Zucchini Relish

This year’s horrible weather meant no cucumbers. :o(  But we do have zucchini… So what do you do when life hands you zucchini? You make zucchini relish! It actually turned out really good and I was able to make 3 batches with one zucchini!

2 cups chopped zucchini

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

2 tbsp pickling salt

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 tsp celery seed

1 tsp mustard seed

1 cup cider vinegar

Combine zucchini, onion, and peppers in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Cover with cold water. Let stand 2 hours.

Drain; rinse and drain thoroughly.

Combine remaining ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add vegetables. Simmer 10 minutes.

Pack hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/4” headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust 2-piece caps. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before removing jars.

Spring Water Soda

My friend Marilee showed us how to make root beer this spring and we liked it so much, we had to do it again. This time we made strawberry and orange cream. It’s fun and easy to make! Just make sure you make it about 7 to 10 days before you want to serve it…

There are tons of flavor possibilities by mixing flavors or using honey instead of sugar! There also is no caffeine!!!

Supplies such as yeast, flavors, bottle caps and a capper are available anywhere that beer or wine making supplies are sold.

*Make sure you use water that has no chlorine in it. Well water or spring water are the best. You can also use distilled water. Refrigerate any leftover extracts or yeast.

Amounts:

1 Gallon of soda:

1/8-1/4 tsp champagne yeast (or less)

1 Tbsp soda extract

2 cups sugar or honey (or to taste)

Fill to 1 gallon of water

2 Gallons of soda:

1/4-1/8 tsp champagne yeast (or less)

1/2 bottle soda extract

4 cups sugar or honey (or to taste)

Fill to 2 gallons of water

4 Gallons of soda:

1/2-1 tsp champagne yeast (or less)

1 bottle soda extract

8 cups sugar or honey (or to taste)

Fill to 4 gallons of water

Step 1- Wash and run empty glass bottles through dishwasher and heated dry cycle. Keep warm in dishwasher until ready to use.

Step 2- Fill large pot with water and heat to 98-110.

 Step 3- Remove 1 cup of warm water and stir in yeast until dissolved. Let stand at least 5 minutes. Mix again before adding to soda.

  Step 4- Stir sweetner into water until dissolved.

Step 5- Add extract. Taste to make sure mixture is right.

Step 6- Stir yeast mixture and stir into soda.

Step 7- Put warm bottles on table. And fill within 1-2 inches from top.

Step 8- Seal bottles with caps.

Step 9- Store bottles on side to check for leaks in a cool, dark place for 3 to 4 days. Discard any leaking bottles.

Step 10- Place bottles upright in fridge for another 6 to 10 days. Open bottles carefully over a sink, they might be rather volatile! Pour carefully into a glass in order to leave behind most of the yeast deposit. (it won’t hurt you, it just tastes funny)

Jalapeno Jelly

Last year this was one of our favorites, but it wasn’t quite spicy enough. The recipe said to seed the jalapenos. I only seeded about half of them last year and this year I didn’t seed any of them. Wowzers! Don’t stand in the steam while it boils! But man is it yummy!

Our favorite way to eat it is on a toasted bagel with cream cheese and the jelly on top. It’s also nice with crackers and cream cheese as an appetizer.

12oz jalapeno peppers (seeded or not seeded to taste)

2 cups cider vinegar

6 cups sugar

2 pouches of liquid pectin

Puree peppers and 1 cup vinegar in food processor until smooth. Combine puree and remaining vinegar and sugar in large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Immediately add pouches of pectin. Continue hard boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam, if needed.

Fill 4oz or 8oz jars to 1/4 inch headspace. Put on lids and rings to finger tight. Place in boiling water bath and process for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before removing to a towel on the counter. Let sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Remove rings and store in cool dry place.

UFOs

I have no idea what these tasty little suckers are called but I’ve always called them UFOs. Friends up north call them Wranglers. But I like UFOs! It’s more whimsical and fun! And what kid doesn’t want to eat a UFO for breakfast???

Ok, so here’s how you do it…

Step 1: Preheat your griddle. Get out eggs, butter, and bread.

Step 2: Butter one side of each slice of bread.

Step 3: Cut a hole in each slice of bread with a biscuit cutter or small glass.

Now you have a stack of little bread circles and a stack of holey bread…

Step 4: Melt some butter on your griddle. And spread it around.

Step 5: Place your slices of bread and circles on griddle butter side up.

Step 6: Break one egg into the hole in each slice of bread.

Step 7: Flip everything over when the bread is toasted.

Step 8: Cook until egg is cooked to your liking.

Serve with the bread circle on top. They are even better topped with two slices of bacon!

Bakin’ Bacon

I am sure many people already know this, but I have “discovered” the very best way to cook bacon… In the oven! It’s quick, easy, clean, and no standing over the stove turning bacon and avoiding those nasty grease splatter burns!

Preheat the oven to 400.

Line a shallow baking pan with foil or parchment for easy clean up.

Lay bacon on pan in a single layer.

Place in oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until it reaches desired doneness.

Remove from oven and place on paper-towel lined plate.

German Pancakes

This used to be a breakfast staple at our house before it took over a dozen eggs to actually fill my crew up. But now that we have chickens and a constant supply of eggs they’re back on the menu boys!!!

Preheat oven to 400-425.

This recipe will fill one 9x13 glass baking dish.

1/3 cup butter

4 eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

This recipe will fill two 9” glass pie plates.

1/4 cup butter

3 eggs

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup milk

Put butter into pans (divide evenly if necessary) and place pans in oven until butter melts.

Beat eggs until light and lemon color. Alternately add milk and flour and mix until smooth. Batter will be thin.

Pour into pan just to cover the bottom. If the batter is too thick, it will not puff up as much while it bakes and it will be a bit heavier.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and puffy.

 

Serve with powdered sugar and lemon juice.

County Fair Funnel Cakes

Yesterday we went to our county fair. While admittance is free, the food is not. And since fair food just isn’t in the budget but I had a hankerin’ for funnel cakes, I just made some at home. They were awesome! And we made $40 worth of funnel cakes for less than the price of one at the fair!!!
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (I use a mixture of white and wheat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix salt, baking powder, and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream eggs, sugar, vanilla and milk. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Continue to add remaining flour, but use only enough to achieve desired consistency. Batter will be thin enough to run through a funnel.

In a skillet or deep fryer, heat the oil to 375 degrees F
Put your finger over the bottom opening of the funnel, and fill the funnel with a generous 1/2 cup of the batter. Hold the funnel close to the surface of the oil, and release the batter into the oil while making a circular motion.
* I used a ziploc bag with the corner cut off a bit. It was much easier to manage.

 

Fry both sides until golden brown. (It took about 3 minutes per side for me)

Use tongs or a wide spatula to turn the cake over carefully.

Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar.