Raspberry Apple Cake

My "ever-bearing" raspberries are well into their second crop, and I can barely keep up with the harvest this year. If you have access to a similar supply, this cake will make a wonderful dessert. Sorry, but those who have to buy raspberries will hardly find this a "frugal" recipe. When strawberries are next in season, I may a substitution.

We first enjoyed this dessert as a birthday cake for my six-year-old grandson. The richness of the cake eliminates the need for any frosting (though a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream is a good addition), but no one seemed to mind not having a traditional-looking cake. Wish I could tell you how well it keeps, but it was eaten too quickly to know!

About the yield: I adapted this from several recipes on the internet. Since most of these seemed on the small side, I increased the amounts and discovered that my standard angel food cake pan seemed a little too small for the amount of batter that resulted. Six cupcakes were perfect for a six year old's cake (we put them in a circle on a plate and inserted a candle in each one), and the kids ate cupcakes while the adults had slices of the larger cake. Most bundt cake pans and perhaps larger angel food pans would hold the entire batch, but having cupcakes along with a cake provides nice leftovers--and they would freeze well for sharing with a drop in neighbor or friend!

Raspberry Apple Cake and Cupcakes

1 c butter, slightly softened
2 c sugar
2 1/2 c flour
1 T baking powder
1 c ground almonds
1 c finely chopped apples (I used McIntosh, with the peeling left on)
4 eggs
6 T milk
1 t almond extract
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
3 c raspberries +a few more for the top

1. Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and almonds. Using a mixer at low to medium setting, mix in the softened butter until evenly crumbly.
2. Stir in the eggs, milk, flavorings, and apples and beat on low until creamy. Fold in the raspberries.
3. Grease and flour well a 10 inch tube pan and prepare six cupcake liners. (These will release better from the papers if you give each a shot of non-stick spray.) Pour the batter into the pans.
4. If desired, sprinkle the top of the cake with raspberries. Put two to three raspberries on each cupcake, lightly pressing them into the batter.
5. Bake the cupcakes for about 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Bake the cake for about 55 to 65 minutes. If the cake begins to brown too early, turn the oven down to 325 for the last 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a cake plate. This will slice best if cooled for several hours or overnight--if you can wait that long.

Refried Beans

For many years after our family developed a taste for all things Mexican, I was still buying canned refried beans, thinking this is one of those things that would be just too hard to make at home.

What a mistake. These are among the easiest of all foods to make "from scratch," especially if you cook dried beans for other dishes.

Traditionally, refried beans are made from either black or pinto beans, but other beans can be substituted. I often cook a two pound package of dried beans all at once, ready for a variety of recipes. While I often freeze part of the batch, I still find myself at times with another couple of cups of beans in the fridge needing to be used up...perfect for making into refried beans.

The nice thing about frijoles refritos is that you can make a couple of cups or a couple of quarts, depending on what you have available. They can be used as a side dish, just as Mexican restaurants serve them. Toast some corn tortillas in the microwave or oven or cut up some apple wedges or carrot sticks and the beans become a healthy after school snack. Roll them into a soft tortilla, corn or flour, with cheese, salsa and whatever add-ons you want for classic bean burritos or use them as a filling for bean enchiladas.

Today I had a supply of black, pinto, and kidney beans I had cooked for Saturday's soup. Now there were four cups left, along with everything else needed for a good batch of refried beans. Some of these became the main dish for lunch, fresh salsa stirred in and crisped tortillas and apple wedges for dippers--a well-balanced meal with little preparation. The rest of the frijoles refritos are tucked in the freezer for a quick dip whenever drop in company arrives.

Following is the method for making refried beans. Just about every ingredient listed can be varied according to your own tastes and the amount of beans you will be cooking. Just a few things to keep in mind:

• The best pan for making these is your favorite cast iron skillet, but any heavy pan that doesn't stick easily will do.
• Remember that the beans will thicken appreciably as they cool, so keep them a little soupier while preparing. If they do thicken too much, you can always add a little more water, bean liquid, or even some salsa.
• Refried beans can be frozen, but some seasonings may intensify or weaken with freezing. Just taste again when you thaw and reheat them and adjust accordingly.

Refried Beans
Canola or olive oil
Cooked dried beans and liquid
For every 2 cups of beans, use approximately the following amounts:
2-3 T diced onion
2-4 cloves minced garlic
1 t cumin
1 T cider or wine vinegar
(optional) jalapeno, chile, or bell peppers--to taste
(optional) chili powder--to taste
salt to taste

1. Put enough oil in the bottom of a large heavy pan to barely cover the surface. Add the onions and cook on medium until just translucent.
2 Turn heat to medium high and stir in the beans and a tablespoon or so of the bean liquid for each cup of beans. Using a potato masher or heavy spatula, mash the beans well, stirring as you do so.
3. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir. Allow the beans to cook a few minutes and then stir. A slight crust will have begin to form and should be stirred into the beans.
4. Add more liquid as needed and continue to cook for several minutes, until flavors are well blended.

NOTE: Canned beans may be substituted in this recipe, but the liquid may be very salty, so you may want to use water as the liquid rather than the bean liquid.

Serving suggestions: Salsa, grated cheese, and/or yogurt (or sour cream) may be stirred into the beans for using as a dip or as a side dish with other Mexican foods.

Toasted Tortillas

These are a very simple and very healthy crunchy snack for dipping in refried beans, salsa, etc.
They work best with a microwave that has a revolving plate, to be sure they cook evenly.

Place six corn tortillas in the microwave, directly on the microwave tray. Cook on high for about three minutes. Turn the tortillas and continue cooking for another two to three minutes, until they are crisp and just starting to brown slightly. You may want to turn once or twice more. Be sure to watch so they do not burn.

If desired, these can be seasoned with seasoning salt, garlic salt, etc. after the first turning.

Ready to eat as soon as cool.

Experiment with your microwave and you will find the right time for two to seven or eight tortillas. You can also cut the tortillas in wedges and spread across the microwave tray, for "baked" tortilla chips. If you have good corn tortillas, these will be far better tasting than any "baked" chips you can buy--and a lot cheaper as well!

Holiday Hospitality

Our Labor Day weekend weather was perfect for early autumn, with blue skies, a bit of crisp coolness in the air and breezes (that have been strengthening into full force winds this afternoon). Perfect weather both for eating out on the new deck and firing up the oven for the first home-baked bread in awhile.

The second of the "ever-bearing" raspberry crops is in full force, so I invited two friends over to help make another batch of raspberry jam. They would be staying for dinner, so I started the day cooking some beans for a soup to go with the freshly baked bread and still warm from the stove jam. The meal was a simple one but all the fresh from the garden flavors were perfect for the setting. Yes, we donned sweatshirts by the time dinner came, but it was still a delightful evening, topped off with a little more raspberry picking for my friends to take along with them.

Meanwhile, the freezer is filling up with the bumper crop of berries, so I took out a package of chicken leg quarters to thaw on Saturday night. I wasn't sure how I would use the chicken but thought that cooked, deboned chicken and broth would take up much less freezer space if all I did was cook it and return everything to the freezer.

Sunday morning, the five pounds of chicken (which had cost less than $3 on sale) was quickly trimmed of fat and skinned before putting it into the slow cooker on low, with just some poultry seasoning, some dried herbs, and seasoning salt. I rendered the fat and skin (that's a topic for another post) and then went off to church, leaving any further decisions about the chicken until later.

And there at church were some old friends from out of town visiting their daughter. After catching up a bit, we discovered they had time to come over for lunch before going on to a 3 pm appointment. They went home to change and make up a quick vegetable saute--zucchini, yellow squash and cherry tomatoes with some fresh herbs from the farmers' market--and I dashed home to do "something" with the chicken.

Rice was an easy decision for a side dish, as I could put that on to cook while I worked on the rest of the meal. There was still bread from Saturday night, along with plenty of jam, and I had cantaloupe, honeydew, and raspberries to make a fresh fruit plate for dessert. Now all I had to do was turn the chicken into something worth serving to guests.

The aroma of roasted chicken met me at the door (by adding no liquid, the chicken had developed a lovely browned, roasted, appearance, with the juices now a deep golden--and very rich--broth), and I decided to just prepare an old-fashioned gravy into which I would cut the chicken and serve over the rice. It worked beautifully, with about half the deboned chicken in the refrigerator for another meal. The best part? Lunch became a wonderful time for breaking bread and talking together with old friends, with very little fuss for any of us.

Both the soup and the chicken sauce were put together with very little measuring, but an approximation of how I made each of them follows.

Garden Vegetable Soup--Tomato Base

1 29 oz can or jar spaghetti sauce, your favorite flavor
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes and chilis
1 large onion, diced
2 medium to large carrots, sliced thinly
2 to 3 c frozen corn
3 c grated zucchini
3 c finely shredded cabbage
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 T sugar
2 t vinegar
1 to 2 T mixed dried herbs (mine was a mixture of basil, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 c beans, cooked with little or no salt (see NOTE)
salt and seasoning to taste
water and bean liquid

Saute the onion and carrots in a small amount of canola oil until the onions are translucent and the carrots are barely tender.

Meanwhile, put the all the tomato products and other vegetables in a large slow cooker turned to HIGH. Stir in the onions and carrots and beans and liquids to reach desired consistency. (My soups like this often end up being almost as thick as stew!) For the liquid: Rinse the spaghetti sauce and tomato and chiles containers with a little water and add this to the soup. You may use as much of the bean liquid as desired in the soup too, depending on how much you want the bean flavor to predominate.

Add the seasonings and taste. Cook on HIGH for about half an hour or so and then turn to LOW, cooking another few hours or so. Taste for seasonings again after the mixture has been cooking for awhile.

NOTE: I had cooked a mixture of pinto beans, kidney beans, and black beans earlier in the day, but any beans would work for this soup. If you are using canned beans instead of starting with dry beans, be sure to taste before adding ANY salt!


Old Time Sunday Dinner Chicken and Gravy

2 c cut up cooked chicken
1 to 2 c chicken stock
2 to 3 c water
1 c instant nonfat dry milk powder
1/3 c flour
seasoning salt, poultry seasoning, and sage
1 t Worcestershire sauce--no more, as it will quickly overpower the relatively mild flavors of the rest of the dish
black pepper to taste
1 small onion, chopped
about 1/4 c green or yellow bell pepper, finely diced

Combine the chicken stock, water, and dry milk powder in a LARGE microwave-safe bowl. Stir about 1/2 cup of water into the flour to make a paste and stir this into the stock and water, stirring to be sure all the flour is dissolved. Cook on medium power three or four minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. (You will need to watch, because these mixtures can boil over even very large containers very quickly!) Stir in the seasonings to taste.

Meanwhile, saute the onion and bell pepper in a little of the chicken fat until just tender. Stir the chicken and onions and pepper into the sauce and serve over rice. (If this were really traditional Sunday chicken and gravy, it would probably be served over piping hot biscuits or mashed potatoes.)

Peach Nectarine Jam

Peaches and nectarines were on sale at Aldi for 19 cents each, averaging out to about 55 cents a pound, so it was time to try another jam without commercial pectin. Sekapps, a local orchard, had half bushel windfalls of the first of the season apples so I had a good supply of slightly underripe fruit there, so everything was ready for the experiment to begin.

The result was everything I had hoped for--honey-colored preserves jelled just right, with a flavor that will remind us of summer well into the fall, if we can keep the supply long enough for that.

This week the price has gone up to 25 cents each for these same fruits (plums too), but they are still economical enough that I may try another batch. I will be making more raspberry jam now that the second crop of those berries is yielding a couple of quarts every few days, so any future batches will have to be put into canning jars and processed in a boiling water bath--I need some refrigerator space for the other produce of fall!

Peach Nectarine Jam

2 c chopped peaches (1 pound)
3 c chopped nectarines (1 1/2 pounds)
1 c grated apple (1/2 pound)--I used Paula Red variety, a type of McIntosh
1/4 c lemon juice
4 c sugar

Combine all ingredients in a large, deep pot, stir, and let sit for a few minutes to dissolve the sugar.

Heat the mixture to boiling and then cook over medium high heat, stirring often, until a candy thermometer reaches 220 degrees or until the mixture sheets off the spoon. (You may also use the cold plate test--drop a few drops on to a chilled glass or porcelain plate and check to see if the mixture is the thickness you seek.) This batch took about 22 to 25 minutes to reach the jelling stage after it began to boil.

Remove from heat and skim off foam. Pour into jars. If this will not be kept in the refrigerator, use canning jars and process in boiling water bath--5 minutes for half pints and 10 minutes for full pints.

This made approximately 3 pints of jam. I don't have an exact measurement, because I used a variety of containers, including a couple of footed sherbet dishes from a garage sale. These were covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until I could give them as small hostess gifts.

Frittatas--and being thankful for eggs

Today I had an egg for lunch.

Nothing spectacular, just a way to balance out the mixture of carrots, onions, peppers, and grated potatoes that were a pepped up version of hash browns--with my seasoned cast iron skillet, I can "fry" this mixture with only a teaspoon of oil, so it's healthier than it sounds. Some plain yogurt on the side and lots of spicy seasoning (and, I must admit, the dash of ketchup that I put on hash browns if I don't have fresh salsa handy), and the meal was complete.

But back to the egg.

At this morning's Toastmaster's meeting, one of our members from Ghana shared a favorite part of her childhood birthday celebrations. There would be a special dish made from yams (sorry, I didn't get the Ghanian name) and then an egg would usually be served on top.

An egg. Just a plain egg. But for her, this was special, because this was a luxury. At other times, if there were eggs to be had, several children would have to share one egg, each getting just a little piece to savor. The joy of having an egg all to yourself was such a special birthday treat that it remains a favorite memory years later and half a world apart.

To prepare today's luncheon egg--and it wasn't even my birthday--I just pushed the vegetables to the side when they were quite brown and crispy, dropped the egg in, turned the burner off, and covered the pan. The heat of the cast iron was just right for cooking the egg tenderly and thoroughly in only a few minutes.

The morning discussion was a good reminder of how blessed we are to have so much available to us. It also reminded me that in this country, eggs are really good choices for frugal meals in a hurry. In fact, we need to be sure that we don't overd0--have you noticed how hard it is to get an omelet at any restaurant that is made with less than three eggs?

And omelets when eating out are almost always breakfast or brunch fare. However, all this thinking about eggs reminded me of one of my favorite fast and frugal main dishes--frittatas.

If ever there was a dish that needed a template more than a recipe, this is it. The variations are limited only by what you happen to have in your refrigerator, and this is a really good choice for those small amounts of leftovers you weren't sure you'd ever be able to use.

Basic Frittata--a Template

2 eggs per person
1 to 2 t milk for every 2 eggs
Oil for sauteeing vegetables and cooking eggs
Possible add-ins:

• chopped onions
• chopped bell peppers (or a tiny amount of jalapeno, poblano, or spicy banana peppers)
• minced garlic
• grated zucchini, small broccoli flowerets, etc.
• diced fresh tomatoes
• spinach or other greens, coarsely chopped
• leftover cooked vegetables--broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, beans, etc.
• leftover diced ham, chicken, beef cubes
• hot dog slices
• black or green sliced olives
• diced or grated cheese, any variety of your choosing (see NOTE below)
• herbs of your choice, fresh or dried
• freshly ground black pepper
• salsa

1. If you are using onions, peppers, or other fresh vegetables, saute them in a small amount of oil until just tender. Onions should be translucent and just starting to turn golden. If you have leftover ham (or bacon--does anyone ever have leftover bacon?), stir that in with the vegetables to meld the flavors. Use a very large pan, as you will want the frittata to spread out thinly for the most even cooking.

2. While the vegetables are cooking, beat the eggs together with the milk. Stir in any herbs or garlic you will be using. Beat until the eggs are a uniform yellow color.

3. Fold in any other ingredients you will be using into the eggs. Turn the heat to medium low and pour the egg mixture over the sauteed vegetables.

Now you have a choice, the purist method and the get it done quickly approach:

3a. Purists: Allow the eggs to cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Gently lift a corner of the mixture. If it holds together, you can try to flip the entire mixture over, keeping the frittata as intact as possible. Continue cooking until the second side is completely set.

OR

3b Get it done quickly: As the eggs cook, gently push the mixture with a spatula so that all parts are cooked evenly--like you would do when making scrambled eggs. Cook until all the frittata is set and has lost the wet shininess of uncooked eggs.

NOTE:
If using cheese, you can fold cubes of cheese into the eggs and cook along with the other ingredients, resulting in little melted pockets of cheese throughout the mixture. An alternative is to cook the frittata and then sprinkle with grated cheese. Run the pan under the broiler until the cheese is melted.

Serving suggestions:

If you have either corn or flour tortillas, the frittata can become a filling for a burrito. Refried beans and salsa are great accompaniments for this meal.

Just about any kind of bread goes well with a frittata, really the only accompaniment needed if you stir lots of vegetables into the eggs.

So what proportions of eggs and vegetables or other add-ins should be used? There is a tremendous amount of flexibility with a frittata. You can add just a little (perhaps a quarter cup of sauteed onions and peppers for 6 to 8 eggs) and have something very similar to scrambled eggs to serve with a tossed salad. You can also add up to 2 to 3 cups of vegetables and meat to only 6 eggs and have what will be much more like a vegetable main dish. The choice is yours, based on your family's preference--and the contents of your refrigerator!


And finally--in case you wondered:

What is the difference between an omelet and a frittata?

With an omelet, the eggs are cooked separately (as in step 3a above). When they are just set, the other ingredients are laid across the top and the egg layer is folded over the top. Often, this is then put in the oven to complete the cooking of the eggs. Frittatas just take the shortcut of mixing everything together.

"Snakesticks"

Our extended family includes five young cousins all with birthdays in August, so there is usually one massive party for them all. Yesterday's bash carried the theme of "crawling things" that included mostly bugs and snakes, and the day was just right for outdoor games like searching for plastic bugs instead of eggs, etc.

Food of course included "worms" (spaghetti) in sauce and "snakesticks." The breadstick recipe on which they were based is a good introduction to yeast dough for kids, and this variation adds even more fun to the baking lesson. We doubled the recipe for the two dozen people in attendance and were glad we did.



Breadsticks, aka Snakesticks

1 T dry yeast (or 1 packet)
1 1/2 c warm water
1 t salt
1 to 2 T sugar
4 c whole wheat flour OR half and half whole wheat and unbleached enriched flour

1 egg
1 t. water
1 t garlic powder (optional)
1 t salt

(for Snakesticks: sliced or chopped black olives)

Mix all except the flour together and then add the flour gradually to make a firm dough. Knead until smooth and elastic. Let dough stand for about 10 minutes to relax.

Cut the dough into 24 pieces. (To do this most evenly, shape it into a fat log and cut in half; then cut each piece in half again. Divide once more in half so you have 8 pieces. Roll each into a small log and divide evenly in thirds.)

Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray or oil well.

Roll each piece of dough into a long rope and place on the prepared baking sheet. For regular breadsticks, keep the dough in a straight line. For "snakesticks," arrange each stick in a curving line suggesting a snake.

If making snakesticks, press two small pieces of black olive for eyes at one end. Press firmly into the dough.

Beat the egg, water, garlic powder and salt together until well mixed and brush over the sticks.

Bake at 400 degrees about 10 minutes or until golden.

Variations:

Sprinkle the sticks with crushed herbs, sesame or poppy seeds or Parmesan cheese after applying the egg wash.

Omit the salt and garlic powder in the egg wash and sprinkle the sticks generously with kosher or seasoning salt.

Omit the salt and garlic powder in the egg wash and sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.

Summer Barley Salad

A check of the refrigerator revealed half a cucumber, half a sweet onion, half a bell pepper, and a small amount of barley all needing to be used; missing were lettuce, parsley or any other fresh herbs. My kitchen and my garden were in the midst of summer doldrums on a very hot, very un-air-conditioned day. Still, I was hungry for a salad, so here is what I developed.

Served with a plate of peaches, cherries and blueberries (all on sale that week), it made a great light supper enough for 3; add a little fruit blended yogurt for dessert, and the meal would stretch to serve 4.

Barley Salad for Summer

2 c cooked barley (about 3/4 to 1 cup uncooked)
1 c diced cucumber
1/2 c finely minced sweet onion
1/4 c or more diced bell pepper--use a mixture of colors if available
1 c frozen peas (no need to thaw; just stir in)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 to 2 t mixed dried herbs (I used basil, rosemary, thyme and marjoram, a mix I keep ready)
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 T sugar, to taste
3 T olive oil
lemon pepper and/or seasoning salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients and chill several hours or overnight to allow flavors to develop. This will keep a couple of days in the refrigerator, so it is a good one to make ahead.

Variations:
Broccoli flowerets could be substituted or the peas (if fresh, I would blanch them in the microwave for about 1 minute, until barely tender and bright green). If you have garden-fresh tomatoes, they could be served on the side or diced into the salad just before serving. This is also the kind of salad that would look great for stuffing into great big tomato treasures.

Nutritional Note:
Pearl barley, the form most readily available in most stores, is significantly lower in protein and other nutrients than hulled barley, but the latter is harder to find and does take a little longer to cook. If you use pearl barley--as I did--you might want to add in a few cheese cubes, have some milk to drink or be sure to include some yogurt to up the protein and calcium a little more. Still, even pearl barley is a good food to put on the menu occasionally.

More Summer Birthday Pies

It's been just about a year since I wrote about pies I had made for one of my grandsons. His cousin turned nine yesterday, and she also requested pie for her birthday. This time it was blueberry, a favorite of many in the family, and perfectly timed with an Aldi special of 99 cents per pint.

Peaches were also on special this week, and their sweetness brought back memories of the days when we had two peach trees in our Arizona backyard. Out came another recipe, and soon we had the two pies needed to fill up our family.

Fillings:
You may notice some very real similarities here, and that is no mistake. This basic format works well with all other berries and nectarines too. The apple stretches what is usually for me more expensive fruit along with reducing the sugar a bit, but it could be eliminated.

I often use frozen fruit juice concentrates in my cooking. Right now, oranges are very expensive, but I like the hint of this fruit in peach pies. Just open the can, spoon out the amount used in the recipe, and cover the container tightly before returning to the freezer.

Note the instruction to use a large bowl for the glaze--it is amazing how much these boil up and over, so be sure to allow enough room in your bowl to avoid messy clean ups.

Pie Crusts:
I had enough pie crust in the freezer for one pie shell but I didn't get around to starting another batch soon enough for the old standard recipe to chill. In one of those great Google moments, my random "pat in the pan pie crust" search turned up dozens of recipes with exactly that title. So the peach pie got the experimental crust and the blueberry pie had the time-tested shell--and the votes were about even for which was preferred. The old standby is flakier, while the non-rolled version is more crumbly, but that seemed to appeal to some in the group. I probably won't abandon the old recipe (from a 1960s Farm Journal cookbook) but it is nice to know the other makes a very presentable presentation when time is short. I included that recipe back on August 20, 2009, so you can scroll down to the earlier entry for full details. Here is my adaptation of the newer recipe:

Pat in the Pan Pie Crust

1 3/4 c flour
2 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1/3 c vegetable oil
3 T milk

Stir the dry ingredients together in a 9 inch pie pan. Mix the oil and milk together and pour over the dry mixture. Using a fork and then your fingers, combine the ingredients until well mixed. As you mix, begin to pat the dough into shape, pressing up the sides of the pan and then fluting the edges. Prick the shell in several places with a fork. If used for a pie shell, bake at 425 degrees 12 to 15 minutes.

Peach Pie Deluxe

Glaze
1 or 2 very finely chopped peaches (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 c finely chopped apple
1/2 c water
3/4 c sugar
2 T cornstarch
2 T orange juice concentrate
1 t almond extract

Filling
3 to 4 thinly sliced OR chopped peaches

9 inch baked pie shell

1. Combine peaches, apple, and water in a large glass bowl and cook in the microwave until peaches are very soft, about 3 to 4 minutes depending on ripeness of peaches. Using a fork, mash the mixture to smoothness. (You may also put in your processor or blender if a very smooth glaze is desired.)
2. Combine the cornstarch and sugar and stir into the cooked peaches. Return to microwave and cook at medium low power until the mixture is thick and clear, one to three minutes.
3. Stir in the orange juice concentrate and almond extract and set aside to cool slightly.
4. Spread the peaches over the baked crust and cover with the glaze. Chill for at least an hour.

Classic Blueberry Pie

Glaze
1 c blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 c finely chopped apple
1 c water
3/4 c sugar
3 T cornstarch
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
2 T lemon juice

Filling
2 to 3 c blueberries, fresh or frozen
9 inch baked pie shell

1. Prepare the glaze by combining the cup of blueberries, apple, and water in a large glass bowl. Microwave for about 3 to 4 minutes until the fruit is very soft. Mash with a fork or process in a blender to smooth out the mixture.
2. Combine the sugar and cornstarch, making sure it is well mixed before adding to the blueberry apple mixture. Return to the microwave and heat on medium low three to four minutes until the mixture is thick and glossy. Stir in the lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg and allow to cool slightly.
3. Spread the remaining berries evenly over the pie shell.
4. Pour the glaze over the berries and use a fork to lightly stir the glaze into the berries. Chill.

Chilled Soup--Just Right on a Steamy Day

With tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers at their prime either in your backyard garden or at the local Farmers' Market, now is a great time to make up a batch of gazpacho for a cool lunch or light dinner.

Note that I didn't capitalize "gazpacho." According to some of the feedback at http://markbittman.com/sunday-supper-gazpacho
this term has been stretched far beyond what the original ethnic recipe includes...and I will admit that what I have learned to call gazpacho is pretty far from some of these comments. So let's just call my version Chilled Garden Soup. Whatever the label, enjoy!

The recipe here will make enough for two to three generous servings, but it can easily be doubled for guests or kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days of quick and cool lunches.

As usual, this recipe should be a guide more than a rigid instruction manual. Your preference may be for different proportions of the various vegetables or you may want to go with the "traditional" gazpacho mix that includes no onion or garlic at all. Start with these proportions, taste, and then adjust as desired.

Chilled Garden Soup

2 to 3 cups tomatoes, cut in large chunks or thick slices (don't bother to peel!)
1 cup cucumber, cut in chunks
1/4 c chopped onion
1/4 c green or red bell pepper
1 clove garlic
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 t dried Italian seasoning
salt and black pepper to taste
fresh basil, if you have it

Combine all vegetables in a blender and process until slightly chunky. Add seasonings and taste, adjusting as necessary. Though you can eat this immediately (and the aroma will make it hard to resist), it is better after chilling for an hour or two.

Crusty bread is a great accompaniment and perhaps a few cheese cubes or some cottage cheese or boiled eggs to add protein to make it a nutritionally complete meal--without ever touching the stove or oven!

Raspberry Jam to Celebrate Another Great Raspberry Year

Time to restart my blog! No sense wasting space to explain why the gap here. Instead I’m back online with sharing some ways to help feed your family well, quickly, inexpensively, and enjoyably.

How better to start than with a wonderfully easy raspberry jam recipe. I had mentioned long ago that raspberries were long a luxury food for me, and I know that this recipe will not be a “frugal” one for those who have to buy their berries at the store. For you, we’ll come up with some other ideas, but for those of us with a treasure of rubies in the back yard, this recipe is a winner.

Fast? Not counting picking time, this recipe can be made start to clean up in well under an hour.

Frugal? By not using pectin and using “recycled” containers (more on that in a moment), the only cost to those of us with a fruit source is the sugar and lemon juice.

Fun? There is absolutely no greater pleasure for a back yard gardener than to be able to share the bounty, especially when it is as attractive and tasty as homemade jam.

So how do I get by without the pectin and the canning jars?

No pectin

As you may already know, pectin is the substance in fruits that gives jams and jellies their characteristic consistency. Too little and you will end up with syrups, yet many (most) fruits do not have a lot of pectin. Generally, you have to add pectin (Certo and Sure-Jell are two common brands) or cook for long periods of time to get the right consistency. This recipe gets by without adding pectin because raspberries have a moderate amount and the added apple and lemon juice help provide the boost needed to thicken the mixture. In addition, there is some amount of cooking time added to reach the jelling stage. In addition, you should try to use the least ripe berries from your picking, since riper fruit has generally lower pectin levels than those that are less ripe.

PLEASE NOTE—because of the differences in pectin from one kind of fruit to another, don’t try to substitute other fruits for the raspberries. Each kind needs its own recipe. I hope to be able to test some recipes for other fruits as the summer proceeds and will post any results that I come up with.

No canning jars

This batch is really quite small, ending up with a little less than three pints. I have everbearing raspberries, so I can make a batch now and then another in September or even October, storing it in the refrigerator rather than keeping it in the pantry. As long as you have sparkling clean glass containers, you should have no problems with the jam keeping until you use it up. I buy a store brand of salsa in 24 ounce jars with wide mouths and straight sides. This recipe fills two of them, with just a little left over.

I also like to put a part of each batch in small glass containers (odd stemware purchased for next to nothing at a garage sale or an attractive little pickle jar) for giving as fresh gifts. Just let the recipients know the jam is to be refrigerated.

If you wish, you can store this jam outside the refrigerator, but you will then need to use standard canning jars and lids and process in boiling water. More information on the right way to process jams in this way can be found at http://foodsafety.psu.edu/canningguide.html - a good overall reference site to bookmark!.

Fresh Raspberry Jam

4 cups crushed red raspberries—I started with about 5 1/2 cups before mashing them down with a wood spoon

4 cups sugar

1 packed cup finely chopped apple—use a tart variety (Granny Smith is what I had); core but do not peel the apple

2 T lemon juice (may be reconstituted, like ReaLemon)

Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel pot and stir well. If you have a candy thermometer, attach it to the side of the pan. Heat the mixture to boiling, stirring well to be sure sugar is dissolved. (If there are sugar crystals up on the sides of the pan, use a silicone scraper or wet cloth to wipe these down)

Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and continue to cook until the temperature reaches 220 degrees—about 8 minutes or so after it begins to boil. If you do not have a candy thermometer OR if you don’t trust the one you have, hold the spoon up and watch how the jam drops off the side. If it “sheets,” ie, the droplets begin to form a single wide “drip” as it falls back into the mixture, it is beginning to jell. Put a few drops on a glass or ceramic plate and place in the refrigerator for a minute or two. It should be holding together as a soft jelly at this time.

Remove from heat, skim off the foam, and pour into clean jars or glasses.

Glass breakage hint: either keep the containers in a dish of hot water so the glass is already warm OR put only a tablespoon or so of jam in the bottom of each. Let them sit for a few minutes until the glass warms and then continue to fill.

FOAM ALERT: Do NOT discard the foam! This is a wonderful treat to give the kids on a slice of bread while it is still warm from the pan. The only reason you will skim this is because of appearance, but the foam is just a nice thing to share when the jam is at its freshest.