Newsletter – Thanksgiving 2013

Slow Cooker Applesauce Recipe
10/1/2014 12:29:00 PM
By Monica Sharrock

Tags: applesauce recipe, slow cooker, autumn, Monica Sharrock, Oklahoma

Ingredients
10 apples, cored and sliced (with or without peels)*
1/2 – 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon*
1/2 cup apple juice, plus 1/4 cup
1/2 tsp salt *homegrown/organic ingredients recommended

Pour 1/2 cup apple juice into the base of a slow cooker. Sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt over apples. Pour 1/4 cup of apple juice over the apples to help dissolve the dry ingredients. Set slow cooker on high, and allow apples to cook down over a period of about four-five hours. Stir occasionally. Mashing may be required and can be done with a fork or potato masher.

Students in my class enjoy this applesauce with crushed pecans stirred in. If you are not making this recipe for a large group, excess can easily be canned in pint jars. Simply use a water-bath canner and process for 15 minutes. Learn more about Applesauce Canning.

Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe

Ingredients:
Blind-Baked Crust
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, chilled and cut into large chunks
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled
1 1/4 cups flour, plus at least 1/4 extra for rolling
Dash of salt
Ice water (fill a 1/2 cup but use only enough to moisten dough)

Filling
3 ounces (3 squares) unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
3 cups whole milk
5 egg yolks (save whites for meringue topping)
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vanilla

Meringue
5 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar

Instructions
To make the chocolate cream pie:

1. Prepare the Blind-Baked Crust.
2. Prepare the Filling: In a heavy saucepan, mix together all filling ingredients except for eggs, butter, and vanilla, and cook over medium to low heat until thickened.
3. Remove from heat and beat in the egg yolks thoroughly. Cook again until thickened.
4. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
5. Mix well and pour into pre-baked pie crust.
6. Prepare the Meringue: In a clean bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until frothy.
7. While still beating, add cream of tartar and gradually add sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
8. Spread meringue on top of pudding, making sure to take it all the way to the edges to “seal” the top. Jab at the meringue with the back of a large spoon, pulling back with each stroke to create curlicue peaks.
9. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until meringue turns golden, about 10 minutes.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/chocolate-cream-pie-recipe-ze0z1410zhur.aspx#ixzz3JMT25qpE

By Tammy Kimbler – Tags: condiments, recipes, Thanksgiving, Tammy Kimbler, Minnesota

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Every year do a little something different with the cranberry sauce, adding fruit, nuts, spices and libations. With a big bag of jeweled Wisconsin cranberries in the fridge, I need to get moving. While I love cranberries, I want them to be more purposeful than just sauce. I want a little spice or zing or some flavor to put it beyond jam, so I can enjoy it beyond the holidays.

I made a rustic cranberry sauce with only half the sugar, wine, and mustard seeds soaked in wine vinegar. Instead of blending the mustard seeds I left them whole, which adds great texture and flavor, somewhere between a chutney and a mustard. This sauce pairs perfectly with tangy goat cheese on crackers, and makes an excellent turkey sandwich. Who wants leftovers?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds (or combination of brown, black and yellow for extra zing)
• 2/3 cup wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 c whole cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. In a glass jar, soak mustard seeds in vinegar overnight. They should swell to almost a full cup. Add more vinegar if they seem dry.

2. The next day bring the cranberries, sugar and wine to a simmer on the stove. When cranberries begin to pop, cook for another 5 minutes. Add the mustard seed mixture and a pinch of salt. Taste the mixture.

3. If it seems to sour or bitter, add a couple tablespoons of sugar. When the balance suites your taste, remove from heat and return the mixture to a glass jar. Store in the refrigerator, where the flavors will meld. And try not to spread it on everything in sight!