More Smores!!!!

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From Farm to Table

Kit: Roll with It by Simply Kelly Designs

Low Sugar Strawberry Jam

Picking your strawberries.  Here is my friend Nancy picking.  I picked 6 flats of organic strawberries at Bolles Organic Farm.

Aren't they pretty.  Wash them up, and then stem and hull them.  Then crush them up.

Supplies:

Place lids in warm water to help soften rubber.

Place water in your canner and start to heat up.

Cast of characters:

Lids

Rings

Splenda or  Sugar

More Characters:

8 oz jars

package of SUGAR FREE/LOW SUGAR Pectin

Last of Characters:

Bowl to mash strawberries

Potato Masher

Ladle

Canning accessory kit - I bought mine at Fred Meyer

Boil fruit and then place in jars.  Remember to leave head space.

So pretty when they come out of the canner

Sugar Free Strawberry Jam

3 c strawberries (approx 3 pints)

3/4 c water

1 box low sugar fruit pectin

1/2 c splenda or sugar

Bring boiling water canner, half full with water to a simmer.  Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan and turn off heat.  Let stand in hot water until ready to use.

Stem and crush strawberries; place 3 cups of the crushed strawberries in 6-8 quart sauce pot.  Stir in water.  Add pectin, stirring until well blended.

Bring mixture to full rolling boil (boil that doesn't stop when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.  Box 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add Splenda or sugar.  Skim off foam if desired.

Ladle into jar, filling to 1/8 inch of the top.  Wipe jar rims and threads.  Cover with lids and rings.  Tighten rings until finger tip tight.  Place jar in canner.  Water must cover jars by 1-2 inches.  Add more water if necessary.  Cover and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, process for 10 minutes.  Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely.  I also cover with towel.  After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (if lid springs back, lid is not sealed and you must refrigerate).

Is it Octopus or Octopi

jMango & Coconut Rice Wontons

1 package of Wonton Skins

2 Mangoes, diced

2 cans Coconut Milk

1 cup of Jasmine Rice

1/2 of a Vanilla Bean, scraped

1/2 c sugar

1 eggs, wisked

Canola oil for brushing

Mix rice with Coconut milk, vanilla bean scrapings and sugar. Place in a pot with a lid and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until cooked. Mix in Mango and it will look like picture above.

Lay the Wonton skins diagonal and fill with mixture. Roll them up like a burrito and brush each tip with egg so that they stay glued together. Brush each with oil and bake at 350 for approx 10 minutes or until browned.

Pear Ginger Maple Cobbler

Pear Ginger Maple Pie

I made this today more as a cobbler after reading the reviews on it. I didn't have candied ginger, so I used ground ginger. My house smells divine!!! It is very liquidy still and I am hoping that it will thicken up, next time I would use more corn starch or tapioca if the pears are very ripe. If it doesn't thicken up, we can use as a topping for ice cream.

Crockpot

Vegetable Potato Beef Soup

1 1/2 cups sliced carrots

1 1/2 cups cubed potatoes

1 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup chopped onions

2 cups water

1 1/4 lbs ground beef, browned and drained

2 tsp salt

4-5 cups tomato juice

1 TBS brown sugar

Combine veggies and water in microwave-safe container. Cover and micro on High 18-20 minutes. DO NOT DRAIN. Place veggies in slow cooker.

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker

Cover and cook on Low 6-8 hours. or until veggies are done.

New Cookbook

Most everyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE to cook. I am SUPER excited for this cookbook to come out. It is by one of my favorite bloggers. She isn't taking her book signing tour out here, but she is coming to Chicago Nov 19th...maybe some nice family member who lives there will go get one signed for me. It would make an awful nice Christmas gift...hint, hint. Hmmm..

Seriously, I will probably be buying this for all my friends and relatives whom I draw for Christmas. And as much as I love my BIL who works at Borders...it is $16.50 on Amazon vs. $27 at Boarders...sorry Paul, Amazon it will be.

Cooking

MENU

Chanterelle Mushroom Salad

Guinness Battered Fish and Chips

Braised Veal Shoulder with Fresh Pasta

Pork Belly Sliders with Bourbon Apple Cider Sauce and Red Cabbage

Does the above menu sound good? Then why not consider taking a cooking class with me. I am taking it a Sur La Table

Cookbook Cover with suggestions

I think this one might work?

Crockpot - Noodle Hamburger Dish

1 ½ lbs ground beef or turkey, browned and drained
1 green pepper, diced
1 qt of whole tomatoes
10 ¾ oz can of cream of mushroom soup
1 large onion, diced
1 ½ TBS Worcestershire sauce
8 oz noodles, uncooked
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup shredded cheese

Combine all ingredients except cheese. Cover and cook on HIGH 3-4 hours. Sprinkle with cheese before serving.

10 servings

WW points: 4-5 for 1 cup serving, depending upon noodles used.

Very yummy!!! I didn't think it needed the cheese, which would save some calories. My husband and I had a hard time staying away from seconds.

Rainbow Trout

Connor and Ryan went to a program run by the Everett Park District. For $5 they got a fishing pole, goodie bag, and even managed to catch two fish. Which were at least gutted and de-headed when they brought them home. However, they still had all the bones. Ummm...yeah....those were lots of fun....my kids got to watch mom throw up when one got caught in her throat. Anyway, next time I am just going to buy fish that is already de-skinned and de-boned.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound trout fillets
1/2 cup sour cream
½ cup mayo
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
Paprika
Crushed croutons

DIRECTIONS

Place fish in a greased shallow 3-qt. baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, onion and salt; spread over fish. Sprinkle with paprika and crushed croutons. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Chilled Avocado Soup

2 large ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
1 tsp lime juice
2-4 cups FF chicken broth
1 tsp cilantro
Kosher salt
White Pepper

Put avocados, lime juice, and half the stock, cilantro in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into bowl and season to taste. You may need to add more stock to desired consistency. Cover and chill.

I made this at my cooking class and it was DELISH

Salsa Mexicana

4 Large ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and finely chopped. (This can be done by blanching, cut an x on the bottom of each tomato and blanch for 10-20 secs, peel, take out seeds and cut. Or you can use canned tomatoes, drain liquid off before chopping)

1/2 onion finely chopped
3 green chilies, finely chopped
1/3 cucumber, finely chopped
2 TBS finely chopped Cilantro
1 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1 TBS very good olive oil
Salt As needed

Put all together in a bowl, cover and serve when needed. Can make the day before.

serves 6

WW points: 1 (actually less than one because I think the only thing that has points is the oil and that is 4 pts for 1 TBS)

Molasses Baked Chicken

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken (I used skin and bones in mine, but to cut cals, use boneless, skinless)
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp sallspice or cinnamon
2 TBS cider vinegar
2 TBS molasses
2 TBS brown mustard

Combine in bowl with wisk and pour over chicken. Rub into chicken. Put in sprayed pan and bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes per side until done.

Serves 4

WW: approx 7 pts per serving

Polenta Lasagna with Mushrooms Bechamel

1/2 large onion, sliced

1/2 lb of shitake mushrooms, sliced - or other type mushooms

1/4 lb of button mushrooms, sliced

3/4 cup plus 2 TBS low fat milk

2 TBS cornstarch

2 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened to room temp

1/4 c white wine or sherry

salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste

2 1/2 c vegetarian tomato sauce

2 tubes plain commercial polenta, cute into 3/8" slices

1/2 c Parmesan cheese

Cook onions until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook another 5 min. Add 3/4 milk and bring to simmer. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining milk. When mixture is simmering, add to it. It will become thick, add cream cheese and wine. When well blended remove from heat and add spices.

Spread a few tablespoons of tomato sauce in bottom of 9x13 pan. Scatter 1/4 of polenta slices on bottom. Lightly dust with Parmesan. Put all the mushrooms next. Top with 1/4 of polenta, dust with cheese. Add sauce and top with rest of polenta, overlapping if needed.

Bake at 375 until bubbling hot, 35-45 min. Place under broiler for a few seconds to crisp up Polenta on top.

Serves 6

WW Points: 5.5

==============================================================

My family LOVED this!!!!

From Seasonings Recipe book

Sausage- Stuffed Mushrooms

24 large fresh mushrooms (I used buttons, might want to use portabella)
1 lb bulk Italian sausage (to cut cals further use turkey sausage)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Remove stems, set caps aside. Chop stems, set aside. Cook sausage and remove with slotted spoon. In drippings, saute onion and mushrooms. Stir in spaghetti sauce and sausage. Stuff into mushroom caps. Sprinkle with cheese. Place in greased pan. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves 8

WW points: 4 for 3 mushrooms.

Recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/

Egg Salad

Egg Salad

4 cups peeled and chopped hard boiled eggs (about a doz)
½ c crumbled bacon – leave out to cut calories
1 TBS parsley
¼ c grated carrots
4 oz light cream cheese – softened for 30 sec in micro – possible 10 sec more
¼ c light sour cream
½ c mayo
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder

Yield: dozen egg salad sandwiches

WW Points: 4 (w/o bacon)

very yummy and different from my normal egg salad with just mayo, mustard, and vinegar.

I call this a reject

So, the tip about the oil in the water for the eggs....well, what do you think?

Canned Meat

My grandfather still gets a kick out of telling the story about the first time my husband ever tried canned meat...specifically canned pork. Now in my family, you wolf down as much of this yummy goodness as you can before the others get to it. Then you might think about taking a breath or side dishes. Well, he didn't think he would like it and decided to eat everything else, but the meat until there was no choice. After his first bite, he was sorry that there was not any more let. Sorry honey, you snooze you loose.

Canned Pork

~ Pressure Canner

~ Pork Shoulder, cut into cubes. Save the extra fat to add to the top

~ water - 1 TBS in bottom

~ salt - 1 tsp on top

~ Quart canning jars, wide mouth works easiest

Pack into jar, leaving 1 inch of head space. Cook at 12-15 lbs of pressure for 70 minutes (or if you have a cookbook that came with your pressure canner, use that)

Canned Beef

~ Pressure Canner

~ Best cut of heavily marbled meat, cut into cubes. Save extra fat.

~ salt - 1 tsp on top

~ Quart canning jars

Pack into jars, leaving 1 inch head space. Cook at 11 lbs of pressure for 90 min.

A note here. My grandmother in MI just goes to her butcher and tells him she wants beef for canning, so she is not 100% sure of the cut of meat. I can tell you that we didn't use one with enough marbling or didn't add enough fat because the meat is a little dry.

Anyway, the reason for this post is that the meat is dry and I want to use it up, but trying to find a recipe to mask the dryness. Tonight I made it into tacos and a sub for ground meat. It was pretty good. I used my own seasoning blend since I now have all the spices back in the house.