stir well, simmer for another 30 minutes or so, add the bouillon cube, taste for salt and pepper, add more if necessary, add the white wine vinegar, sugar and the hot sauce to taste, this sauce is going to be hot, so that when you use it to make your favourite chili recipe, you don't need to add any more spice, cook for another 25 minutes until it is nice and saucy.

At this point you can fill 8 ounce jars and process them in a water bath canner or freeze in heavy plastic zip lock bags

Concord Grape Jam

Although I used to can many things, I still like to make my grandkids favourites, like Concord grape jam. Since we live here in amongst the grape vines so to speak, it is one of those natural recipes, but don't kid yourself, it really is very easy, just get the kids or your friends to help you with the only time consuming part of this recipe is separating the skins from the pulp of the grape. Since these are Concord grapes it's relatively easy!

For this recipe, you will need at least 10 cups of grapes, before separating them from the stems. wash all the grapes while on the stems, as otherwise they take in water. Once you destem the grapes measure, it should be 8 cups give or take a cup. Then, take two steel pots, large enough to hold 10 cups, then separate the grape skins from the pulp, you should end up with all the grape skins in one pot, the pulp in another, add 1/2 cup of water to the skins, put the pulp on to cook on medium high heat,cook for 15 minutes until tender; cook the grape skins on medium heat,gently for 15 minutes. Once the pulp is ready, toss all of the pulp into a fine sieve, over the pot of grape skins, press the pulp through scraping the bottom of the sieve, until all you have left are the pits and a bit of pink pulp in the sieve, toss that part out. Stir the contents of the grape skins pot, turn the heat to medium high, add 6 cups of sugar, cook and stir until the sugar has dissolved, bring to boil, boil for a full minute, then turn down the heat until the contents are still boiling, but not threatening to boil over, this is called a "rolling boil", let it go stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.


Jars need to be clean and hot, so I take a tall stock pot, large enough to hold at least 6-8 ounce/250ml jars, fill with hot water and jars and snap lids, (that's the flat part)and put it on to boil, boil for at least 10 minutes. You can do this while you are watching your jam. Take the jars out with tongs, keep the water boiling, because once you fill the jars with hot jam, clean the edges, put the rubber lined flat snap lid on then the ring, you put the whole jar back into the boiling water for 15 minutes to aid in sterilizing and sealing the filled jars.

So that's the whole process, 10 cups of Concord grapes, 6 cups of sugar, 6-8 250 ml jars, with 2 part lids (the flat snap part and the ring to tighten it)(I always sterilize more jars than I need just in case there is more product). This can be done in a couple of hours from beginning to end, there you have the best tasting grape jam on the planet, no additives, preservatives, just fruit and sugar!