Jelly-Jar Vinaigrette

I found four, mostly empty condiment jars in my fridge this week.  And (!)  ...new replacement jars opened and added to the inventory!  Happens at your house too?  No one seems to want to be bothered with scraping out those last contents in the bottom of the jar.  Expecting they would do a "rinse out" before the jar finds its way into the recycle bin?  Too much to ask, obviously!

I have found the solution!

At our house, we love fresh salads served "family style" with fresh homemade salad dressings. (plus) My husband loves Strawberry Preserves.  Here is my method of "killing two birds with one stone" - (please pardon the expression).

Recipe:

Strawberry-Orange Vinaigrette:

Contents of mostly used Stawberry Jelly Jar

add:

1/3 C. Red Wine Vinegar

Juice from 1/2 fresh orange

1 1/2 t. Paprika

1/2 t. Dry Mustard

1/4 t. White Pepper
~This complete your "base"~
Add Olive Oil (about 1/2 to 2/3 Cup) to the 'base", once ready to use.

Shake up the "base" ingredients in the jelly jar until the goopy stuff (jelly) frees up from the sides and bottom of the jar.

This is now your Vinaigrette "base".  To complete the Salad dressing you will add Olive Oil (the same amount as your mixture).  I prefer to refrigerate the "base" until ready to toss the salad for the best consistency and freshest taste.

My quest for easy mealtime prep has added a new step.  Store your "Vinaigrette Base" in smaller jelly jars, pre-measured for one fresh salad per jar.  Make sure you leave enough room in the jar so you can shake it up after you add the oil.  This "base" mixture will keep for many weeks until you are ready to toss up all that freshness at dinnertime.

This method works for many other condiments that seem to fall into the "stuck in the bottom of the jar" syndrome.

More recipes:

Mustard Vinaigrette:

Contents of Mustard Jar, (Dijon or any "brown" variety)

1/3 C. Apple Cider Vinegar

2 T. fresh Lemon Juice

1 T. Honey

1/4 t. White Pepper

Then the Olive Oil (1/2 "base" + 1/2 Olive Oil)

Tomato Vinaigrette:

Contents of Catsup Bottle

1/3 C. Wine Vinegar

Dash of Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 t. Dry Mustard

1 to 2 t. Paprika

1/4 t. Black Pepper

(add the Olive Oil when you serve)

Creamy Vinaigrette:

Contents of the Mayonnaise Jar

1/3 C. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 t. Dry Mustard

Seasonings to taste: Italian, Basil, etc....

(less than 1/2 Olive Oil is added to this "base" to compensate for the Mayonnaise)

While we are at it ~

My Ranch Dressing:

1/2 Mayo and 1/2 Buttermilk

Dried Parsley, Chives, Tarragon
1/3 clove Garlic (finely grated)

Fresh cracked Black Pepper

In that order (most to least amount)

Ok, now - use your imagination and go for it!  I would love to see your own concoctions in the comments section!

Condiment Jar Recipes are the solution to:

• using up leftover condiments
• cleaning out jars without wasting so much water
• keeping the recycle bin cleaner
• keeping your fridge cleaned out

But wait!  One more thing - you know that Orange or Lemon that you just squeezed the juice out of?  Well those peels have purpose too!  :) 

Mozzarella Cheese

Meet Julie, whose career by day is working as an Ad Designer/Production Coordinator for Maximum Capacity Media. Her time is spent "Living a simple life in a land between two rivers, in a cabin, by a Lake" as her artistic and curious nature brings surprise to the most ordinary of days.

Saturday February 2, 2013
~by Julie M. Stark

I made my own mozzarella cheese today. Being a cheese lover, I have yet to meet a cheese I did not like. This is a very exciting task for me. I am not going to give a step by step instruction. You can find that many places on the web. I read a lot of recipes and approached it my way. My research ended here.

Two months ago I ordered the Citric Acid, Rennet and Cheese Salt. Once it arrived I quickly bought a gallon of whole milk. The first gallon never saw its destiny as a cheese. Things came up and I never got around to starting the project and it spoiled.

Today is the day! First delay, the milk needed to be room temperature. Well room temperature here is barely over 60 degrees so I thought that it will not take too long and I set it out. An hour later I pour the gallon of milk into the stainless steel pan. I add the 3/4 cup of water with the citric acid dissolved in it and started a low heat to get the mixture to 95 degrees, stirring constantly. Apparently a cheese making thermometer is a better idea then the candy thermometer that I used, Candies need to be heated much higher then a cheese. 95 degrees is not very hot.

curds and whey

Once I reached the desire temperature the eight drops of rennet was added stirred in, fire off and cover on for 15 minutes. Every five minutes I peeked in to see what was happening, wondering if I should be peeking. "What if you're not supposed too be peeking", I ask myself. 

I was excited to see some yellowing on the side and glossing on the top. At the 15 minute mark I plunged my finger into the pot to see if it would come out clean. A quick squeal, “Its working!” 

Whey is milk with the fats and solids pulled out (the solids are now curds for the cheese). Milk contains two types of protein – casein and whey proteins.  Most of the casein ends up in your cheese and most of the whey protein ends up in the whey.

colander lined with cheesecloth

captured solids

 I have yet to realize the whey has its uses. It could have been used in the bread rising and as a liquid in the French onion soup in the oven.  I give it a few more minutes and run a sharp knife through the mixture to cut up the solids. It seems that I am ruining it, then with a slotted spoon I start to scoop it out into a colander lined with a cheese cloth to capture as much solids as I can. It seems soupy. I don’t know if it is right or wrong but just keep scooping and straining the solids. Once separated I have a quart of solids and 3 quarts of liquid. The solids are still weeping liquid so I keep straining and kneading with the spoon. 

seems soupy

I get my hands in a few times and taste... 

    Yummy, but it is still too soon!

    Now, one minute in the microwave     extracts more liquid  and I add the cheese salt and continue kneading with the spoon. Hands are back in and know I taste with the salt added .... heavenly texture and flavor!  Four or 5 20 second visits in the microwave and constant kneading and I have a moldable hunk of Mozzarella cheese. I rolled 5 small cheese balls and set them in cold water outdoors in the snow to set up. The rest I dropped into a small plastic storage container and let set in the fridge. An hour later I unveil the finished product!

One pound of Mozzarella Cheese. We all know whats next....a homemade Pizza with

Julie’s Own Mozzarella!

extracting liquids

moldable hunk

Finished Product

Show Stopper Cake

You are in for a treat!
from:
Darcy's Delicious Dinners

    We have the recipe thanks to  Annies Eats!

Tuxedo Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups water

1 cup canola oil

4 cups sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:

4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream

1¼ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

For the chocolate topping:

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup light corn syrup                                                                                                    

2 tsp. vanilla extract                                                                                              

Directions:

To make the cake layers, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line three 9-inch round cake pans (or two 10-inch round cake pans) with parchment paper.  Butter and flour the inside edges of the pan, shaking out the excess flour.  

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, water and canola oil; heat until the butter is melted.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and flour; whisk to blend.  Pour the melted butter mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the buttermilk.  Add the baking soda, salt and vanilla to the bowl and whisk just until incorporated.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of each cake layer and invert onto a wire cooling rack.  Allow the cake layers to cool completely before frosting, at least 2 hours.

To make the frosting, add the heavy cream to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  Add the powdered sugar and continue to whip until thoroughly combined and stiff peaks form.  Be careful not to over-beat!

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cake platter and spread a layer of the whipped cream frosting over the top.  Top with a second cake layer, more frosting (and the third cake layer, if using).  Frost the top and sides of the assembled cake.  Refrigerate until the frosting has stabilized, at least 1 hour.

To make the chocolate glaze, place the chocolate in a medium bowl.  Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit 1-2 minutes.  Whisk until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.  Blend in the corn syrup and vanilla.  Pour the glaze into a pitcher or measuring cup and let cool for 10 minutes.  (Do not let the glaze cool longer or it may become difficult to pour over the cake.)  Slowly pour the glaze over the cake, ensuring that the top is covered and the glaze drips over the sides.  

Refrigerate the cake until the glaze is set and the whipped cream frosting is firm, at least 1 hour.  Slice with a long, sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between slices.  

Printed from Annie’s Eats

Now for the filling used for this special birthday cake! See recipe here --> Seedless Rasberry Filling

Visit Darcy's Delicious Dinners on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/DarcyDeliciousDinners

Photos by CherLea Productions

#TRIPSare25

My Triplets are 25 years old - a "quarter of a century"!

I started out with my first born, their Big Brother in 1983 ~ since then, the expansion of the family has not stopped!  More and more are coming into the circle as the years go by and the chapters change..... this whole family thing is about to snowball!

So now to look back ~ wow!

They still love each other, but maybe they don't hug as much as they used to....

They used to HAVE TO hold hands, every time we went somewhere, every time they crossed the street!      It was how I could make sure we all stayed together.  I think they are relieved they no longer have to hold hands!

Their big brother was 41/2 when they were born.  As they grew, he was always trying to teach them stuff.  They did not always cooperate, but at times, he caught their attention!  It was like he had his very own classroom to experiment with.

Dezi is still at the pool as Director of a huge Aquatic Center since graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration.  She insists that she is only happy when the smell of chlorine surrounds her!

Joey still loves cooking and  is a Cook for the Holiday Retirement Facility nearby.  He often cooks for as many as 80 people at a time!

Cassie pursued her love for writing with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Literary Journalism only to find her passions in Education.  She now works with children with autism and recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Applied Behavoiral Analysis.

Their Big Brother, Jeremy, is serving in the US Army and has served one tour in Iraq.

He still teaches them stuff but sometimes they teach him stuff!

The day the Triplets were born changed a lot of things for a lot of us.  Our family doubled in size over night!  It's been a wild ride with tons of fun and lots of craziness.  I hope for nothing less in the years to come!

New Year

It's New Years Eve and the evening finds me hopeful.

So far my lineup for the year includes my best friend having complicated surgery, my son's overseas deployment and two daughters planning weddings for Fall!  That's not including all the stuff that I do not know about yet!  My prediction?  That 2013 will be eventful beyond many years I have lived so far.

The end of 2012 brought me reunions with 2 special friends from days gone by.  The years fall away when a reunion of this type takes place. Yes, I am hopeful that the loves and the happy surprises will outweigh the losses, challenges and disappointments.

Tonight, our plans with friends were sadly canceled due to illness - then the sun was setting up and I grabbed the camera and took a short drive up Clements Road in Lodi, California.  This, the last sunset of 2012!

Happy New Year!

Springerle For Christmas

Most families have at least one special Christmas tradition, many that evolve through the years.  My own family had several, but the one that stands out most, and continues to this day, is the baking and mailing of the German Springerle Cookies.
  

This is a 2 day process and not conducive to today's working families and busy lifestyles.  Yet each year, magically, someone manages to pull this off to make the familiar happen for the whole family.  This year, the next generation stepped up!

Notes form Laura:

Some of the best recipes begin with the fewest ingredients. One of my favorites is a family tradition passed down many generations...German Springerle Cookies taught to me by my Gammy and Gampy. Last year my Auntie Susie entrusted this years' family batch to me. :)
  
They take about 10-12 hours to make and you have to order two ingredients online. I have already called Gammy & Gampy three times to make sure I am getting it right. Gampy told me that of anyone he has taught, I seemed to just 'get it' right away. That is saying a LOT, because I reserve baking for the grocery store! It must be in my genes.

Also, you will need a Springerle roller. This is a Springerle roller. Basically you roll the dough between 1/4 inch guides...then you roll over it to get the 3D pictures onto the cookies. 

Once the long drying process is over...only one more hour till baking starts. Then I start all over tomorrow! Hartshorn (ammonia carbonate) is the leavening agent used in these cookies to keep the shape of the designs from the Springerle roller. It gives off a very strong odor during baking when it is released from the cookies. Combined with the strong anise oil, Springerle cookies have a very characteristic flavor.

"These traditional German cookies are in the Leonhardt DNA." ~ Lynn (Leonhardt) Laura's Mom

This video show's Ray Leonhardt and his daughter, Lynn making Springerle in 2008.

Springerle (Enhanced) from CherLea Productions on Vimeo.

Company Sweet Potatoes

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, a most talked about side-dish in salons and bridge club luncheons is what to do with the Sweet Potatoes. To bake or mash, marshmallows or not? light or yams?  

This is my own recipe for "Company Sweet Potatoes", we have it often and throughout the year!

Peel and slice 2 Sweet Potatoes (we like the light ones) and one Onion

Alternate in a buttered Pyrex pie plate or 10 x 14 pan (double the  recipe and place in rows or layers)

Mix 1/4 cup heavy cream & 1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup (pour over all)

Top with French Fried Onions & fresh ground Black Pepper

475 degrees BAKE ~ 45 minutes

Set the table extra pretty this year. 

Happy Thanksgiving!