I knew as soon as I saw this recipe on Marisa's page, Food in Jars, I wanted to try it. Oh yes, it is amazing! Sticky, sweet with a little kick, it is the perfect condiment for burgers, brats and more.
Serve it over crostini with a savory cheese, or on a cheese board with a variety of hard cheeses or even over cream cheese on crackers. IT is a delicious condiment you can use in a multitude of ways.
RECIPE Ingredients 5 pounds tomatoes, finely chopped 3 1/2 cups sugar 8 tbls lime juice 2 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1 tbls salt 1 tbls red chili flakes Method Combine all ingredients in a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce temperature to a simmer. Stirring often, simmer the jam at a steady low boil/simmer, until it reduces and becomes sticky and jammy. This will take approx. 2 hours, depending on how high you keep your heat. When the jam has cooked down sufficiently, remove from heat and fill jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Remove jars and allow them to cool 24 hours undisturbed on a kitchen towel on your kitchen counter top. Store jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year. Opened jars must be refrigerated. Original recipe from Food in Jars Enjoy, Mary
Probably one of the simplest things to make with just a few pantry ingredients is pudding. When you see just how easy, you're going to ask yourself why you ever bought a box mix.
When I was first married we were on a very tight budget where every dollar mattered. There wasn't a lot of money for "extras," so out of necessity, I learned how to make my own puddings and other items; it was less expensive to buy flour, cornstarch and sugar for a multitude of uses, instead of convenience items like boxed pudding mix.
I'm really glad necessity taught me many "how to's" years ago, because I have always enjoyed cooking from scratch. There's just something rewarding about making it all yourself and not relying on box mixes.
RECIPE Ingredients 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder 3 tbls instant Clear Jel or cornstarch 1/4 tsp salt 2-1/4 cups milk 2 tbls butter 1 tsp vanilla extract Whipped topping (optional) Method Whisk together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan; gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into individual dessert dishes, or 8 oz. mason jars with lids. To avoid a skin from forming on top, press plastic wrap directly onto surface; serve warm or refrigerate at least 2 hours. Garnish with whipped topping, if desired. Yield: 4-6 servings Original recipe from: Hershey's Cocoa Enjoy, Mary
This Southern Pineapple Cake is amazingly moist and delicious. The best part is it's so easy to make and even easier to eat and enjoy.
This cake is a "pot luck" favorite, but also makes a great after-school snack cake, or anytime you want an easy dessert. Just a few simple ingredients and you're done. You don't even need a mixer; I just beat the batter in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon. See what I mean? Easy!
RECIPE Ingredients For the Cake: 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1 tsp. baking soda 2 large eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 - 20 oz can Dole crushed pineapple (with juice) For the Topping: 1/2 cup butter 2/3 cup evaporated milk 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 cup sugar 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 1 cup coconut flakes Method Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray with baking spray a 13 x 9 -inch baking dish. In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, eggs, vanilla and crushed pineapple (with juice) and beat until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. While cake is baking, heat butter, evaporated milk, vanilla and sugar in a medium sized sauce pan until it begins to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in pecans or walnuts and coconut and continue cooking on medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Mixture will thicken slightly. Removed baked cake from oven and poke holes all over the top using a wooden chop stick or the tines of a large serving fork. Spread topping evenly over top of warm cake and let cool. Slice and serve! Also seen on Meal Plan Monday Enjoy, Mary
I am in love with local grass-fed beef! Thankfully we have several grass-fed beef farmers local to me, and this beauty came from my friends at Hill Creek Farms - Hartsville. All of their Angus and Angus-Charolais Beef comes from pasture-raised and grass-fed animals. There are no added hormones and the meat is antibiotic free. The meat is processed at an USDA inspected packing plant where it is dry aged, cut to order, vacuum packed and flash frozen.
My friends and I have ordered several sides of beef from this farm, and every time the beef has been excellent and, I believe, of superior quality to what you can buy in a grocery store. While buying a side of beef is a large investment, it can easily last you a year, making it extremely economical. See thebenefits to buying a whole side of beef.
Of course, when you buy a side of beef, you get many different cuts, from sirloins and rib-eyes to chuck roast. Not always wanting the chuck roast to be cooked as a pot roast, I started investigating ways to grill it. Who knew a grilled chuck roast could be so tender and delicious? We sure didn't until we made this recipe. Wow, talk about a "game changer!" This economical cut completely amazed us, exceeding any expectations we had.
RECIPE Ingredients 1 grass-fed beef chuck roast (approx. 3 lbs) 1/2 cup Soy Sauce (or Teriyaki if preferred) 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1-2 tbsp. grainy mustard 2 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp course ground black pepper 1/2 cup oil Method Combine all marinade ingredients in a large gallon zip-top bag mixing well. Add beef chuck roast, and seal bag removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate and marinate 8-12 hours (or overnight), turning roast a couple of times. Over direct high heat, sear roast 3 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium-indirect heat and continue to grill roast 60 minutes, basting with reserved marinade during last 10 minutes. Using a meat thermometer, check internal temperature of beef beginning at 40 minutes and every few minutes thereafter, until beef registers an internal temperature of 130 for medium rare or 145 for more medium/well. Remove roast, cover with foil and let rest 15 minutes before carving roast against the grain and serving. Also seen on Meal Plan Monday Enjoy, Mary
This Tangy Vidalia Onion Relish is great added to a beef pot roast; just toss some around with the veggies for a delicious and tasty addition to your roast.
It's also very good spooned over baked Brie or cream cheese with crackers as an accompaniment to a cheese board, and of course, for toppings on hamburgers, hot dogs, and especially brats and sausages. You can also add it to various cold salads such as potato, macaroni, pasta, and bean salads just to name a few.
RECIPE Ingredients
5 pounds (approx. 10-12 large Vidalia onions), peeled, and diced finely
2 red, green or yellow bell peppers, seeded and diced finely
1/4 cup canning salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 cups cider vinegar
1 tsp mixed pickling spices
Method
Using a food processor, finely dice the onions and peppers. Combine the diced onions and bell peppers with the salt; stir and let stand for 30 minutes.
Drain the vegetables in a fine mesh strainer, squeezing gently and discarding liquid. In a large non-reactive pot, combine the sugars, turmeric, and vinegar. Put pickling spices in a cheesecloth bag and add to the vinegar and sugar mixture. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Add the well-drained vegetable mixture, increase heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Fill the hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace, and wipe rims with damp paper towels. Fit the jars with the lids and screw jar rings on finger tight.
Process jars in a boiling water bath or steam canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars and let cool 24 hours undisturbed. Store in pantry up to one year, opened jars need to be refrigerated. Yield: 10 - 8 oz jars or 5 pints
