Confession #112 Gardening Jones- The Musical

31 August 2010, by gj

I’m the only one in our house that eats cantaloupe, so I usually don’t bother to grow it. Every so often I feed the need and toss a few seeds in the ground. What to do with it though?
Previously I have made Spiced Melon Balls, which look cool but again I was the only one to eat them.
Mostly I carted my cantaloupes off to work where I shared, happy to do so – but always wishing there was another way.

This year I found the answer…again in my Ball Canning Book. I was actually looking for the recipe for the melon balls (it’s not in this year) and found one for “Golden Nectar.”
Really? Did I read that right???
Quick to the page and there it is! Scan the ingredients: cantaloupe, peaches, orange juice…mmmm!!!
And it can be steam/water bath canned.
WooHoo!
That’s when it happened, again. The song-worm.

Why?

Why must everything have a song attached to it?

My life’s a musical but the soundtrack is only in my head.

Well this time I’m sharing. I won’t pass it on just yet; it’s at the end of the post (look at your own risk).

Golden Nectar
2 quarts sliced peaches
6 cups cantaloupe (about 1 melon)
1 quart water
7 cups orange juice
1 ½ cups honey
1 cup pineapple juice
½ cup lemon juice
Yields 6 quarts

Cook sliced peaches and cubed cantaloupe in water until fruit is soft. Puree fruit and liquid using a food processor or food mill. Return to pot and add remaining ingredients to nectar. Bring to a boil, stirring to prevent sticking. Ladle hot into hot jars, leaving ¼” headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust caps. Process quarts or pints 20 minutes in water bath canner.

I did make one change; I put mine through the juicer instead of the food mill. This left me with a little less juice, but the byproduct was a fruit mash the consistency of applesauce. I froze that in 1 cup measures to use this fall in my Pumpkin Muffins to replace the oil.

My daughter, Mrs. Jones-Ninja, said once that she thought it would be sooo cool if our lives really were musicals.
I didn’t tell her – mine already is.

So …are you ready for the song-worm? Can you guess what it is?
Another musical track Look at the end of the blog
Yet another

Recipe reprinted with permission
Recipes provided by BALL BLUE BOOK(r) OF PRESERVING. Copyright (c) 2009,
Jarden Home Brands, marketer of Ball(r) and Kerr(r) fresh preserving
products.
Jarden Home Brands is a division of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH).

Categories: addiction, melons, you grew it - you eat it

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Mandolin’s Eggplant Caponata

28 August 2010, by gj

This is Mandolin’s other favorite way to enjoy eggplant.

You will need:
2 Tbl. olive oil
3 cups diced eggplant

2 cups chopped onion
4 Tbl. Minced garlic
1.5 cups chopped celery
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 chopped hot pepper –or- ½ tsp. dry cayenne

½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup chopped capers
½ cup sliced green onions
2 cups marinated mushrooms
1 Tbl. sugar
2 oz. drained, chopped anchovies (opt.)

In a skillet, add olive oil. Saute eggplant until tender.

Add the rest of the fresh veggies and cook until soft.

Remove from heat, let it cool. Add remaining ingredients.
Chill and serve.

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Waste Not…

20 August 2010, by gj

Vegetable Juice is far away my favorite juice each morning, homemade especially! Although it takes a little extra work, there is a delightful byproduct. (Just wait-you’ll see)

This is not any official recipe, just what I made with what was in the garden:
Garden Blend Vegetable Juice
15 pounds tomatoes
1 colander-full swiss chard and spinach
15 med. ribs and leaves celery
2 handfuls dried parsley
1 pound carrots
1 cup onion
1/2 cup green pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 shot lemon juice per quart jar

Wash veggies, chop into chunks. Combine all ingredients except lemon juice in a pot and simmer about 1/2 hour.
Remove from heat. Juice in a juicer or food processor. Heat back up.
Add 1 shot of lemon juice to each quart jar. Fill the jars to within 1/4 inch head space.
Process in a water bath canner about 45 minutes.

Now here’s the good part. Take the stuff that is left in the juicer or strainer and put it into a sauce pot. Add water and simmer for a while.
Strain.
Now you have some wonderful vegetarian soup base!

Pack into freezer jars and freeze. Use as you would any soup base.

Now clean up your mess!

Categories: ok - so now what?, tomatoes, vegetarian

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Spiced Red Cabbage

17 August 2010, by gj

I am always excited to get a new edition of The Ball Blue Book – guide to preserving. This year especially so as it is their 100th Anniversary Edition!

Now, one thing I have learned over the years is that although I might get excited to try a new recipe, it does not mean anyone is going to eat it.
So now Mandolin and I go though the recipes and ‘flag’ what we would like to try.

I made the Spiced Red Cabbage, and boasted a bit online… and was hit with requests for the recipe. Duh!
Of course I would never infringe on copyrighted materials, so I redirected all inquires to purchase the book (a good idea anyway if you love trying new things!).
Then the best thing happened – I got permission to reprint and share on the blog. Woohoo!
So here is the first recipe I was asked for:
Spiced Red Cabbage
12 pounds red cabbage (about 3 big heads)
½ cup canning salt
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup mustard seed
¼ cup mace
2 quarts red wine vinegar
¼ cup cloves
¼ cup whole allspice
¼ cup peppercorns
¼ cup celery seed
2 sticks cinnamon

Note: I used Apple Cider Vinegar with some Balsamic Vinegar added, that is what I had on hand.

Remove outer leaves of cabbage, core and shred. Layer with salt in a large bowl. Cover, let stand 24 hours.
Drain thoroughly on paper-towel lined trays, about 6 hours. NOTE: I didn’t have that much time what with work and all (and I’m impatient) so I drained about 2 hours then put in a barely warm oven for an hour. Plus I was making a smaller batch, so there is some wiggle room here if you need it.

Combine sugar, mustard seed, mace and vinegar in a large saucepot. Tie whole spices in a spice bag, add spice bag to vinegar. Boil 5 minutes.

Remove spice bag. Pack cabbage into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Ladle hot liquid over cabbage, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles (use a rubber spatula).
Adjust 2-piece caps. Process 20 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

Mandolin came home that night and said (sniffing the air) “Mmmm…whatcha making?”

Recipe reprinted with permission (woo hoo!)
Recipes provided by BALL BLUE BOOK(r) OF PRESERVING. Copyright (c) 2009,
Jarden Home Brands, marketer of Ball(r) and Kerr(r) fresh preserving
products.
Jarden Home Brands is a division of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH).

How-To Home Preserve (me)
How-to Home Preserve (Ball Corporation)
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Categories: cabbage, ok - so now what?, you grew it - you eat it

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Onions Onions Everywhere (and not a tear to drop)

15 August 2010, by gj

So I’ve admitted I’m a gardening maniac and, like any obsession, there is always a price to pay.
I’m not quite sure how I ended up planting 600 onions (I must have been on a planting euphoria that prevented memory retention) but that is what happened.
And it was a very good year.
I’ve already written a bit on what to do with onions, and have a few jars of dehydrated and a few bags frozen.
But it was time to bring in the rest of the crop, and time to deal with it.

Until this year I didn’t know you could can onions (it must have been on a Need-To-Know basis, and I didn’t need)…I always just froze, dried and kept fresh in the fridge.
This year, there’s just not enough room.

So I looked in my handy Ball Book of Home Preserving (25th. anniversary edition by the way… just saying) and found two nifty recipes.
Yes, I did just intentionally use the word ‘nifty’.

Honeyed Red Onions and Vinegared Red Onions. One Pressure Canned, the other Steam/Water Bath Canned.
I did mix white and red, I couldn’t help myself.

Canned Onions-kewl. (Yes, this must be lame expression time…I’ve been spending too much time with Mandolin).

I have contacted the Ball Home Preserving Company asking them if I could share these recipes with you.
I am still awaiting permission. In the meantime, get one of their books. You’ll be glad you did. They are full of kewl and nifty recipes.

So this is how I spent most of today…

more on onions
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Did I mention I still have Leeks in the garden?

Categories: ok - so now what?, onions, you grew it - you eat it

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Some Like it Hotter

14 August 2010, by gj

I’ve been asked for our Salsa recipe, which until today did not exist.
I did make a batch and jotted down what we used; but I must admit every batch is a little different.
Use this more as a guideline and adjust to fit your own tastes.

Mandolin and I think the best ‘hot’ foods have a combination of heat levels – from start, to that little slap in the back of the head; so we use a combination of peppers that include jalapeno, cayenne, cherry and more…even an occasional habanera.

MIXED PEPPER SALSA

4 cup tomatoes, cored and quartered
2 cup chopped green peppers
4 cup chopped mixed hot peppers
2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. cumin
2 Tbs. cilantro
1 tsp. black pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Tomato paste (optional)

Combine all ingredients. Be careful chopping those hot peppers! Simmer until thick.
Because I like to keep my salsa somewhat crunchy, but mostly because I have little patience, I cheat and use some tomato paste to thicken. It saves hours and works wonderfully.
Fill hot canning jars to within ¼ inch from the jar top. Process in a water bath canner 15 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts.

I have been seeing a lot of pictures online lately of home canned foods. I think its great that more people are preserving their homegrown vegs!
Just be careful to follow the headspace and processing times correctly. For safety’s sake, this is really important!
Enjoy!
(PS Its gets hotter the longer it sits….bring it!)
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Categories: hot peppers, ok - so now what?, tomatoes, you grew it - you eat it

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I Know You Can Can (Yes You Can Can)

11 August 2010, by gj

Home canning in a water bath or steam canner is a fairly simple process. Home canned foods stay good for up to two years, and help free up some of the freezer space for other garden bounty. Home canned goods make delightful and thoughtful gifts, too.

The Basics
The two types of natural preservatives that can keep food safe using this method are acid and sugar.
Sugar is obvious in home canned jams, jellies and syrups. Acid is the mainstay in pickles, relishes and tomatoes.
All other types of home canned goods, such as plain vegetables in water, need to be pressure canned. This will be another blog.

The Tools
1. glass jars and lids specifically for canning, such as Ball Canning Jars
2. a Water bath or steam canner
3. additional small tools, such as a funnel, spatula, and jar lifter can make the job easier but are not required.

The Recipes
It is important to stick closely to a recipe, especially if you are a beginner. The Ball Book of Home Preserving has a wonderful selection. There are also recipes on their website.

I have been canning a long time and no longer use recipes for salsa, BBQ sauce and a few others I make yearly. But I know that I must keep a high acidity level to my sauces in order for them to remain safe to eat.
For example, Tomatoes are naturally acidic. If I’m adding to a tomato recipe, such as in making salsa, I compensate for the additional ingredients (peppers, onions) that lower that acidity level by adding some vinegar.

Important points to remember
The most important thing about canning is to keep everything clean and hot.
Wash your vegetables and tools. Boil the lids and lid rings in water. Sanitize your jars either by placing in the water bath canner or steamer, or, if you are using a lot of jars, sanitize in your dishwasher.

Leave sufficient headspace in the jar, usually ¼ inch (see recipe). This headspace is measured from the very top of the jar.

Process according to the recipe. Different items and different size jars (pint, quart) require appropriate processing times.

Resist the temptation to press down on the lids to help them seal. Let them seal naturally.

If a jar does not seal (you will see the lid did not become sucked down in the middle) refrigerate after the jar is cool and use within a few days.
Once the jars have sealed, you can remove the outer rings and store. Be sure to label with a date.

I have to say that one of my favorite gardening sounds is that of canning jar lids sealing (tink-tink-tink).

How to can video tutorial, recipes

To make the Homemade Raspberry Vinaigrette, I did a take-off on a recipe from the website. I made the vinegar using this recipe. Then dissolved an equal amount of sugar into the strained vinegar. I brought it to a boil, filled jars and processed 15 minutes.

Yes We Can Can – the Pointer Sisters

Categories: berries, ok - so now what?, you grew it - you eat it

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Stuffed Zucchini

7 August 2010, by gj

This is an heirloom zucchini from Italy, called Costata Romanesco. It doesn’t produce nearly as much, but the flavor is outstanding.
This is our favorite way to enjoy it.

½ medium onion
1 Tablespoon fresh basil
2 garlic cloves
1 egg
½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup ricotta cheese
½ cup bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese

Chop onion, basil and garlic. Add everything else except the Parmesan cheese, mix, refrigerate.
Wash your squash. Remove ends and slice in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and membrane. Save your seeds for next year and for friends!
If grilling, place face down on a hot grill for no more than 10 minutes, remove, let cool enough to touch.
Fill the middle of the squash with the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Grill until done, about ½ hour on a moderate grill.

If using a conventional oven, simply stuff the squash and place in a cake pan and cover with foil. Bake at about 350 degrees until done, about 30-45 minutes or so.

If anyone wants some seeds, email me or leave a message in the comments below (that gives me your email address) and I will give you my mailing address.
Then, just send me a SASE and I’ll put a few seeds in for you.
(Or I will let you know that the seeds ran out for this year.)
This is good as long as I continue to get zucchini.
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Categories: you grew it - you eat it, zucchini

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Colourful Cole Slaw

4 August 2010, by gj

Slaw:
1 small ‘red’ or ‘blue’ cabbage
1 small green cabbage
1-2 carrots
1 small fennel bulb

Chop or slice all ingredients. Add dressing.
I will admit here that we do like “Marie’s” cole slaw dressing, and usually use that.
If you want to try homemade, here is our restaurant’s recipe:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mayonaise
1/2 cup vinegar
salt to taste

Blend all. If you are prepping ahead of time, make the slaw a bit dry – it gets creamier as the salt pulls moisture from the cabbage.

Also note, the ‘red’ cabbage will turn the dressing a little pink over time. If you don’t like that, just use all green.

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Categories: cabbage, vegetarian, you grew it - you eat it

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Garden Gazpacho

2 August 2010, by gj

As part of my birthday celebrating, Mandolin cooked a delicious dinner that featured ingredients from the garden: Stuffed Jalapenos, Grilled Summer Squash, Cole Slaw and Gazpacho Soup. Here’s the easy soup recipe:

2 pounds ripe red tomatoes
1 pound cucumbers
1/2 pound red onions
1/2 pound green peppers
3 hot peppers
1/2 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup dry vermouth
2 cups tomato or vegetable blend juice
2 Tablespoons bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons cilantro
1 Tablespoon cumin
salt/pepper to taste

You can chop the ingredients by hand for a chunky soup, or process in the food processor, as we did, for a smoother texture. Add all the ingredients except the juice and spices.

Add the juice last. Enjoy!

PS this would freeze well too.
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Categories: cucumbers, tomatoes, vegetarian, you grew it - you eat it

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