Getting into a Jam

I have been canning and pickling about a year and a half now but I have been weary of getting in Jams and Jellies. Mostly because I had no idea what to do. Also there are sugar ratios and pectin ratios - plus fruit is kinda expensive.


At the farmers market a few months ago - I won a bag full of pectin from the canning demo. With a bag of pectin in my house, I suppose it was just a matter of time till I gave it a go!

Fresh Strawberries! 

I like to mix 2 kinds of berries - the raspberry cooks down and the small slices of strawberry make a nice texture so its more like preserves than jelly.

Fresh Raspberries!

Get your jars all lined up and ready to go. Make sure they are clean and sanitized and have lids ready!

Wonder Jars! 

In a big pot - add all the strawberries, raspberries, sugar, pectin and let cook for 30 min. Everything will cook down nicely! See individual recipes to get your ratios - it all depends on how much fruit you have.

Bubbling Sticky Goodness

Once everything is cooked down, while its still hot, pour into your jars and seal them up with lids - do it quick and they will self seal. Nothing like the sound of lids popping as the jam cools down.

Many jars of tasty preserves

Once the lids have sealed - put in the fridge to help the "gel" process. By the next day you have super tasty - not too much sugar - wonderful berry preserves!

Winter Dishes and New Years Eve 2012

Curly kale made into kale chips - with oil and coarse salt

 

Over the past few months, I have really developed a taste for leafy greens - things like kale, bok choy, mustard greens, chard, spinach, etc. I honestly like the taste and its so easy to make as a side dish. Almost all can be tossed into a pan with some olive oil and S&P and have a great and good for you side in minutes.

These are tasty mustard greens before the cook down. 

If you want to make the side into a main entree - just add a lean meat.

Chicken, Baby Bok Choy and Garlic stir fry

I am always trying to find a way to add more veggies into our world and I am striving to have more "meatless days". One of my favorite things to make is mushroom saute with garlic and onions. With all the local food we can get at our market - its makes for a tasty meal.

Habenero pasta Chibcha Roll  from Swedish Hill Bakery, Portabella Mushrooms,

 Raw Colby Cheese 

On New Years Eve we celebrated the last day of the 2011 market. It was fun to stock up on winter veggies, chicken and treats for New Years day munching.

Cauliflower, Broccoli, Bok Choy, Chicken, Burgers, Shrimp, Fennel, Eggs, Pasta, Bread, Crab Dip, Texas Caviar 

The big winner of the week was from Aunt Nita's booth and made by Miss Addie herself. It was some sort of spinach souffle that had a mix of peppers and cheese mixed it. We baked it till it was bubbling hot and golden brown. So incredibly good - we were able to share it with our friend John and still eat it with 2 meals! Way to go Addie!!

Addie's Spinach Souffle 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also got to ring in the New Year with Aunt Nita's homemade bloody Mary mix - that and our local vodka - TITOS! Read what all is one that label - this was not your typical drink. SO GOOD! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Happy 2012!

Garden Bricks

I really enjoy art for my yard and outside. I bought this brick making kit many years ago that was similar to the "word magnets on the fridge" that everyone had in the 90's. My original thought was once I owned my home, I would hand make a brick walkway and within it - have some great lyrics. I still hope to do this someday but I have yet to commit to a song. In the mean time, I make lyric bricks for the garden.

I mix my own concrete that I buy in 40 lb bags from Home Depot. I use old bookshelves as my smooth base to build the brick on. Its portable that way and I can take the bricks outside to dry in the sun or into the garage to remain damp.

I then use my lettering to make each word. It takes up to 3-4 days to dry and in this cold weather, sometime it took much longer. Once they are dried - I take them outside and paint them with about 3 layers of color.

This is how they look when they are done - such a  nice addition to a garden.

If you would like some for your garden - please check out my etsy site where I sell all different kinds of bricks, including custom bricks. If you have a lyric you need in your world - let me know!


www.etsy.com/shop/LemonLimeLlama

Whole Wheat Dog Treats

Sushi Weiner Dog

I love my dogs and I love making homemade treats for them. They are a sucker for a milkbone but these make a nice yield and last about 2 weeks. 

I got this dog biscuit recipe from my dear friend Nicole (aka: Nico) in Kansas City. She made me 2 large bags and gave me the recipe probably 10 year ago. I even made these as a wedding favor for our "dog friends" at our wedding reception. 

THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED

2 cups whole wheat flower

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup powdered milk

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 egg beaten 

5 tbsp oil 

1/4 cup water

2 jar baby food - any flavor (these are turkey sweet potato) 

Rollin the Dough

Preheat oven 350 degrees

In large bowl combine all ingredients and make a thick dough. I use my Kitchen-aid Mixer.

Knead on lightly floured baking mat until dough is smooth - approx 4 min. 

Sprinkle flour and roll out dough in 1/2 inch thickness

Use cookie cutters or a small drinking glass 

Bake on cookie sheet (I use foil) for approx 22 min. 

Let cool at least 30 min before feeding to pups

Goats!

 We used our goat cookie cutter as an ode to our local farmers we love so much ... and goats are cute. 

Owls

 We also make little owl treats as well. Owls rule and are everywhere at our house. They are also smaller than the goats so you can make a varied sizes. Just watch how long you bake them - obviously the smaller ones take less time - 15 min. Try not to let them burn - you can see the far right bottom owl is a little crispy. :) 

Also I usually double the recipe just because it does make quite a mess once you've got rollers and mixers out. I also sometimes add food coloring - if I make Valentines dog treats this year, they will be pink for sure!  Id love to hear if you try this for your dogs!

Supermodel

Saki snarfs these things down like steak but she doesn't want you to know that - hence her, refusal to be photographed with her favorite treat. She has a red carpet reputation to uphold. 

Hound

Sushi on the other hand, loves her treats and doesn't care who knows! Snarf! Snarf!!