Airlock,
Apple Cider,
Apples,
Autumn,
Carboy,
Cherries,
Cherry Apple Cider,
Corn-Free,
Dairy-free,
Fermentation,
Festival/Special Occasion Menu,
Gluten-Free,
Hard Cider,
slow food,
Small Batch,
sour cherries,
Vegan
Apples,
Autumn,
Corn-Free,
Dairy-free,
from scratch,
Little Kids in the Kitchen,
Pureed Soup,
soup,
Wheat-free,
whole foods,
Winter Squash
Apple Country Smokey Squash Apple Soup
12:42 PM
I hope everyone's been locating and trying out as many winter squash as we have this season. Remember that crazy hubbard squash I brought home and roasted?
I ended up getting about 6 extra cups of puree out of it which I put in the freezer in the garage.
Then I saw the apples on the table that my kids helped me pick out and made the connection that it was time for some creamy, delicious squash apple soup. This one is perfect for a rainy fall day.
I ended up getting about 6 extra cups of puree out of it which I put in the freezer in the garage.
Then I saw the apples on the table that my kids helped me pick out and made the connection that it was time for some creamy, delicious squash apple soup. This one is perfect for a rainy fall day.
Smokey Squash Apple Soup
4 cups veggie stock
1 medium onion, chopped
12 oz apple cider
3 cups squash puree (or cubed winter squash)
2 large tart apples peeled, cored, and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
nutmeg to taste
ginger to taste
Seasalt to taste
Optional toppings: crumbled crispy bacon, or chopped walnuts
Put all of your ingredients into a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the fruit and veggies become tender. Puree in batches in a blender. Serve garnished with crumbled crispy bacon, nuts, a bit of soy sour cream, or a sprig of your favorite fresh green herb (Parsley or Rosemary would be nice).
Enjoy with a nice chunk of fresh bread while the leaves fall outside.
Apples,
Autumn,
Corn-Free,
Dairy-free,
Festival/Special Occasion Menu,
from scratch,
Little Kids in the Kitchen,
pie crust,
pie filling,
Vegan
As American as Apple Pie.
12:57 PM
Guess what I learned how to make? Proper pie crust. And it's easy. Ridiculously easy. All it really took was having a friend come over, give me the "really, it's easy... you're making too big of a deal out of it" tutorial. A couple of test runs later my youngest daughter and I made an amazing 100% from scratch apple pie that my grandma would've been proud of!
What's so great about this is it's completely versatile and customizable. I learned with crusts made from good 'ol Crisco vegetable shortening, flour, and water. I then tried using Earth Balance 100% non-hydrogenated shortening (for those of you who twitch at the word "Crisco" or are Vegan), and my next experiment will be to substitute in lard (because, why not?? And I actually sometimes have some left over from making Lefse... a recipe/process I haven't posted on here yet).
So here we go!
What's so great about this is it's completely versatile and customizable. I learned with crusts made from good 'ol Crisco vegetable shortening, flour, and water. I then tried using Earth Balance 100% non-hydrogenated shortening (for those of you who twitch at the word "Crisco" or are Vegan), and my next experiment will be to substitute in lard (because, why not?? And I actually sometimes have some left over from making Lefse... a recipe/process I haven't posted on here yet).
So here we go!
Basic "Proper" Pie Crust
2/3 cup shortening
2 cups all purpose flour
enough water to bring dough together into a ball (about 1/3 cup)
In a large mixing bowl, cut the shortening into the flour using a fork or your fingers. Stop "cutting" when the dough becomes crumbly. Then work water into the dough until it comes into a ball. Stop working AS SOON AS it comes into a ball. This is a pastry and there's no need to knead/overwork the gluten.
 | ||
| Pie crust "ball" with apples to fill. |
Apple Pie
4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
about 1/2 cup white sugar
1tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
4tbsp margarine
2 pie crusts (NOT BAKED)
Egg Wash (optional)
1 large egg, beaten
Put the peeled, cored and cut apples into a large bowl. Put in the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and stir to coat. Set aside.
Break your pie crust ball into 2 smaller balls. Place each ball between two pieces of parchment paper and roll them out flat with a rolling pin. When you roll them out, roll from the center of the dough towards the outer edges to form a circle. Once your circles are large enough, STOP rolling and fussing immediately. Again, don't overwork yourself, or the dough.
 | |||
| Quinn helped! |
Preheat oven to 350f.
Put one of the crusts in the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan. Fill with the apple mixture and dab bits of margarine evenly over the top of the fruit. Put the second crust on over the top and seal it together with your fingers or with a fork.
If you decide at this point that you want your crust to be brown and flaky on the top, make a quick egg wash and brush it over the top with a pastry brush. Then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and poke a couple holes in the top (or make a picture of something) with a knife to allow steam to escape while baking.
Bake at 350 for about 60 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and there is juice bubbling up out of the top of the pie.
Let it cool and enjoy!
Apples,
Autumn,
Fermentation,
Festival/Special Occasion Menu,
Hard Cider,
homebrew,
Honeycrisp Apples
Early Season Honeycrisp Apple Hard Cider
12:21 PM
Ok. If you live anywhere close to apple country, or even have access to a store or market with fresh apple cider this is so, SO easy to make.
We took a trip to one of the local cider mills (Mark and I went to school with the family who owns the place, so we're partial to their cider) and Honeycrisp apples were being pressed that day. We bought 4 1/2 gallons of cider, and some cider doughnuts for the kids and brought the haul back home. 1/2 gallon went in the refridgerator for later, and the other 4 got to sit out on the table until they came to room temperature.
We took a trip to one of the local cider mills (Mark and I went to school with the family who owns the place, so we're partial to their cider) and Honeycrisp apples were being pressed that day. We bought 4 1/2 gallons of cider, and some cider doughnuts for the kids and brought the haul back home. 1/2 gallon went in the refridgerator for later, and the other 4 got to sit out on the table until they came to room temperature.
Apples,
Autumn,
black berries,
Corn-Free,
crabapples,
Dairy-free,
Festival/Special Occasion Menu,
foraging,
Herbal Remedies,
tomatoes
Autumn Equinox Weed Walk and Kitchen Update
12:38 PM
It's the equinox and from here on out the days will be shorter than
the nights here in the northern hemisphere. The weather has turned
cooler and the leaves are starting to change color. Everything that is
going to set fruit this season is doing so and herbs and flowers for
winter remedies abound. This is going to be a photo roundup of what
we've been doing and seeing around here lately.
Hope you enjoy!
Hope you enjoy!
Apples,
Autumn,
cake,
Corn-Free,
Dairy-free,
Farmhouse,
Festival/Special Occasion Menu,
from scratch,
Little Kids in the Kitchen,
slow food
Farmhouse Apple Cake
12:37 PM
Here it is, guys! The crowning glory of Autumnal decadence... my unforgetable, glorious, and amazing applecake recipe that I got from a multi-generational farm kitchen up in the "north country" and have over the years made my very own.
Apple Cider Vinegar,
Apples,
Autumn,
canning,
Corn-Free,
Dairy-free,
Fermentation,
Fire Cider,
from scratch,
Herbal Remedies,
Mason Jars,
slow food,
Summer
Apples! The first little apples have arrived. I started my own batch of Apple Cider Vinegar and made Fire Cider
12:50 PM
I was busy over the weekend with several little projects. Among them was that I brought home the season's first tiny apples from the (long forgotten) old apple tree at my mon's house... and then my kids brought home the season's first cold. JOY! Inevitably a house full of little kids is going to be full of bugs and this year I'm going to fight back with homemade Fire Cider! Fire Cider is a traditional remedy for colds and flu with congestion and calls for all organic (EXPENSIVE) ingredients, including Apple Cider Vinegar with "the mother" in it.
I had a pile of apples that I wanted to make sauce with, so I peeled them and used the peels and cores to start a batch of my own homemade Apple Cider Vinegar. I'm gonna need it now that I've poured most of the contents of that $8 bottle of my organic storebought stuff into my (amazing) jar of Fire Cider. HAH!
I'll start with the recipe for making your own Apple Cider Vinegar, because it's really, exceptionally easy.
I had a pile of apples that I wanted to make sauce with, so I peeled them and used the peels and cores to start a batch of my own homemade Apple Cider Vinegar. I'm gonna need it now that I've poured most of the contents of that $8 bottle of my organic storebought stuff into my (amazing) jar of Fire Cider. HAH!
DIY Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
6-8 small apples that haven't been sprayed with any chemicals
1 quart fresh water
Peel and core your apples. Save the fruit part to make sauce, or to eat. Put the peels and cores into a 1 quart mason jar. Cover with fresh water. Put cheesecloth or a coffee filter over the top of the jar and secure with elastic, or a rubber band. Let it sit in a cool, dry place for about 6 months. Check it occasionally and stir. Test it to see if it's "vinegar-y" enough for you.
That's it. It's that easy... but it takes some time.
On to the Fire Cider!
This is a traditional remedy for cold and flu. It contains anti-bacterial, anti-septic, and anti-inflammatory ingredients. And it also includes a BUNCH of horseradish to blast open your stuffed up passageways!! It can be taken by itself as a "shot", or it can be mixed into salad dressings or used as a flavoring or condiment for stirfrys, marinading etc.
Farmhouse Fire Cider
2-3 tbsp prepared horseradish (if you can find fresh, EVEN BETTER! use a couple inches of fresh root, chopped)
2-3 inches of fresh ginger, sliced roughly
1 onion sliced
1 head garlic, peeled
1-2 tbsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Local Honey to taste
Apple Cider Vinegar with "The Mother" to fill a Quart jar
Put the horseradish, ginger root, onion, garlic, turmeric, and cayenne into a quart-sized mason jar. Submerge the ingredients in Apple Cider Vinegar. Cap tightly and shake well. Store in a cool, dry place for 4 weeks. Strain the vinegar, and add honey to taste.
This particular cold remedy is supposed to benefit those most who tend to "run cold". As in, if you're cold all the time... have cold hands and feet or poor circulation. I'm sure it'll work great for me and my youngest daughter (if I can get her to try it), but my husband and eldest daughter tend to "run hot"... sweat easily and are prone to fevers. It may not appeal as much to them for them but, it's a matter of personal preference in the long run.
In good health!
apple butter,
Apples,
Autumn,
canning,
Corn-Free,
Dairy-free,
Diabetic friendly,
no sugar added,
slow food,
Vegan
Homemade, no sugar added applebutter. is what you get when you cross Russet apples, Spices, and a Crockpot.
11:16 AM
Outside things have completely wound down. The chipmunks and other little creatures (with the glaring exception of squirrels, who are completely emptying my bird feeder) have gone into hibernation. It's still, relatively quiet, and the sun is only shining for about 8 hours a day followed up by crisp nights filled with twinkly stars. The phrase "All is calm, all is bright" comes to mind.
The lights are in a nearly constant state of burning brightly in the kitchen lately as my kids dig around looking for snacks. Earlier this week they unearthed my peck of Russet Apples. I decided this was a clear indication that it was time to make apple butter, before the apples began to disappear.
And the smell was amazing. I honestly think that I should make this more often. Possibly micro-batches using different varieties of apples throughout the season.
Cover and seal. Set them on the counter and wait for the caps to "pop"! Enjoy!
The lights are in a nearly constant state of burning brightly in the kitchen lately as my kids dig around looking for snacks. Earlier this week they unearthed my peck of Russet Apples. I decided this was a clear indication that it was time to make apple butter, before the apples began to disappear.
And the smell was amazing. I honestly think that I should make this more often. Possibly micro-batches using different varieties of apples throughout the season.
Late Season Apple Butter
with no added sugar
1 Peck (25-30) apples of your choice
3 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp ground allspice
Rinse and core your apples. LEAVE THE SKIN ON! It contains the pectin necessary to make your apple butter "gel". I used one of these little gadgets:
Put as many apple slices as will fit into a crockpot and refridgerate the remainder of the slices. Add spices to the crockpot and stir to coat.
Cook on "low" setting for about 5 hours, or until the apples start to get soft and there is room to add the remainder of the slices. Stir new slices into the mixture. Cook on low for another 10+ hours, stirring whenever you remember to do so.
When it's done in the crockpot, it'll look something like this:
Now it's time to get your blender or food processor out and your jars(about 8 medium-sized) ready. Please be sure your jars and caps are washed and disinfected before use. I've done this both in the dishwasher and with hot soapy water before. Either works fine.
Puree the apple butter in batches. When it's done being pureed, it should look like this:
Stores for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator and up to a year in the freezer! Or, put in a waterbath and boil on high heat for 15 minutes if you want this to stay on the shelf (unrefridgerated) for up to 12 months.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Apples,
Autumn,
slow food,
Turkey,
Turkey Soup,
Upstate New York
Turkey Soup Day! And, the last of this year's apples
11:05 AM
It was decided that today would be official Turkey-Soup-Making day! The house smells amazing, and I can't wait for dinner tonight!
We also decided to take a trip to our favorite cider mill to get some of the season's last cider and apples. This is a MUST here in Apple Country (Upstate NY). Today's star variety was the Russet Apple. It's an heirloom variety that is sweet and crunchy on the inside and has a tough outer skin that hints at flavors of grass or hay. I think they're LOVELY! I bought a peck of them to make into apple butter later this week, and a gallon of cider. They were only pressing this particular variety of cider from November 25th until December 1st. So very, VERY limited and we were lucky to catch them on their last day!
We also decided to take a trip to our favorite cider mill to get some of the season's last cider and apples. This is a MUST here in Apple Country (Upstate NY). Today's star variety was the Russet Apple. It's an heirloom variety that is sweet and crunchy on the inside and has a tough outer skin that hints at flavors of grass or hay. I think they're LOVELY! I bought a peck of them to make into apple butter later this week, and a gallon of cider. They were only pressing this particular variety of cider from November 25th until December 1st. So very, VERY limited and we were lucky to catch them on their last day!
