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Slow Cooker Apple Butter

17 Nov

Jars of Apple Butter

Since I haven’t had much success with making jams and jellies, I’m glad to have had success with making apple butter.  Mid-October, my family made a trip to Apple Annie’s Orchard to pick apples.  At that time, what they had for harvest was lots of Granny Smith and some Rome Beauty.  So, we got around 8 pounds to bring home.  We won’t really eat Granny Smith plain, but, with a little added sugar, we like them prepared in things.  Now, mine never turns out as pretty as other pictures that I have seen, but it works out well enough for us!

I used 6 1/2 pounds of the apples we picked, a mix of Granny Smith and Rome Beauty varieties, and used my peeler/corer/slicer  to prepare all the apples, then used a hand chopper to chop them into smaller pieces.  This filled up my 6 quart slow cooker pretty much to the top.  Then, I added sugar and spices, skipping the salt and vanilla extract, according to this recipe for Slow Cooker Apple Butter:

– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 1 cup light brown sugar
– 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
– 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
– 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Normally, I wouldn’t add sugar, but with as many Granny Smith apples as I had, it needed the sugar to balance out the tart.  I cooked it on low overnight, about 10 hours.  In the morning, I removed the lid and used my hand mixer to smooth out the apples in the slow cooker.  I left the lid off and continued to cook it on low for another 2 hours, until it had gotten a thicker consistency.

We love to eat this on toast and waffles, plus it’s a nice addition to a peanut butter sandwich instead of the grape jelly I buy at the store.  It’s a wonderful fall treat!  The prep takes some time and effort, but then you can let it cook all day while you work on other things.

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Pesto Salmon

3 Nov

When I decided to make salmon for tonight’s dinner, I was thinking I would do it how I normally do, rubbed with olive oil and lemon pepper seasoning, then cooked on the George Foreman grill.  However, I was hoping to maybe come up with something a little different to try.  As I was going through the fridge, I found a jar of pesto I had prepared last week, using some fresh basil from someone’s garden and basil from a Sunizona FarmBox.  I’ve used pesto when baking chicken before, why not on salmon?  Turned out great, and I made mashed potatoes (red potatoes with the skins on), steamed asparagus, and cheddar garlic biscuits.

Pesto Salmon

Pesto Salmon

What you need:

4 4-oz fillets of salmon
1 cup Pesto, store-bought, Spinach-Basil, or Kale
Lemon

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Line a baking dish with foil.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange salmon fillets in dish, skin side down.  Spread pesto on top of each fillet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until salmon easily flakes with a fork.

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Market on the Move

3 Nov

I’m finally getting around to writing about this program!

Market on the Move was started by The 3000 Club.  To give you a little background, here is some information from their website:

In October of 2010, the Market On the Move (MOM) was born. The 3000 Club founders Ethel Luzario and Lon Taylor partnered with churches and other non-profit organizations to host weekly markets where semi-truck loads of produce were brought into the valley.  A supporter can donate $10 and receive up to 60 lbs. of produce that they can share with anyone they know who may be in need. By end of the season in May 2013, there were over 50 distribution sites and 90 million pounds of produce have been rescued and redistributed.

It started in Sierra Vista in April 2013, and happened every other week until June 1, with a special event on June 29.  Usually, it doesn’t happen over the summer because it’s too hot to be out doing events.  I only made it to a couple of the events, and a friend shared hers with me for the events I couldn’t make.  Since it’s rescued produce, meaning produce that would have otherwise been thrown away by produce suppliers in Nogales, AZ, because they couldn’t sell it because of dates or quality, it’s not always perfect.  There are some imperfections at times, or some has gotten moldy, but overall, a lot is still usable produce.  But, it also means that you have to find use for it almost right away.  Plus, it really varies event to event what is available and how much you can get.  Typically, each item will have a limit so that they can get produce to as many families as possible.

Yesterday (11/3/2013), was the first event of the new season in Sierra Vista.  I wasn’t able to go, but my husband went for me.  He paid 2 donations, or $20.   At this event, they estimated to have served about 700 families from the full truck (about 36,000 pounds of produce). Here is what he came home with:

Orange bell peppers, already cut into strips

Orange bell peppers, already cut into strips

Lots of cucumbers!

Lots of cucumbers!

Yellow Squash

Yellow Squash

Watermelons

Watermelons

Roma and cherry tomatoes

Roma and cherry tomatoes

Zucchini

Zucchini

This was definitely more produce than I could use, so I found 2 friends interested in some produce, and made them each a box like this:

IMG_20131102_164144_651[1]

As you can see, the peppers are in snack sized bags for my husband to take to work for snacks.  Half of the cucumbers I put in jars in the refrigerator to make pickles:

Refrigerator pickles

Not sure what I’ll do with the other half just yet, although some will be saved to juice with the watermelon to make Watermelon-Cucumber Coolers.  For the zucchini and yellow squash, I will slice it, blanch, and freeze.  Some will also be sliced, and I’m planning to use some of the Zaycon breakfast sausage that I just got, and make some Summer Squash, Sausage, and Egg Bakes to freeze and reheat for quick dinners later.  The tomatoes I’ll wash and puree to put in jars in the fridge to make a couple batches of Spanish Rice this week.  And then, I’ll take a long nap after all this work!

Edited to add:  Here are a couple of pictures of my prep and finished product of Summer Squash, Sausage, and Egg Bakes that I made.  I got foil pans with lids to use to bake them in and then freeze.

Ingredients for the casseroles

Ingredients for the casseroles

Finished casseroles in foil pans with lids for the freezer

Finished casseroles in foil pans with lids for the freezer

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Sausage, Cabbage, and Potato Dinner

25 Oct

I’m at a loss at what to call this one, but I can promise you that it tastes good!  I just picked up 20 pounds of breakfast sausage yesterday, so I wanted to use some of it to make dinner.  I also had onions, carrots, potatoes, and shredded cabbage, so why not put it all in a pot and see how it comes out?  Delicious!  The breakfast sausage is a little spicy, and I don’t really like eating as links, but with the casings removed, all of it broken up and browned, then mixed with other things, it’s perfect.  What I also love is that aside from chopping things, this meal was very quick to prepare.

Sausage, Cabbage, and Potato Dinner

Sausage, Cabbage, and Potato Dinner

What you need:

1 lb sausage (I used breakfast sausage, removed the casings, and broke it up.  You could also use smoked sausage, that would just need to be sliced into 1/2 inch slices)
1 small onion, diced
2 carrots, cut into thin slices
1 cup water
2 medium potatoes, cut into thin cubes
4 cups shredded cabbage

How to make it:

In a large pot, brown sausage over medium heat.  Add in onions and carrots, and continue to cook until onions are soft.  Next, add water and potatoes.  Reduce heat to low, and cover.  Cook for 15 minutes.

Finally, add cabbage and stir in well.  Again, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

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Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce

14 Oct

From time to time, I’ve gotten tomatillos from Bountiful Baskets Mexican packs or when they were on sale at the store.  They had them available through the Sunizona FarmBox program, so I got 1 pound of them.  I usually make Salsa Verde and just use it over chicken rolled in tortillas, but I always felt it was a little lacking.  So, I decided to build on another enchiladas recipe I’ve made to make a creamy salsa verde sauce instead.  It was perfect!  I really enjoyed it, and so did the rest of my family.

Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce

Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce 

What you need:

1 Tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour or cornstarch
1 cup Salsa Verde
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
12 small corn or flour tortillas (I used 8″ flour tortillas and used only 10 instead of 12)

How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium skillet, melt the 1 Tbsp butter, and cook onions and garlic until softened.  Stir in chicken, cook for a few minutes more.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, melt the 1/4 cup butter.  Blend in flour and cook for 3-5 minutes.  Whisk in the Salsa Verde and chicken broth, making sure there are no lumps.  Cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens.  Remove from heat.  Stir in sour cream and ½ cup cheese.  Then, stir ½ cup of the sauce into the chicken and onion mixture.

Heat a small skillet over medium low heat.  Place a tortilla in skillet and heat on each side for a few seconds to make tortilla easier to roll.  Spoon the chicken mixture onto one end of the tortilla and roll up.  Place in 9×13 pan.  Repeat for remaining tortillas.  Pour remaining sauce over the rolled tortillas, and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.

Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes.  Allow to cool and serve.

One of the Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce

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Honey Lemon Basil Chicken

24 Sep

My husband wanted chicken tonight, and since I had basil I needed to use tonight, I thought about using it with some lemon.  Then, I came across a honey, lemon, and basil mixture that sounded really good.  And it was!  It got rave reviews from both girls, and I really enjoyed it too.  I served it with garlic green beans.

Honey Lemon Basil Chicken

Honey Lemon Basil Chicken

What you need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons honey
Juice of 2 lemons
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced

How to make it:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken in the oil for a few minutes on each side to brown.

Meanwhile, mix together the chicken broth, honey, lemon juice, garlic, and basil.

After chicken has browned, pour in the liquid mixture.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cover.  Cook for 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and has reached an internal temperature of 180 F.  Remove the lid, and continue to cook the chicken until the liquid reduces to a glaze.  Turn and brush each side of chicken with the glaze.  Remove from heat, and serve.

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Creamy Mushroom, Beef, and Potato Skillet

24 Sep

My new skillet has been getting a workout!  I’ve been experimenting with a lot of skillet meals to not use the oven in the last of the heat of summer.  This one turned out pretty good.  I was just worried about the potatoes, but I sliced them thin enough that they cooked in a reasonable amount of time.

Creamy Mushroom, Beef, and Potato Skillet

 

Creamy Mushroom, Beef, and Potato Skillet

What you need:

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup beef broth
5-6 small red potatoes, thinly sliced
1 package mushrooms, sliced

How to make it:

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef.  Add onions and garlic, and continue to cook until onions are translucent.  Push meat and onions to one side of the skillet.  In the open side, melt the butter.  Stir in the flour and stir for a few minutes.  Pour in milk and beef broth and stir until there are no lumps.  Mix in the ground beef and onion mixture.  Add potatoes and mushrooms to the skillet.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.

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My Version of Bulgogi

5 Sep

Last week, we discovered a Korean restaurant in town, Sunna’s Korean Restaurant.  In fact, we liked it so much for lunch one day, that we went back for dinner the next day!  Super nice staff, go out of their way to take care of you and say thank you when you leave, plus delicious, fresh food.  Both times I ordered the Bulgogi, which is Korean barbecued beef.  Since I had a flank steak in the freezer, I decided to give it a try making it myself.  I looked at a few different recipes, and settled on a marinade that I liked, so here it is!  I have no idea how authentic it is, but it turned out really good.  I marinated just the meat and onions, then added the other vegetables after cooking the meat and onions first.

Beef Bulgogi

 

Bulgogi

What you need:

1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 pound flank steak, cut into thin slices
1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Vegetables of your choice to serve with, if desired (I used carrots, cabbage, broccoli, and zucchini)

How to make it:

Stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger.  Pour over the sliced steak, onions, and green onions.  Cover and marinade in the refrigerator overnight.

Steak and onions marinading

 

Heat a grill over high heat.  Place meat and vegetables on a piece of foil on the grill, or use a grill basket.  Cook until beef is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

 

Alternatively, you can add 1 tablespoon of oil to a wok and heat over medium-high heat.  Cook beef and onions in the wok until meat is cooked through.  Add in any other vegetables and cover, continuing to cook until vegetables are tender, stirring often.

Serve with rice, if desired.

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Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken, Spinach, and Angel Hair Pasta

2 Sep

Tonight was one of those nights where I had no idea what to make.  Then, a friend of mine shared a picture on Facebook of a chicken and spinach pasta dish, and since I had the ingredients, I decided to give it a try with a few modifications.  It also gave me a chance to use my new stainless steel cookware that I got last week.  It turned out delicious, and I know I will be making it again, maybe even with some different vegetables next time.

Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken, Spinach, and Angel Hair Pasta

 

Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken, Spinach, and Angel Hair Pasta

What you need:

1/2 pound angel hair pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup diced onion
Juice of 2 lemons
3/4 cup half and half (I just used milk)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into 1″ pieces
1 cup chopped fresh spinach

How to make it:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add garlic and onions, and cook until onions are soft and translucent.  Stir in lemon juice, half and half, chicken broth, and Parmesan cheese.  Continue to cook on medium-low heat until liquid is bubbly.  Stir in chicken, spinach and drained pasta.   Toss and cook for about 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken a little.  Serve.

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Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole

25 Aug

I recently got a bag of potatoes, which I haven’t gotten in a few weeks, and wanted to make something with them and with ground beef.  I considered making the packets again, but started looking more at casseroles since it was raining and I didn’t want to be outside grilling.  I came across this recipe, and thought it sounded delicious.  I decided to make a couple of modifications, one being to season the ground beef a little more and skip the celery and some other seasonings.  This turned out really good.  It doesn’t look real pretty, but it’s good.  My only wish is that the potatoes came out a little softer, but I was hungry and pulled it out a little soon.  Or, I just need to boil them a little before putting them in.  I used my food processor to slice them into thin rounds.  I think we’ll be having this again, all the leftovers are even already all gone!

Cheesy Hamburger Potato Casserole

Cheesy Hamburger and Potato Casserole

What you need:

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2.5 pounds potatoes, cut into thin rounds
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef.  Add onions and garlic, and cook until they are translucent.  Add in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook until most of the liquid has cooked off.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter.  Mix in flour, and cook over low heat for a few minutes.  Slowly pour in milk, whisking to prevent any lumps.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and cook until thickened.  Stir in cheese and remove from heat.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange potatoes in the bottom of the pan, then pour in the ground beef mixture.  Stir slightly to mix up.  Pour cheese sauce over the meat and potatoes.  Cover pan with foil, and place in the pre-heated oven.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until casserole is bubbly and potatoes are soft.  Allow to cool for a few minutes, and serve.

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