Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

Several of us were asked to bring a Chicken Enchilada Casserole for a large gathering recently, so I volunteered to make a vegetarian version. The organizers wanted all the casseroles to have the same appearance so they had provided a recipe to follow and asked that I make my vegetarian contribution to look as much as possible as the original. I have included that recipe at the end of this post, just for comparison purposes. As you will see, the revisions I have made are quite a bit lower in fat and higher in vitamins and fiber, a nice side benefit.


One problem:  When I have made vegetarian enchiladas in the past, they have always had the tomatoe-y sauce that is what most of us think of when we imagine enchiladas.

To produce a flavorful substitute, not only without tomatoes but also without using cream soup was going to be a challenge, that's for sure. But I was up to it and worked out the following recipe that is even tastier than the original and, not incidentally, a whole lot lower in calories and fat.

Creamy Vegetarian Enchiladas

olive oil
11 to 12 oz diced butternut squash, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups
1/2 c (1/2 medium) onion, diced
4 oz can mushroom slices or pieces--do not drain
1/4 c flour
1 c plain low fat or nonfat yogurt
2 T McKay's seasoning or other vegetable bouillon base
1 t garlic powder
1 t cumin
1/2 c low fat sour cream
10 oz frozen chopped kale or spinach, thawed but not drained
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans--drain but reserve liquid
4 oz  diced green chiles, including liquid
1/4 to 1/2 c chopped cilantro, to taste (use stems as well as leaves)
about 1/2 to 1 t salt, to taste
6 to 8 flour tortillas
14 to 16 oz Mexican mix grated cheese (or all cheddar or cheddar/jack mix)

1.  Put just enough olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan to cover the bottom with a very thin layer.
Add the squash and onions and saute over medium to high heat until the squash is soft and the onions are golden.

2.  Stir the flour into the liquid from the mushrooms, adding a bit more water or milk to make this a thin paste. Gradually add this mixture with the mushrooms and yogurt and stir just until the mixture is thickened. Add the seasonings and sour cream and stir until smooth and beginning to thicken.

3.  Add the kale or spinach, garbanzo beans, and cilantro. Taste and add salt as needed.  


 4.  Lightly oil a 9 X 12 pan and spread with a single layer of tortillas. Tear the tortillas as needed to cover the entire bottom. Spoon about one third of the garbanzo bean mixture evenly across the tortillas and then sprinkle with about a quarter to a third of the cheese.

5.  Repeat layering tortillas, bean mixture, and cheese two more times. Make sure the top is completely covered with the cheese.

6.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees (325 if using a glass pan) for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Serve with salsa and/or hot sauce.

Some changes you may want to make:

Mushrooms:   I didn't have any fresh mushrooms so used canned, but sauteeing fresh ones (and maybe as many as 8 oz.) near the end of step 1 would be even better.

Tortillas:  As mentioned, I prefer corn tortillas, and you could substitute those for the flour tortillas here. If you stay with flour tortillas, choose whole grain tortillas for more texture and nutrition.

Garlic:  Fresh garlic is always good to use if you have it, but bottled or frozen garlic could also be substituted for the garlic powder. Still, garlic powder is a good ingredient to have on hand if you are in a hurry and/or you want to have a very well-blended garlic flavor in a sauce such as this.

Squash:  Butternut squash puree, either freshly made or pureed, can be substituted for the fresh squash.



 

For comparison purposes, here is the original recipe that was used for the evening's meal. It was definitely a well-received dish and could be something you might want to make if you still use canned cream soups.


Chicken Enchiladas                  
1 dozen flour tortillas
Mix next 6 ingredients:

• 4 COOKED skinless, boneless chicken breasts ( can use whole fryer instead)
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 stick melted butter
• 1 small onion - chopped
• 1 can green chopped chiles

1 pound grated cheddar cheese

Layer in a 9x13 pan:
Tortillas ( rip tortillas in sections to allow single layer coverage of pan)
Chicken mixture
Cheese
Repeat layers (ending with grated cheese)

Bake uncovered at 350 for approx. 35 minutes or until bubbly.
Serves: 8-10

Busy Day Three Ingredient Meat and Potato Main Dish

 

Sometimes there are times when you get home late from work or kids' after school events or meetings, and the refrigerator just doesn't have a lot of ingredients for a "real meal." Before you reach for the phone to order take out, what if you could put together some home-cooked food in less than 45 minutes? And without needing to refer to a recipe (even though I'm going to give you one)!

Yes, there is a bit of advance preparation, but that will be at the grocery store, whenever you see some  boneless chicken or pork on sale. (Bone-in meat can also be used; it just takes a little more prep. I'll be putting up another entry on making stock from bones in the next few weeks.)

While it would be possible to use this method with cubed beef, the cuts of beef that will remain tender with this approach are not usually very budget-friendly.



You can cube the meat before you freeze it or just wait until time to serve--in case you decide on a different way of preparing it.

You will also need to have the other two ingredients on hand: potatoes (which, for a really frugal cook, should almost always be in the pantry)

and a favorite oil and vinegar typed dressing.








I rarely buy purchased salad dressings, but I do like to keep one of the vinaigrettes in the refrigerator just for marinades. I prefer Costco's Kirkland Balsamic Vinaigrette, but choose whatever is your favorite, whenever it is on sale.

You may also want a little olive or canola oil and added salt or other seasonings to fit your tastes, but these too should be staples that will be readily at hand. Because many prepared dressings are already quite high in salt, be cautious about adding more until you taste the finished product.

One thing to keep in mind: most prepared dressings will have some sweetener in them, and in fact this will help finish with a nicely browned and caramelized dish. However, you do need to keep the heat low enough that the browning doesn't turn into blackening--this isn't a "blackened" Cajun kind of meal! Medium to medium high heat should be just fine. 

With these basic ingredients, you are ready to make a main dish that will be faster than you might imagine, with a relatively low cost if you watch for sales on the meat.  The key is to keep the vegetable and meat pieces not too large so that cooking can proceed quickly. Using enough dressing for the marinade will avoid drying out the meat in the short time you will be cooking it.

...and that's it. The flavors of old-fashioned pot roast with roasted potatoes in a fraction of the time.

Meat and Potatoes Main Dish in Minutes

Per person to be served:
4 oz boneless chicken or pork, cut in about 1 inch cubes
purchased oil and vinegar style dressing
1 medium potato, scrubbed but not peeled,
olive or canola oil (optional)
added salt or other seasonings, to taste

1.  Place the chicken or pork in a small bowl or plastic bag and pour over just enough dressing to cover. Stir thoroughly to be sure every cube is covered. Set aside for about 15 to 20 minutes, while preparing the potatoes and any other sides you may be making. (If you need to marinate the meat longer, you should return it to the refrigerator.)


2.  Pour any excess marinade from the meat into a large enough pan so that the meat can be spread in a single layer. Don't try to use too small a pan, as that will lengthen the time needed to prepare the food and will reduce the browning.

If there is very little marinade available, add a little oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat on medium high for a few minutes, until the marinade/oil barely begins to sizzle.

3.  Spread the meat cubes evenly across the pan and allow to cook, uncovered, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the bottom side of each is well-browned. Stir to brown all sides of the meat.

4.  Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into thick slices (about 1/2 inch thick). Spread the potato slices across the pan and stir them in so that they are all coated with the browning marinade. If necessary, add a tablespoon or so of water to be sure all the meat and potatoes are being steeped in the pan juices--just don't add too much. You want to keep the mixture sauteeing, not poaching! 

5.  Cover the pan and continue to cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Turn the potatoes and continue to cook another 6 to 8 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender. Taste for seasonings and serve.

Variations:

Cut carrots into 1 inch chunks--or use baby carrots--and add those with the potatoes. Onions, garlic,  and/or celery could also be cut coarsely and added with the potatoes.

The per serving cost of the dish can be cut further by increasing the proportion of potatoes to meat.

Frozen vegetables--broccoli, peas, corn, etc.--can be added. Cook the meat and potatoes until just done and then add the frozen vegetables (no reason to thaw), cover the pan, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so, until the entire mixture has returned to full heat.

Pumpkin--Turning Jack-o-Lanterns into Frugal Meals

Have you ever wondered how to use those jack-o-lantern pumpkins after they have served their purpose as decorations? Do you want to avoid having THIS happen to your perfectly good pumpkins?
 
(Thanks, friends, for allowing me to share this.)

Even though the "jack-o-lantern pumpkins" may not be as sweet as "pie pumpkins," they still can provide a lot of nutrition and flavor, if you plan ahead.

A few things to keep in mind if you want to be able to use the pumpkin for food after its decoration life is over:

• Keep the pumpkins from freezing.
• Don't carve your pumpkin too early; if it starts to wilt or sag, it probably is too late to get any meals from it.
• If you put a candle inside, just cut out any smoke-blackened sections (and of course, cut out the wax drippings!).
• Don't paint the pumpkin, like the blue one in this picture. Even if you try to cut off the painted sections, you will likely find too little to use, and the effort will be so tedious, you'll never try to save a pumpkin for food again.
• On the other hand, if you use a marker for the features instead of cutting out eyes, mouth, etc., just cut those sections out.

And, whatever you do, please try to save the seeds--they are a wonderful snack and really easy to prepare. 









Now, for the good part! Here are some links to hints on preparation, along with some recipes you may want to try. If you were planning to just scrap the pumpkin, you can even think of this as "free" food!

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First, some thoughts on preparation:

http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2011/12/farewell-pumpkins-as-decorations-im.html

 http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2009/02/ten-healthful-foods-starting-with.html

Thinking of only dessert uses for your pumpkin? How about some soup?

http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2011/12/thirty-minute-savory-pumpkin-soup-two.html

Or bread? This recipe calls for butternut squash, but you can easily substitute pureed pumpkin in recipes calling for pureed butternut squash. This one is a bit of a surprise but it's always well-accepted.

http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2011/11/golden-squash-sweet-rolls.html

The next two are related, again showing how easily squash and pumpkin can be substituted for each other.

http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2013/07/pumpkin-fig-cake.html

http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2015/01/fig-and-squash-cakes-figgy-pudding.html

And finally, there is the recipe from my friend, Arlene, cookies that are always gobbled up as soon as her famous cookie tins show up at a dinner or potluck:

http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2011/11/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies-best.html

Hope these links will get you started on some great uses for your "Great Pumpkin."

Apple Raspberry Cupcakes...or Muffins? You Decide

Many years ago, muffins were pretty straight forward, basic quick breads with relatively small amount of fat and sugars, good while warm but quick to dry out after the first day. In these "olden days" before cake mixes were widely available, there were also a lot of basic cake recipes (often categorized as "one egg cakes") that were sweeter and with higher fat content than muffins but still pretty quick to make.

Today of course we have muffins piled so high with added ingredients--especially sugary toppings and lots of fatty ingredients (more butter and oil, nuts, coconut, etc.)--that they often rival and even surpass the calories in some of the equally overindulged cupcakes available at bakeries and coffee shops. Sometimes about the only difference seems to be that cupcakes are frosted and muffins have some kind of rich crumbly topping.

What sets these cupcakes apart is the rich caramelization of the fruit. Except for that slow cooking of the apples, the cupcakes are quick to make. My recommendation? Double (or triple) the fruit preparation ahead of time. Then you can also use it for an ice cream topping or a second batch of cupcakes later in the week.

Frugal, with raspberries in the batter? Well yes, if you have access to your own raspberries. If you don't, then strawberries or blueberries could be substituted when they are the most reasonably priced fruits. Dried cranberries (probably only 1/2 to 3/4 cup) might even be a substitute for the raspberries.

Apple Raspberry Cupcakes

Fruit mixture:
3 medium apples, about 12 oz or 2 1/2 cups
1 T butter
2 T sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t ginger
1 c raspberries

Cake batter:
1/3 c butter
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 3/4 c flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t ginger
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 c milk

1.  Fruit mixture:

• Core the apples and dice them into small pieces--no need to peel.  

• Melt 1 T butter in a non-stick pan and stir in the 2 T sugar, spices, and diced apples. 
• Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until the apples are very soft and caramelized. 
• Remove from heat and stir in the raspberries. Set aside to cool.

2.  Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Stir in the egg and vanilla and blend well.
3.  Sift the dry ingredients together and add to the butter mixture alternately with the milk.
4.  Gently fold in the cooled fruit mixture. Spoon the batter into a muffin pan lined with cupcake papers.
 5.  Bake at 350 degrees about 15 to 20 minutes.

 Spread with a basic cream cheese icing when cool.

 This will make approximately 12 to 15 cupcakes.

Applesauce Oatmeal Cake with Orange Glaze

 

This is an old-fashioned cake that is just right for a chilly autumn evening or weekend dessert. It goes together pretty quickly, all in one saucepan, and the fragrance it will bring to your house--amazing!

As I've noted before, I like to keep orange juice concentrate in the freezer for recipes like this. The contrast of the orange glaze and the apple-y, cranberry filled cake gives a great depth to this really pretty simple dessert.

Applesauce Oatmeal Cake with Orange Glaze 

1 1/4 c unsweetened applesauce
3/4 c old fashioned or quick oatmeal
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 c butter
3/4 c brown sugar 

1 t vanilla

1 egg
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

Glaze

2 T melted butter

2 T orange juice concentrate, thawed slightly

enough powdered sugar to make a very thin glaze--about 1 1/2 c at most

walnuts--about 3/4 to 1 cup, coarsely chopped or broken

1.  Pour the applesauce into a pan large enough to hold 5 to 6 cups of batter- quart and a half saucepan will be a good size. Heat the applesauce to just below boiling on medium high heat, stirring to be sure it does not stick on.

 

2.  Stir in the oatmeal and dried cranberries and let the mixture cool, about 10 to 15 minutes.

3.  Stir the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and egg into the applesauce mixture. Sift the dry ingredients together and gently stir into the batter. Stir just until thoroughly mixed. 

4.  Pour into a 7 X 11  pan  that has been well-oiled or sprayed with cooking spray. Immediately put into oven and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

5.  While the cake is baking, mix the butter, orange juice concentrate, and powdered sugar. (Note that I just lightly rinsed the saucepan used for the cake batter; this is truly an easy clean up cake, with one pan for each step!)

 








As soon as the cake is done, remove it from the oven and spread the glaze evenly over the top, poking it in lightly with a cake. 

Sprinkle the walnuts evenly over the top. Serve warm or cold.

Microwave version:

Put the applesauce in a 2 quart mixing bowl in the microwave. Cover loosely (to avoid spatters) and heat until just below boiling, about 2 to 3 1/2 minutes. Proceed with the recipe as above.

A Larger Cake:

This recipe is easily doubled (just be sure to use a large enough pan!), using a 10 1/2 X 14 1/2 pan--or a 9 X 13 pan and about 6 to 8 cupcakes too.

Crunch-Top Applesauce and Apricot Bars

Many years ago I found a recipe for some simple applesauce bars that were pretty basic. Adding dried apricots and almonds adds a special burst of flavor. 

The topping is a little messy, but that never seems to keep these cookies from being perenially popular. Cornflakes are an inexpensive way to stretch the crunch of the nuts, so I buy them when on sale just for these bars. Substituting bran flakes can add just a little more nutrition if desired.

 Crunch Top Applesauce and Apricot Bars

1/2 c butter

1/2 c sugar 
1/2 c soft dried apricots, diced, and enough unsweetened applesauce to fill a one cup measure (see Step 1)

1 t vanilla
1 t almond flavoring

2 c flour

1 t soda

1 t nutmeg

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1.  Place the diced apricots in a one cup measuring cup and pour applesauce over them, filling to the one cup measuring line. Make sure all the spaces between the apricots are filled with applesauce. 
If your apricots are quite dry, you can put the applesauce/apricot mixture in the microwave for a minute or two and then set aside to cool.
2.  Blend butter and sugar; stir in the applesauce-apricot mixture along with the almond and vanilla.

3.  Sift the dry ingredients together and add. Mix just enough to blend evenly.

4.  Spread in a greased 15 1/2 X 10 1/2 jelly roll pan and sprinkle with the topping mixture.

5.  Bake at 350 degrees about 18 to 20 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars.

Makes about 4 to 5 dozen.

Topping

1/2 c almonds, coarsely chopped

1/4 c sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

2 T butter

about 2 to 2 1/2 c cornflakes, crushed to make a cup of crumbs

Mix all except the corn flakes. Stir in the crushed cornflakes until well blended.

Rice and Bean Salad

There has been a lot of well-deserved attention lately to the amount of food wasted in the US, from the farm fields all the way to grocery stores, restaurants, and our own homes. With this in mind, I started considering some of the ways that I have found uses for relatively common leftovers.

When I cook rice, I often make a large quantity; you can see my method for baking rice at http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2010/10/cassoulet-for-crowd.html. But, what to do with this rice when you aren't in the mood for some kind of casserole or if you have more rice than other leftovers from the takeout or carry home box from your latest restaurant trip?

Another peek into the refrigerator revealed some bell pepper, celery, spinach, and something I've recently discovered, mayocoba beans. Sounded like the start of a great salad, especially since I actually have some cherry tomatoes and cucumber from my mostly failed garden. It is very easy to allow produce to go past its prime and end up in the compost (or worse, just the trash), so this seemed like a good day to use all of these foods while nice and fresh.

A little experimenting and tasting, and I came up with the following salad that will go just right with some chicken salad sandwiches and fresh fruit for a light dinner tonight. You can easily make your own changes to this recipe, based on the contents of your own refrigerator. Lightly steamed broccoli flowerets or carrot slices, frozen peas, or green beans could all be added for more color. Kidney or black beans could replace the mayocoba beans.

The result? A tasty, healthy salad and a little bit of pride in being able to avoid some bit of food waste in your own kitchen. Not a bad combination.

Rice and Bean Garden Salad

3 c cooked rice, well drained--be sure rice is cooked only until just tender, not too soft
1/3 to 1/2 c finely diced onion, to taste
1 c sliced or diced celery
1/2 c diced cucumber
1/2 c diced green pepper
1 1/2 c cooked and well drained mayocoba beans (see NOTE)
1 T fresh basil, finely chopped
1 t fresh thyme leaves

1 c cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 c baby spinach leaves



Dressing
1/3 c vinegar
1/4 c canola or olive oil
3-4 T sugar or more, to taste
1 t salt (or more, if both rice and beans are prepared without salt)
lemon pepper to taste


1.  Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk until well blended.








2.  Toss together the first 8 ingredients. Pour the dressing over this mixture and stir just until everything is well mixed.

3.  Chill at least two hours. Just before serving, stir in the tomatoes.

4.  If serving individually, spread the spinach on the plate and top with scoops of the salad. If the salad will be served from a large bowl, chop or tear the spinach leaves into bite-sized pieces and toss into the mixture with the tomatoes.

NOTE: If mayocoba beans are not available, substitute any other white bean or even garbanzos.

Quick Variation

Use a prepared balsamic vinegar dressing (Costco has a really good one) in place of the dressing above, using only enough to barely moisten all the ingredients. If you are using unsalted beans and/or rice, you will still need to add a bit more salt or lemon pepper.

A couple of notes/hints on preparation, illustrated

The batch of rice that I had in the refrigerator was quite moist. To be sure that the dressing didn't end being too diluted, I spread the rice on a plate and let it "dry" for about an hour in the refrigerator, following some instructions I found on the internet for "dried rice." Unfortunately, that didn't seem to help all that much, so I just went to a much more direct method, putting the rice in a fine strainer and pressing it lightly. If your rice is pretty "dry" already, you can easily skip this step.



And then there is the photo of the oil and vinegar. I have added another one below, showing even more clearly that this measuring cup is not clean! I had used the cup to measure the rice, the onions, and other vegetables, and then used it, without washing or even rinsing, to measure out the vinegar and oil for the dressing.

My point?  Just this. Streamline the steps you take in putting foods together and you will save yourself a lot of time, both in prep and clean up. Just a small hint, but over time, if you are accustomed to having to have a separate clean cup or bowl for every step, think about just reusing them without clean up between.

 

No Pectin Plum Jam

I have fought a losing battle with the squirrels in my yard this year. I planted two (sour) cherry and two plum trees a few years ago, and this year was the first that I had a really nice amount of fruit growing and prospering.

Until, that is, the fruit began to ripen. Then, in one weekend, the squirrels ate all but two cherries off those two trees, and they then began to systematically harvest the plums as soon as they showed even the slightest sign of ripeness. Since I was out of town several times when they were attacking, I ended up always being behind them, and my futile attempts at netting the plums were in vain.

Fortunately for me, my kids have also planted plum trees, and they live in a neighborhood almost devoid of squirrels. As a result, I ended up with several pounds of "windfalls" this week. After making two desserts, I still had enough to make a small batch of plum jam.

Plums are among the fruits with high levels of natural pectin, so there is no need to add in any commercial pectin. Depending on the variety of plum and ripeness (less ripe fruit has the highest pectin levels), it may take less than half an hour to get to the just right stage of jelling. I like to use a wood spoon for stirring the jam, as it seems to work best for me to test for jelling, as noted in step 5 below.

An advantage with not using purchased pectin is that you can make a batch of jam that matches the amount of fruit that you have. It is wise never to use more than about 6 to 7 cups of fruit, however, as the mixture may not evenly cook and/or it will need a much longer time to jell, leading to an overcooked flavor.

If you have more (or fewer) plums, just use about a 4 parts sugar to 5 parts plums ratio--or a little less, as in this recipe, if your plums are very sweet. Just don't cut back too much on the sugar, as it not only adds sweetness; it also helps in the jelling of the final product.

No Pectin Plum Jam

5 c plum pulp
3 3/4 c sugar
1/4 c reconstituted lemon juice (such as ReaLemon)

To make the plum pulp:

1.  Chop the plums coarsely and put in a heavy pan, with just a tablespoon or so of water to keep the fruit from sticking. Cut out any bad spots but keep the pits in the mix. Cover and cook the plums over medium heat, until the fruit is very, very soft. This will take about 25 to 30 minutes.




2.  Run the fruit through a food mill or press through a coarse colander. (I will admit it: I washed my hands well and just pulled the pits out of the mixture with my bare hands! It didn't take very long and I was able to maximize the yield. Plus, the fruit closest to the pits is often the most flavorful.)



To make the jam:

1. Place a small saucer or two in the freezer. 

2.  Measure the amount of pulp that you have and use 3/4 cup sugar for every cup of pulp (perhaps a bit less if you have very sweet plums). Use about 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons of lemon juice per cup.

3. Put all the ingredients in a large pan (this will boil up quite a bit) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.


4.  Continue to cook uncovered, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Depending on the plums, it will take anywhere from half an hour to 45 minutes to reach the jelling stage.

5.  Testing for jelling:  Hold the spoon with which you are stirring the jam above the mixture and allow the jam to run off the spoon slowly. Watch for when the drops of jam start to "sheet off" the spoon--instead of individual streams of liquid flowing down, the drops start to combine and flow in only one or two syrupy streams.  When it begins to do this, remove one of the saucers from the freezer and put a few drops of jam on the plate.

When you can run a rubber scraper or knife through the jam and it holds its shape, the jam is ready to take off the heat.

At this point, the jam can be put into sterilized jars and kept in the refrigerator for a month or so, the easy way to work with smaller batches of jam. However, if you want to store the jam on the shelf, you will need to process the jars in a hot water bath.





Processing Jam in a Hot Water Bath

You will need a pot (a "canner" ) large enough to put water in an inch above the top of the jars you are using, and you will need to use canning jars with lids specifically made for canning.

Bring water to a rolling boil in the canner and gently lift the sealed jars into the water. Cover and allow the water to return to a boil. At this point, set a timer, and continue boiling gently for 10 minutes for either half pint or pint jars. Remove the jars from the boiling water and allow to cool.












Addendum:

Okay, I cannot tell a lie. I had a small cluster of black grapes (from Aldi, not local) that really needed some attention. Why not, I thought. I already was using two varieties of plums, some deep purple, some rosy red. The grapes would represent less than 10 percent of the total fruit in the jam, so I chopped them up and added them to the plums. The result? Just a richer, fruity flavor, with no real hint of grape in the final product.

Quick Banana Bread

While I had the oven heating for an Apple Raspberry Crisp, I thought it would be a good time to use up some bananas browning a little too rapidly on the counter. Since I also had some mayonnaise in the refrigerator, it was a good time to do some more experimenting with that interesting ingredient.

I discovered there are quite a few banana bread recipes made with mayonnaise on the internet. However, almost all of these seemed a little bland, without any spices or vanilla.

Really?

How can you think of baking quick breads without some spices and flavorings?  Cinnamon and vanilla are almost as basic for me as onion in chili or meatloaf.  I like ginger in breads and cakes, and it goes well with bananas. Freshly grated ginger would be even better here, but I didn't have any in the house, so the ground form had to do.

And then there is the whole wheat flour, another thing missing from the internet recipes I found.  I won't pretend this is a totally "healthy" bread, but I prefer to use whole grain flours whenever I can, for the flavor as well as the better nutrition. However, it's not a deal breaker if you don't have any; just use all enriched flour if you don't have whole wheat.

A few notes about bananas:  The riper they are, the more sugars they contain, so you can cut back a little on the sugar. However, besides providing sweetness, the sugar in quick breads like these provides a softer texture; cutting it out completely is likely to leave a much less tender product.

Many older recipes (and some new ones too!) will list "3 bananas" or some other number, rather than a measured amount. A problem with this approach is the variation in the size of each banana. However, you might be tempted to throw away part of a banana if the 3 or 4 called for here equal more than a cup. Please don't do that! How can a site that lists "frugal" as its first word ever recommend such waste?! Be aware that a little extra banana (probably even as much as another quarter cup) will not lead to failure. The bread is likely to be just a little more moist, but you probably won't even notice the difference.

On the other hand, if you have only 7/8 of a cup or so of banana and you don't want to start another one, you can just fill the cup with milk--or applesauce if you prefer. The key here is to be sure the bread is moist enough, but a small variation in amount shouldn't cause problems.

Hmmm, maybe those old-fashioned cooks had the right idea by just saying "3 bananas."

That's a pretty long introduction to a really easy recipe. The longest part of making this is the baking, so it could be whipped up as a last minute dessert after you get home from work. However, as with many breads of this type, it is even better the second day.

Final result of the experiment? A tender, almost creamy bread with lots of flavor (but not a hint of a "mayonnaise-y taste).

Easy Banana Bread

1 c mayonnaise
1 c mashed bananas (about 3 to 4, depending on their size)
3/4 c sugar (if the bananas are very ripe, you could cut this by a few tablespoonsful)
1 t vanilla
1 c enriched flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t ground ginger (optional)
1 c chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Beat together the mayonnaise, mashed bananas, and vanilla until smooth.

2. Sift the dry ingredients together and add to the banana mixture. Stir gently just until completely combined.

3. Turn the batter into well oiled pans. Since I prefer smaller slices, I use an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 inch pan along with two 3 1/2 X 6 inch pans--the size of those small disposable pans you can buy in sets of three. You could also use two of the 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 pans, but I only have one of those. Using the smaller pans means I always have a small loaf to share with a friend or neighbor too.

4.  Bake at 350 degrees. (If using a glass pan, lower heat to 325 and add a few minutes to the baking time.)

The smaller breads will take about 18 to 20 minutes while the larger loaf will take about 28 to 35 minutes. Test by inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out with no unbaked batter clinging to it.

5.  Allow the breads to cool in the pans on a cooling rack for 15 to 25 minutes before removing. Store in the refrigerator.





Variations:

Add half a cup or so of raisins or dried cranberries with ( or in place of) the nuts.

If you are one of those people who need chocolate in everything, a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips could be folded in with the nuts. I'd omit the ginger and increase the vanilla to 1 1/2 teaspoons.

If you really, really like chocolate, stir in 1/3 cup cocoa with the bananas and yogurt and then add chocolate chips with the nuts.

Mixed Berry Muffins with Grapenuts

Two reasons for posting this recipe today:  the berries and the cereal.

First, the Grapenuts.  Having gotten a very good price on a  humongous box of Grapenuts (typical Costco sizing!), I have been finding new uses for this old-fashioned cereal. One of the things that has always drawn me to Grapenuts is the fact that it remains one of only a tiny handful of "mainstream" cereals with no added sugar. In fact, the total ingredients list (other than the usual vitamin and mineral additions) is: Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Salt, Dried Yeast. 

I am using the brand name here, because that is what I have. However, there are a lot of generic "crunchy wheat nugget" cereals out there that will work just fine for this recipe too.

And then the berries: There are so many berries at good prices in the produce section or (better yet) at the farmers' markets or (best of all) in the back yard. 

Sometimes, however, we may end up with small amounts of one or more kinds of berries that won't quite stretch to fill the measuring cup for a favorite recipe. 

Today, for example. My blueberries are still in their first real season of bearing, so I only had a handful of ripe berries available, and I had about the same amount of raspberries this morning, as the first of the two everbearing seasons taper off.  With some strawberries from the store I wanted to use up, this seemed like the perfect time to make muffins using all three. 

Muffins are a great summertime bread, as they bake in a third of the time of cakes and quick breads, keepingthe kitchen just a little cooler while still enjoying the fragrance, and flavor, of home-baked goodies.

 Mixed Berry Muffins

1 c Grapenuts
1 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 T canola oil
1/3 c nonfat dry milk powder
1 c all purpose unbleached flour
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1 1/4 c mixed berries--raspberries, blueberries, and/or strawberries, whatever you have
1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional) 

1.  Prepare a muffin tin by spraying with cooking spray or placing cupcake paper liners in each. This amount will make 12 to 15 muffins, depending on the size of your pans. (Don't worry if you have only one muffin pan; the rest of the batter can sit on the counter while the first batch is baking.) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2.   Combine the Grapenuts and the applesauce in a large mixing bowl and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.

3.  After the Grapenuts have had time to soften, stir in the sugar, egg, oil, and dry milk powder. Blend well.

4.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon, and gently fold into the Grapenuts mixture, along with the berries and nuts. Stir only enough to moisten all the dry ingredients--too much mixing of muffin batter can lead to "tunnels" or toughness in the finished product.

5.  Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the muffins spring back when you press one lightly in the middle. 

6.  Remove the muffins from the tins and place on a cooling rack.