Wow ~ My Cousin Makes Dandelion Jelly

Making and Preserving Jelly from Flowers 

Summer months are behind us now and there is a push to get as much of the bounty "put up" as possible.
Home Canning is an age old practice that is once again gaining popularity with recent findings of plastic lined cans leaching toxins into our diets.  Home canning in glass jars assures us of our own food safety and control over what we consume and choose serve our families.

My cousin, Renee Brakemeyer makes Jelly from Flowers!  ~ seriously!

Here is her recipe for "Dandelion Jelly" (She combined 2 different recipes for this tried an true version).

Photo by Renee Brakemeyer

DANDELION JELLY

200 Dandelions
4 cups Water
5.5 cups Sugar
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 packages Pectin

Instructions:
Discard stems and remove petals from flower.
Add petals to water and boil for about 4 minutes.
 Strain petals through several layers of cheesecloth and reserve 3 cups of the liquid.
Add to the liquid: sugar and lemon juice into a large saucepan.
Heat and add 2 packages liquid Certo Pectin and boil for 2 minutes. Hard boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and ladle into jars and process according to canning instructions.
Tip: (This foams a lot even if you add a tablespoon of butter so use a large pot so it doesn't splash over.)


QUEEN ANNE'S LACE JELLY

Photo by Renee Brakemeyer

Word of caution:
First make sure they are Queen Anne's flowers,  "Hemlock" looks similar - but it is poisonous!

(check out some photos of both here.)

Boil 4 cups water and add 2 cups packed flowers
Remove from heat and let steep for 2 hours
Mix 3 cups of the infusion with 1/4 cup lemon juice and 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bring to a full boil.
Add 2 packages liquid Certo Pectin and boil for 2 minutes.
Fill jars and process according to canning instructions.

So many instructions and ideas are available on Pinterest and YouTube to help with tips and techniques.  Make sure you properly research your methods if you are new to canning.  First time canning?  I recommend you can with an experienced and practiced partner - and take notes!

Update June 8, 2014

She is at it again!  More jellies so I am sharing her pictures.  Such talent!

Mint Jelly

Honeysuckle Jelly

Turning the Page...

It has been more than 40 years since my 16-year-old self walked into Westgate Beauty College knowing little of what to expect. I was hoping that, just maybe, a Cosmetology License would be the means I needed to support myself as a soon-to-be-adult.  I was ready to venture on my own at age 18!  Sixteen hundred hours was the course requirement for completion. My plan was to finish high school as well. 

Age 17, I was a High School graduate in January and had obtained my Cosmetology license in May, same year.  I moved out of my parent's home in September, the month of my 18th birthday.

How could I know then, that the industry would serve me well for over 40 years?

 Standing at a new gateway of life, changes are in the air.  Excitement fills my heart and a new chapter begins. I will no longer stand behind the hairdressers chair and look at my clients in the mirror, a role that has become comfortable for me. No longer will clients come through the front door bringing with them their own life's circumstances and observations to be discussed, explained or just silently understood.  The days ahead will be different for me, no doubt. I will no longer be included in salon community discussions of the news headlines or the latest gossip of some noteworthy celebrity.  Small town events will not be reported to me on a daily basis. I will miss it all... the sharing of thoughts, emotions and especially the laughter!

My years as a hairdresser taught me skills that spurred me to begin a new career five years ago.  The professional intimacy that I discovered in the field of hairstyling has given me glimpses of wisdom beyond my own years and experiences.  I learned sometime back, that if a client was 80 plus in age, it was cause to notice and listen in a different way than I listen to everyone else.  After all, we all hope to make it there someday...  It is with the courage that I learned from these very wise and wonderful clients that I tackle new career challenges. I have learned from them, "it's never too late".

The days of years gone by in the Salon held surprise no matter how well laid out the appointment book predicted.  Even on the days when appointments did not change, what took place in a day was not even predictable!  I loved that! I was never bored!

As I helped each of my clients look into the mirror and discover their own images, I helped them learn to see the positive, and I know they have helped me with the same.  I still cannot figure out why we tend to be so hard on ourselves, or why we need someone else to point out the beauty within ourselves... I will die trying to understand that one!

I learned so much through these years in the hairstyling industry.  The client/professional relationship melted into touching friendships. We saw each other through happy celebrations and tearful sharing of tragedies.  One thing I learned, whenever I judge a circumstance or person's action, there is usually a piece of the story I did not know.  The meaning of this?  My judgments may certainly be inaccurate!

Now it is time for me to turn the page, embrace the change and purposely rock my own comfort zone!  Will I miss the days, routines, creative outlets and the relationships?  You betcha!  Nevertheless, I will also, thankfully take all of these encounters and experiences with me as I test the waters of my own uncharted territories. It is the path behind that lays a solid foundation for the road ahead. I have many to thank for that!

My confidence is high and I thank co-workers and clients of many years for the part you have played in where I am today.  My heart is full and my wishes for us all to carry on, living life to the fullest and knowing just how wonderful and beneficial the days were that we leave behind us now.

Thank you to those who stepped in and showed me the ways of choices, dreams and loves ~ life's treasures for sure!

I say goodbye to these days, as we know them and fearlessly look for new moments to take place, as they will.  Trusting that these changes will bring about the best of circumstances is Hope, but trusting the outcome as it will be is Faith. 

To my Clients and Salon Business Associates:  I bid you farewell with my heart full of gratitude for every facet of every encounter that has led us to this place in time.  I hope to see you in the days ahead. 

My prayer will always be for your continuance wrapped in the Very Finest Moments Life can Offer. ~ Cheri

Bike Riding

I love my bike!

You might have read what I wrote about riding my bike in this blog post titled "Second Chances".  Add trail riding to everything that I said before!  The mountain trails are exhilarating and so scenic!

We just got back from trying portions of 3 trails in Northern California.  I can use a lot of words and descriptions in this post about why this is so fun for me - but, better, c'mon and see this video.

(The most fun rides do require two hands on the handlebars and paying close attention to every rock and bump on the trail, so the video cannot show this with my current camera setup.)

 

Pancakes

Of all the little luxuries that await us in life, many are but an ordinary substance - yet it will transform the mundane moment into something special.  I am talking about pancakes here, a breakfast regular, a staple, an expectation on every breakfast menu.  Serving "pancakes" is about something special.  A treat saved for when company comes, or an indulgence if fixed for one person.

I was invited to join a Pinterest Board called "Culling Frugal Luxuries"  I contemplated that title for some time.  Pancakes!  Making pancakes is "culling frugal luxuries"!  I remember as children, we used to beg visitors to stay overnight because we knew our Mom would make pancakes in the morning if they did!  While visiting a dear friend we immediately started planning what we will do together upon my arrival... lunch out, shopping. ... And in the morning... we will make PANCAKES!  And, oh the smell of pancakes on a camp out in the woods!  The butter, the syrup, it's an experience to savor!

 

Pancake mixes seem a little silly to me, a few simple ingredients is all one needs to make them for scratch.  Eggs, milk, flour, leavening, oil and a bit of sugar or honey.  Healthy diets can be adhered to by using whole grains and egg whites.  Substitutions of bananas for the eggs, and almond milk for cow's milk can take the pancake totally non-diary.

Yeast pancakes, blueberry pancakes, whole wheat and oatmeal pancakes - I never get bored of the variations and recipes! (I have learned to eat just one.)  The rest I bake up, put wax paper in-between each once they have cooled, then freeze in a storage bag.  They are ready to take out one by one and stick into the toaster on a moents notice.

Yep, you can be "special" everyday!

My recipes vary as I take on the creation of just the right texture and flavors. Here is my latest creation -

1c. all-purpose flour

1c. white whole wheat four

1c. old fashioned Oats

2t. Baking Powder

1t. Baking Soda

3T. pure Maple Syrup (or sugar)

3T. butter melted (subs. Coconut Oil)

2c. Buttermilk (or Almond Milk + 2T. Lemon Juice)

2 eggs (or 3 mashed bananas)

1/3c. water

1/4 t. Cardamom

1t. grated Orange Zest

Add a cup of fresh or frozen Blueberries to the batter (optional)

Just mix it all up with a wire wisk and pour dripping ladles full onto a prepared and preheated griddle. Flip.

You know the rest!

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

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Photos by CherLea Productions