Pears ~ Carrot Cake Jam

Pears are about ready to be picked.  Hubby brought in 5 or 6 and some were hard as a rock, so we have time yet to pick them.  Thank goodness.

Two of them were ripe however, so I used one to can carrot cake jam for the first time.  Using our homegrown carrots, a home grown pear, and a few purchased ingredients.  I used this recipe:  Carrot Cake Jam.

It uses the same amount of sugar that most recipes online require, but a mix of white granulated and brown sugar.  I have wanted to try this recipe for years, but put it off.  We didn't get any carrots last year either.  I can't remember why, but we didn't get beets or carrots.  

Anyway....

Pear Wine ~ Update

Our pears have been sitting in a bag in this brewing bucket for 6 weeks now.  Just the other day, Hubby had a conversation with a co-worker who makes wine.  We got some tips.

He asked questions, we got answers.  We explained that the two locations we can purchase supplies as, would not provide recipes.  They said, we provide a kit, you find the recipe "there are tons on the internet."  We knew this.  We found one, and well, we found another store that provides a recipe with full instructions.  Do your research folks.  Or just follow blogs like mine, with trial and error, ha ha.  So far, no error.

He said we needed an acid to keep this from turning into vinegar.  We removed the bag of fruit.  Squeezed it and poured it into our 3 gallon carboy (glass).

Poof! Tomatoes and Pears have disappeared....Tomatoes re-appeared!

This is how we began our pear wine - pears were seeded and stems removed.  We purchased a wine sieve bag to place in our 6.5 fermenter.  We had just enough pears to fill this half-way, which was about 23-24 lbs. of pears.  We added one cup of sugar for every pound of pears (approximately), then poured boiling water over, with enough water above pears.

Pears ~ Anise ~ Uses for Ginger-Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Butter

The pears are ripening before I want them to, so I canned Pear-Star Anise Butter (Ball recipe).  It's a first time recipe for me.  I can't wait to taste it.

Anise intrigued me, so I started researching it too.

Soup, Pears, and Playtime

The temperature here dropped to the 20's last night, so I made soup to warm us all up.  I admit, I had my doubts that the kids would eat this soup, and I was pretty sure a few would refuse to even taste it.

I've been experimenting this week with sweet potatoes.  They were on sale, so I stocked up on some.  This recipe comes from Allrecipes, and contains sweet potatoes, carrots, an onion and an apple.  It also contains freshly grated ginger and red lentils too.

Chutney, Chopping, and Random Talk

My 19 year-old daughter asked me what she could use to flavor her pork chops with, and aside from herbs and spices, I have now suggested apple-pear-ginger chutney.

I still have pears after all this baking and canning, so I made some.  It's great to flavor grilled sandwiches and other foods too. It's fabulous on ham.

Homestead Tidbits

Even though it's November, we are still seeing some color in our flower beds.  

"Huh, I haven't heard you say, I'm going out to the garden today, in a long time.  I think I could get used to that," said my 11 year-old early this morning.

Speaking of garden, my fitbit is reading 3,000 less steps per day, now that I'm not outside doing any outdoor work.  However, we haven't figured out our heating situation yet, so  that may change with splitting wood.  I'm going to have to do something to continue to get more exercise.  This may mean heading back to the gym, with a 5am workout.  Hubby needs it anyway.  They are warning employees about weight.  They are at a point now where they will not hire anyone that is over a specific weight, and will start looking for ways to fire employees, that weigh over a specific weight.  More and more employers are taking this route.

Pear Berry Gingerbread Loaves

Pear Berry Gingerbread Loaves
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup molasses
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. grated ginger root
2 med. pears, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries


Pear Frosting
1 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. Pear Liqueur
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For bread:
Preheat oven to 350°F, and grease 2 loaf pan.

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Combine eggs, molasses, applesauce, brown sugar, milk, and grated ginger root in a medium mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour the eggs mixture in, all at once.  Fold in pears and cranberries.  Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans for about 10 minutes before removing, and continue cooling on wire racks.

Frosting:
Stir all ingredients, and drizzle onto the bread.  Note:  if you do not have pear liqueur, simply use milk.

(adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, Celebrate the Season 2000)

Overall family test tasting:  everyone said that they would not like this bread without the frosting.  We also used organic ingredients with our homegrown pears.

Pear Walnut Bread

I adapted this recipe from a few other bread recipes.  It's family approved.  I used my homemade vanilla, locally grown walnuts, and our very own pears and eggs.  Yum.  Last year I canned organic applesauce as well.  I haven't yet this year however.  I sprayed my pans with organic canola oil spray.  I think the 3 pears I cut up, amounted to about 2 1/2 cups.

Puffed Pear Pancake ~ Cast Iron Baking

(right out of the oven)

In the midst of waiting for my pear liqueur to finish, I decided to tackle the 5 large bowls of pears that awaited me. Okay, so I tackled two whole pears (of the 5 large bowls). Ha ha!

I decided to make a Puffed Pear Pancake (Real Simple Recipes).  It's baked right in a cast iron pan.  Simple right?

Not only simple, but delicious. I took the advice of other reviews, and added a second pear, and extra spices.  It was a nice after school snack for the kids.  The batter bakes into a crust that has a somewhat "egg" flavor.  It was really good topped with maple syrup too.

Homemade Pear Liqueur

When I had a difficult time locating pear liqueur in our area, I decided to make it myself.  With all the pears from our trees this year, I was excited to experiment with new recipes.  I'm not even sure what type of pear we have.  These trees were here prior to moving here.

I searched books and the internet and found this one: Pear Liqueur

I filled my quart jar with pears, cardamom and a lemon peel.  I could not find cardamom pods, so I used ground (I know the flavor would be much better with the pods).  I gently shook my jar, and placed it in a dark, cool closet for a week.

My plan is to use it to make a pear liqueur frosting to go over homemade Pear Berry bread.  I will have that recipe to share soon as well, if it indeed rates high with the family.

Other than using the liqueur for baking, you can also simply drink it.  There are many mixer recipes it could be used with, including a pear martini.

Pears have so many possibilities. . . check back to see what we make next with them.

Prosperous Weekend

(garden before we tilled it)

 
The garden is getting back into shape.  We secured the pea fence again, dug out the plastic and stakes, and mowed down weeds.  We started to till it, and get it ready for next year.  We battled tons of mutant lady bugs though.  Just standing to take the photo, I ended up covered in them.  I moved back pretty far to take the photo, and even then, you can't see all of it.

Friday's Ramble ~ Turning Zucchini into an Instrument

Conversation between me and hubby:

"Uh, honey? Did you know you can use a zucchini stalk like a recorder? You know like an instrument?" (Me)

"Honey, you are just not normal." (hubby sighs and lowers his head with a smile, shaking his head from side to side)

Crazy as it sounds, it's true.  If you still have zucchini in your garden give this a try.  According to this page in my book Log Cabin Cooking, Pioneer recipes and Food Lore" you can. 

It's a ramble kind of day today.  Grab a cup of tea or coffee for this one.

Yesterday I changed up my day.  I actually cooked dinner.  The family is so used to seeing me standing at the stove canning, or out in the garden.  I was not driving out for supplies, so I surfed the net for recipes.  Allrecipes is always a nice one.  I can search for recipes by the ingredients I have.

I made Cheesy Sausage Zucchini Casserole, but changed some of the ingredients - used cream cheese and cottage cheese vs. processed cheese food, and used jasmine rice in place of regular white rice.  Delicious!

I still have some pears, and didn't have enough ripe ones for jam.  I made Pear Bar Cookies.  Yum!  I doubled the recipe, and it was out of the oven just before the school bus pulled in.  We ate them warm, and they tasted like a pie.  So good!  And so naughty.  I made these with the organic pears from my hubby's family and organic, unsalted butter.  This family is so spoiled.

I started weeding my flower beds.  I spent over an hour out there and came in soaked in sweat.  Yuck.  It's been so humid here lately, but my flower beds look terrible. 

The kids are getting lazy.  Every day I have to go upstairs and turn off lights and fans.  Dishes are being left everywhere and floors covered with whatnot.  It's no wonder my youngest could not find her shoes this morning, almost missing the bus.  And they think that when I remind them to pick something up, that I am nagging.  

One of these days they will realize what responsibility is.  They have one job chart - dinner dishes. Yet, every night I have to remind them.   Pretty soon, I'm going to have to give each of them an assigned set of dishes.  I'll engrave names so they can't say, "I don't know who left that there" and "I didn't do it."  You know?  That just might work!  Ha ha!

Speaking of that, they not respecting each other.  Guess they need a dose of reading from the virtues and morals book.  

Our youngest daughter is running for student council this year (again).  Last year she was not voted in.  Hopefully she will this year.

Update on my hubby's kidney donation:
The hospital that they were to have this done at, and then rejected for no good explanation, was recently written up in the paper.  A nurse placed a kidney with waste when it was to go to a recipient.  Some 900 transplant patients are being sent to other hospitals.  I guess that's why they continued to avoid his sister's calls.  They literally did not return any calls to her and to her case worker.  

I started writing exercises to gear up for that novel the kids keep reminding me about.  With a large family, it's tough to concentrate here anymore.  Hubby and I see how much we need a place of our own, so we are working on that.

Technology.  I dislike it tremendously.  E-mails.  Texting.  If used correctly, it's great.  Not used correctly, it's all out negative.  

I've only had to use my dryer once this summer.  I had put out two large loads of towels etc. and it rained.  I could have left them out, but rained the next day too. I love my clothesline.

I may be donating scarves to the homeless again this year.  The granny square pattern I have been using, can be made with all of my scrap yarns.

I need to get my l laundry out, and will be back to sip coffee and read blogs.   Enjoy your day!

"No one lives on the top of the mountain. It’s fine to go there occasionally —for inspiration, for new perspectives. But you have to come down. Life is lived in the valleys. That’s where the farms and gardens and orchards are, and where the plowing and the work is done. That’s where you apply the visions you may have glimpsed from the peaks."

~ Arthur Gordon






 

Homemade Noodles ~ Crackly Pear Cake

At the end of last year's season, I invested in my dehydrator and this Marcato Pasta Maker.  It came with only one attachment, so I am using the above cut, for noodles.  Hopefully, by next season, I will have attachments for lasagna, ravioli, and more.

Pureed Cucumber ~ Chicken Wraps with Cucumber Suace, Salsa, and Honey

We discovered that pureed cucumber can be frozen and used for facial masks, for soap making, and for winter soups.

For our facial mix, we peel and puree 1/2 cucumber, and add 1 Tbsp. of  plain yogurt.  These facials are wonderful, and once it's on our face, it's so refreshing.

We haven't made soap with it yet.  However, now that I know I can freeze it for that purpose, I am stocking up on it. 

We continue to stock up - every day.  It rained last night a bit and I am still getting more tomatoes. I've been so busy canning and freezing and dehydrating, that I forgot to call and get an appointment for the chimney to be swept.  I better do that next week.

Hubby has a sore tooth, so I called and made him a dentist appointment. We have a bad habit of always putting the kids before us.  I hope it's not too late to save his tooth.

My son dropped out of college for his own reasons.  He's a mature adult and was paying for it himself, and it was his decision to make.  He's researching ways to sell his artwork, such as designs for t-shirts and such.  He's working on a large drawing this week.  

Hubby helped my son fix his car last night.  Thankfully, it was a quick fix and inexpensive.  My son needed to drive to work at 4am.  He's not happy with his job, but I commend him for not quitting until he finds another one.  Jobs are very difficult to find here.  He's going to need a better car soon too.


For dinner last night we used up more cucumber and salsa to make Simple Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wraps.  These were a hit, and utilize cucumbers, organic chicken, and raw honey.

My teenager that is in the 8th grade, was stressing over her class trip (that is next spring).  She told me that students are not allowed to wear capri pants or skinny jeans on the trip.  I had to remind her it will be cold out and that skinny jeans are inappropriate when they are representing their school.

I over slept, so I better get busy.   I have some jelly, jam and possibly tomatoes to deal with today.  

Pears won't last so I may even make a Crackly Pear Cake too.  It's a good thing I blog, so I can go back and see what I can make each year.  I often forget.  I can go down memory road too, reading that post (click on the cake to read it), because I was going to college to get my degree in journalism.  I dropped out when my kids were in their car accident, and Mom was in the hospital for heart surgery.  There was just too much going on to be able to concentrate on my work.  Maybe I'll go back some day, but not now.  Then again, writer's don't need a college degree to write.  Maybe if I wanted to work for a newspaper.  Photo-Journalism sounds interesting too.

There I go again.....rambling.  I guess today is a ramble kind of day. Sigh....