Recipes

Some folks commented on pickled carrots; they are very easy to make.

To make 6 quarts of them, here is the recipe:

Sterilize 6 quart jars. Have ready enough carrots to fill them- if the carrots are big, slice them into sticks. Immerse them in hot water while you bring the brine to a boil:

1 qt. vinegar

3 qts. water

1 cup pickling salt

Put fresh dill into the sterile jars, and add garlic- I use 3-5 cloves per jar. Stuff the jars with carrots, pour the hot brine in to within half an inch of the top, and seal. Make sure no carrots are poking up enough to hit the lid

Easy enough! Wait about a month before you eat them.

Crystal asked if mincemeat was easy to make- it is, but you have to chop the green tomatoes. You could probably use a chopper gadget for that if you like. Here is the recipe:

Green Tomato Mincemeat

In a very large pot, mix together:

2 quarts chopped green tomatoes

5 cups chopped apples

3/4 lb. suet

2 lbs dark brown sugar

2 lbs. dark raisins

1 lb. dried currants

1 lb. mixed fruit (as in the kind you use for fruit cake)

2 tablespoons each of cinnamon, cloves and allspice

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 to 1 cup juice (grape, apple, cranberry, whatever you have on hand)

Cook slowly for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, it should simmer without sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently. If you use too much juice you'll have to simmer longer to render it down.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars and seal. Wait 2 weeks before using.

Sunday Stills

Food - that is the challenge Ed gave us today; and to have at least three items in the photo. My meals were uninspiring, so I went with the condiments I use at mealtime: pickles, jam, and salsa! Since I was making pickled carrots, here are the carrots, garlic, and dill that I put in the jars.

I love canning, here is the mincemeat, grape jelly and salsa that I made recently.

I'm waiting for the last of my tomatoes to ripen so that I can make another batch of salsa; hopefully this bowlful of garlic, jalapeño, and lime will last till then; they are looking a little sad!

Well, I hope I can keep my internet connected long enough to visit all your blogs today, it's been really dismal lately.

Small time, but published!

Do you all remember this photo? Our local bank had a photo contest going, for submissions for their calendar for next year. I submitted 5 photos, and included this one because so many of you really liked it. It made the cover of the calendar!

Another photo I submitted made it too; do you remember this one of Foose? I guess we can call him Mr. September now!

I got the corrals cleaned yesterday.Today is skirt work-make pickled carrots, and maybe do some baking- perfect photo op for Sunday Stills challenge, which is food. But I'd rather be riding!

My treasures

Sunday when I should have been relaxing, I decided it was time to make the green tomato mincemeat- especially since the person who gave me her grandma's recipe was staying the weekend with us, as she and her husband came down to help with the auction. We made and canned 10 quarts, and it turned out really well.

As promised, here are the photos of the items I bought -

the barnboard cupboard that I put in my tack room,($20!)

and the hall table, which is in my office (also $20!)- I still have to clean and oil it.

The farrier was here today to do the mares. Chickory has apparently gotten over her big pout and is her sweet self again. She has really nice feet. Velvet is a Diva -in her own mind- and fussed a bit, but she is slowly improving. She seems to think that she doesn't hafta hold her foot up that long, don'tcha know!

The snow is slowly creeping down the mountains towards the valley, but I hope it holds off for a bit. My friends in Alberta and Saskatchewan are getting blasted with a breath of ole man winter though.

Christmas Cake- A Tutorial

If you like dark fruitcake, especially brandied fruitcake, you might want to try this recipe. I've been making it since 1975, and it's in demand in my family. Sometimes I have trouble saving one for myself! This recipe calls for soaking the fruit mixture in brandy overnight, so go buy a bottle of nice brandy.

The first day:

In a large bowl, combine:

2-6 cups of Glace or maraschino cherries (I use 6 cups, I like lots of 'em in my cake!)

2 cups citron peel or mixed peel

2 cups dark raisins

1 cup currants

1 cup chopped dates

2 cups nuts - I vary from year to year; this year I used pecan halves and slivered almonds; you can also use walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamias, etc.

Add 1 cup of brandy, and stir well. Cover and let stand overnight; stir a few times to make sure all the fruit gets a good soaking.

The next day, get out the brandy and do this:

That is all the brandy you are allowed! Because the rest of it is needed! I'm not kidding!

In a separate bowl, combine :

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

(Note:I always measure the spices generously, these are minimum measures given.)

In a large bowl, combine:

6 eggs

1 cup softened butter (NO margarine please!)

2 cups liquid honey.

In a measuring cup, mix together:

3/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup brandy

So this is what you have. I use the sink to hold the big bowl so it is easier to stir everything.

Dredge the fruit mixture with about a half cup of flour. Mix together the flour mix with the egg mix and brandy mix.

So now you are down to 2 bowls! Pour the batter into the fruit and stir thoroughly.

Prepare your loaf pans by cutting brown paper to fit, butter the pan and butter the side of the paper that you will be pouring the batter on:

You will need at least 3 pans; I use 4 because of the amount of cherries I use.

I used butchers paper, with the shiny side down, but cut up paper bags work well too. This is an important step, as it keeps the cakes from drying out and over-browning during baking.

Pour the batter into the pans.

Bake them in a 275 degree oven, from 2 1/2 to 3 hours, depending on your oven.
This batch took 3 hours.

You may need to cover them loosely with tinfoil during the last half hour of baking to prevent the tops from excessive browning.

When they are done, cool them on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before you lift them out of their pans, and leave the paper on until they have cooled to about lukewarm before you try to take the paper off.

After you remove the paper and they are all cooled off, get out the brandy again- no you may not have another sip, all the rest is needed! So put your thumb over the end of the bottle, and drizzle a little over each cake before you wrap it.

I like to make sure that the brandy goes over the whole top of the cake. Double wrap the cakes in plastic, and store in big zip-locks. I keep mine in a plastic bin to keep the mice away!

So, by my reckoning, there should be about 1/4 bottle of brandy left. No! You still can't have it! Every week, until it's all gone, take the cakes out and drizzle more brandy on them. You should get about 4 times.

If any of you make them, let me know how you like this recipe-(or not!)