Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[pugmama]

I did these Apple BBQ pork sandwiches for a family reunion- a meal that can be made ahead of time. The BBQ sauce can be made a week ahead of time. Family really liked this, as did I.

http://www.foodanddrink.ca/lcbo-ear/RecipeController?language=EN&recipeType=1&action=recipe&recipeID=6372

[bgill]

Reminder to all - Don’t throw out the pulp from apple pressing or jelly making. Make it into apple butter. Waste not, want not.

[bgill]

Three words -

Ball Blue Book

Ball Blue Book

Ball Blue Book

Ball Blue Book

Ball Blue Book

Ball Blue Book

Ball Blue Book

[bgill]

If you have lots of tomatoes, try your hand at tomato preserves. They’re soooo good. But again, Ball Blue Book.

[SkyDancer]

Vodka is good because it’s a basic ingredient for many mixes. Not that I’m a lush or anything, one or two usually does it for me.

[bgill]

Not apple-y, but thought I’d share Susan’s Cinnamon Raisin Biscuit recipe we tried last night - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o53UNrPAp8 . I didn’t have vanilla pudding mix so substituted chocolate. Also, I can’t get White Lily flour here so used half cake flour and half store brand all purpose flour and the biscuits came out fine but I might try only cake flour next time as they were still a bit delicate and crumbly as homemade biscuits tend to be. However, after they sat overnight, they held together very well for breakfast. They’re not your traditional yeast cinnamon rolls but a quick and easy biscuit.

Ferris, watch some of Susan’s videos on canning. You’ll learn a lot and have questions answered. She’s big into following Ball’s safety rules and explains the why and how. She does the research on everything she cooks so her videos are very educational:

https://www.youtube.com/user/imstillworkin/search?query=canning

[pugmama]

Just for this e-mail-so many great looking recipes-esp the cheesecake ones. Going to try some of them.

http://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/apple-recipes?iid=newsletter-sl-09152016

[SaveFerris]

Thanks!

[leaning conservative]

There’s definitely a time & a place for being a lush. ; )

I love vodka.......straight on the rocks,or with cranberry or V8, a quickie bloody Mary. I keep mine in the freezer.

[leaning conservative]

Might try those for our Halloween party at school! I think the kids would get a kick out of it. Great idea, thanks.

[Jamestown1630]

I like that recipe. I’m crazy about cinnamon rolls, but don’t often have the time/patience to make the yeast-raised rolls. Will Save.

[Jamestown1630]

My husband asked the other day that I find new pork chop recipes. I’ll show this to him - I know I’d like it.

-JT

[bgill]

Hubby, who rarely says anything about food, has said three times today that he wants more of them.

The printable recipe forgot the 1/2 C of raisins so make note of that.

[Jamestown1630]

Ok, raisins added!

[SkyDancer]

I usually mix it with cran. juice.

[MomwithHope]

We’ve talked about canning in the gardening thread before. I have been canning for over 40 years. Water bath and pressure canner. It’s easy! I think Ball has a very good site.

[SaveFerris]

Thanks!

[afraidfortherepublic]

MMMMM-mmmm sounds good!

[Liz]

The apple liqueur sounded divine but I couldn't get it to screen up.
Luckily I found this Apple Brandy Recipe developed by an accomplished
Wisconsin farm woman who grows apples.

APPLE BRANDY

PREP BTB sugar and water; cook/stir dissolve sugar. Set offheat.

METHOD Place apples in large glass or plastic container; add sugar mixture, brandy, cloves and cinnamon stick. Cover/ steep at room temp at least two weeks; stir once a week. Strain; discard apples and spices. Pour into glass decanters. Place three cloves and one cinnamon stick in each bottle. Yield: 2 quarts.

Ingredients 4 cups sugar 2 cups water 4 pounds apples, sliced 1 liter brandy 3 whole cloves 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches) Additional whole cloves and cinnamon sticks

[pugmama]

Here is the most of the article:

Apple Liqueur

4 cups sugar
2 cups water
4 pounds apples, cored and peeled
1 750 ml bottle of brandy
1 cinnamon stick

Mix water and sugar and bring to a boil until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool. Peel and core apples and slice. Put into a large glass or plastic container and cover with the cooled syrup. Do not use a metal container. Add cinnamon stick and pour the alcohol over the apples. Let sit in a dark place for two weeks, stirring every other day or so. After two weeks, remove the apples from the liquid and reserve. Strain the liqueur through a fine sieve and then pour into a glass storage bottle. Let age for a month or so to soften the flavors.

I made my first batch with Christian Brothers’ Honey Brandy. This brandy is a bit sweeter and mellower than Christian Brothers’ regular brandy. The resulting liqueur was smooth with lovely hints of cinnamon and apple flavor and a deep amber color. It was very easy to drink even without the additional month of aging.The regular brandy made a slightly more astringent brew that I think will benefit from aging before we serve it. It was still wonderful. The vodka batch was a bit lighter in color with a more dominant apple taste but also a more pronounced presence of alcohol. However, the real gift of this process was the brandy-soaked apples.

Apple Brandy Cake

1 package yellow, white or spice cake mix
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons apple liqueur
3 large eggs
2 cups brandy-soaked apples, finely chopped
1 cup walnuts or pecans

Lightly grease a 10-inch fluted cake pan or a 9-inch-by-13-inch-by-2-inch baking pan. Place the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, liqueur and eggs in a mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. Fold in the apples and nuts by hand. Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Bake the cake in a 350-degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes for a 9-inch-by-13-inch pan or for 50 to 55 minutes for a fluted cake pan. Cool on a rack. Recipe note: I prefer a spice cake mix for this recipe, but I have done it with the yellow or white if that’s all I have on hand. The spice version is definitely a more flavorful cake. If you want to make the cake and not the apple liqueur, just use any brandy and chopped apples.

Apple Liqueur Butter Glaze

4 tablespoons butter (use the real thing)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons apple liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the butter and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, liqueur and vanilla and use your whisk or mixer to make it smooth and lump free. Drizzle over the warm cake and let it soak in for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Fall Apple Sangria

2 apples — one red and one green — cored and thinly sliced
2 cups apple liqueur
1 bottle of white wine (pinot grigio, moscato, chardonnay)
Club soda

Slice apples and place in a 2-quart pitcher and pour the apple brandy over them. Chill for one hour. Add wine and chill again. Serve over ice with a splash of club soda to add a bit of fizz. Recipe note: You can make this with regular brandy and apple cider if you don’t have the apple liqueur. Just use 1 and one-half cups brandy and one-half cup apple cider instead of the apple liqueur.