Salsa

Ingredients

8 quarts plum tomatoes
pickling salt
6 large onions (we do half red and half white)
2 to 3 heads of garlic
1 pound Jalapeño peppers
6 large mild green chili peppers
2 1/2 cups minced cilantro
1/4 cup cumin seed, ground
1 156ml (5 1/2 ounce) can tomato paste
*PER JAR* 3 tablespoons lime juice (I use the store bought, but you could squeeze your own if you want to


Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the tomatoes by dropping them in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. You will need to do them in batches. Transfer the tomatoes to a sink or tub filled with ice water.

Peel the tomatoes, and chop them coarsely. Layer them in a large strainer with the salt. I try to use about 4 tablespoons, but a bit more is okay. Much of it will run out with the water. Let the tomatoes drain for several hours to overnight, in a cool spot (but not in the fridge.) Don't forget to keep them a little raised from the bottom of whatever pot you strain them into, so they are not sitting in their own water.

When you are ready to proceed, put the canning jars into a large canner with water to cover them by one inch at least, and bring to a boil. Boil the jars for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and chop the onions, de-stem and de-seed the Jalapeños (wear gloves!) and other green peppers, and peel and mince the garlic. Squeeze the juice from the limes and set it aside.

Take the strained tomatoes, and chop them to the texture you would like - a food processor is fine for this. Mix them with the chopped onions, garlic, and peppers in a large canning kettle or other large, deep pot. Chop the cilantro and mix it in, along with the ground cumin seed.

Mix the tomato paste with a cupful of the salsa, until it is lump-free. Mix it into the pot of salsa. Taste the salsa, and add some salt if you think it needs some more. Bring the salsa to a boil.

Lift the sterilized jars from the boiling water bath and empty them. Half should be emptied into the sink, and half should be emptied back into the pot to keep the boiling water level up.

Add three tablespoons of lime juice to each jar. Fill each jar with salsa, to within 1 cm of the rims. Wipe the rims with a clean paper towel dipped in the boiling water, and seal according the manufacturers directions - i.e by using lids and rims boiled for 5 minutes.

Return the jars to the boiling water bath and boil them for 20 minutes, well covered in water. It will most likely be necessary to do this in 2 batches; put as many into the canner as will fit, when they come out put in the next batch of jars to be sterilized while you fill the first set. Take them out and fill them as the first set of filled jars is being processed.

Remove from the water bath, allow to cool, check seals and label the jars with the date and batch number.

This recipe makes 12 - 14 500mL jars.

Note: To make it hotter, use different hot peppers like Serrano (medium), Chile de Arbol (medium-hot), Arbol (hot), Cayenne (hot), Habanero (super hot).


This recipe is also linked to...

Delicious Dishes: Garden Delights
This Week's Cravings: After-School Snacks

Popcorn Trail Mix

Ingredients

1 bag Orville Redenbacher Natural Simply Salted 50% Less Fat, popped
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2/3 cup raw, unsalted almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup diced dried apricots


Directions

Sprinkle hot, freshly popped popcorn with cinnamon, tossing to coat evenly. In a separate bowl, combine the sunflower seeds, pepitas, almonds, cranberries and apricots. Mix well. Toss the nut, seed, and fruit mixture with the popcorn. Divide evenly among 4-6 snack sized bowls.

This recipe is also linked to...

This Week's Cravings: After-School Snacks
Everyday Sisters' Sharing Sundays: Nuts

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided


Directions

To remove the bitterness, salt the eggplant and let it sit for 20-30 minutes and then rinse with cold water.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix the bread crumbs with 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and the dried basil.

Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumb mixture. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 7 minutes on each side.

In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.


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Savory Sunday
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Mock Peach Daiquiri

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
6 ice cubes
2/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp rum flavouring
2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp white sugar (or sweeten to taste)


Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.


This recipe is also linked on...

This Week's Cravings: Peaches

Coconut Layer Cake

Ingredients

For fluffy white-chocolate whipped cream frosting
3 cups whipping cream, chilled
9 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons coconut or golden rum
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

For coconut layer cake
1 3/4 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour
10 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
1 tablespoon coconut or golden rum
2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes, for coating


Directions

Chill bowl of stand mixer and whisk attachment or large metal bowl and beaters for at least 15 minutes.

In small saucepan over moderate heat, bring 1 cup cream to simmer. Transfer white chocolate to medium heatproof bowl, pour hot cream over, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in rum and salt. Let cool at room temperature until thickened slightly, about 1 hour.

In chilled bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 2 cups cream at moderately high speed until whisk leaves marks but cream does not quite hold soft peaks, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn mixer off, then add white chocolate mixture and beat just until stiff peaks begin to form, about 5 minutes. (Do not over-beat, or cream will curdle.) Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. (Frosting can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered, up to 8 hours.)

While the frosting is chilling, make the cake...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottoms of cake pans with parchment paper.

In large bowl, whisk together almond and coconut flours.

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks at high speed until pale yellow and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to moderately low and beat in rum and all but 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar. Scrape down bowl, then increase speed to high and beat until pale and thick, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and gradually add almond and coconut flour mixture, scraping down bowl and folding in last of flour by hand. Set aside.

In clean dry bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites on moderate speed until very foamy, about 1 minute. Beat in cream of tartar, salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar. Increase speed to moderately high and beat until whites hold stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Fold 1 cup beaten egg whites into yolk mixture to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whites. Divide batter between pans, smoothing tops, and bake until layers are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Invert pans onto wire racks and cool completely, at least 1 hour. Run knife around cake layers to loosen, invert onto rack, and peel off the parchment.

Assemble cake
Layer cake, using 1 cup frosting between each layer, then frost top and sides with remaining frosting. Press coconut flakes onto the frosting. Refrigerate until frosting is firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

This recipe is also linked to...

Sweet Indulgences Sundays
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Roasted Peach Crisp

Ingredients

2 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
2 Tbsp honey
1 large egg white
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of ground cardamom
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats


Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Arrange the peaches, cut side up, in a small glass or ceramic baking dish, and drizzle with honey. Pour 2 tablespoons water in the dish. Bake until tender and tops are caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together egg white, sugar, oil, salt and cardamom until well blended. Stir in almonds and oats until evenly coated. Spread mixture in an even layer on a small, rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven alongside the peaches and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. (The mixture will crisp as it cools.)

Transfer each peach half to an individual serving dish. Break the almond mixture into large pieces, and arrange decoratively on peaches. Serve immediately.



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Butter Mochi with Coconut

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
3 cups sugar
4 cups rice flour (I used Clubhouse brand)
3 tsp baking powder
1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk - add water to make 2 cups
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk - add water to make 2 cups
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 9 x 13 inch or 2 - 9 x 9 inch baking pans.

Cream together butter, eggs and sugar.

Add rice flour, baking powder, coconut milk and evaporated milk. Mix well.

Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 cup shredded coconut. Top with the remaining shredded coconut.

Pour mixture into pan(s). Bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 10 minutes, being careful coconut topping does not burn.


This recipe is also linked on...

Sweet Indulgences Sunday
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Gluten-Free Wednesday
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Sweets for a Saturday

Eggplant Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 small eggplant, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (6 inch) French sandwich rolls
1 small tomato, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves


Directions

Preheat your oven's broiler. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet or broiling pan. Place the pan about 6 inches from the heat source. Cook under the broiler for 7 minutes on each side, or until tender and toasted.

Split the French rolls lengthwise, and toast. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and garlic. Spread this mixture on the toasted bread. Fill the rolls with eggplant slices, tomato, feta cheese and basil leaves.

Peach Blueberry Cake

Ingredients

For pastry

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla


For filling

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
4 firm-ripe large peaches, pitted and cut into eighths
1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice


Directions

For the pastry

Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan.

Pulse together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Add egg and vanilla and pulse just until dough clumps and begins to form a ball, about 15 pulses.

Press dough onto bottom and evenly (about 1/4 inch thick) all the way up side of springform pan with floured fingertips. Chill pastry in pan until firm, about 10 minutes.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

For the filling

Grind 2 tablespoons sugar with flour and tapioca in grinder until tapioca is powdery, then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining 6 tablespoons sugar. Add peaches, blueberries, and lemon juice and gently toss to coat. Spoon filling into pastry and bake, loosely covered with a sheet of foil, until filling is bubbling in center and crust is golden, about 1 3/4 hours.

Transfer cake in pan to a rack and cool, uncovered, 20 minutes, then carefully remove side of pan.

Cool cake to barely warm or room temperature, then cut into thick wedges with a sharp knife before serving.


This recipe is also linked on...

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Zucchini-Pineapple Bread

Ingredients

1 (14oz or 19oz) can crushed pineapple
8 eggs
2 cups white sugar
4 tsp vanilla extract
enough oil to make 2 cups of liquids
4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups grated zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
2 cups chopped pecans (optional)


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 4 9"x5" bread pans.

Open and drain the can of crushed pineapple, saving the juices.

Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Pour saved pineapple juices into a measuring cup and then add enough oil to make 2 cups of liquids. In a large bowl, mix oil, eggs, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Stir in pineapple and zucchini. Stir flour mixture into zucchini mixture. Stir in nuts, if using.

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool in pan until you can handle it and then remove the loaves from the pan and finish cooling on wire racks. Once it's cooled you can ice or glaze the loaves as desired.


NOTE: I know, this is a big recipe. But I can only find 14oz or 19oz cans of crushed pineapple and don't always want to figure out what to do with 1/2 a can of left over pineapple. This recipe freezes really well and who doesn't want to have an extra loaf or 3 ready to go at a moment's notice?

NOTE: I realize there is a difference between 14oz and 19oz cans. However, this recipe is pretty forgiving and the difference isn't noticeable in the finished product.

This recipe is also linked to...

Delicious Dishes: Garden Delights
It's a Blog Party's Fall Fest Recipes 2011
Sweet Tooth Friday
Food on Friday: Pineapple
Sweets for a Saturday