Pumpkins.. seed recipes.. not just for Jack o'Lanterns

Pumpkin Seeds

How to Roast the Perfect Pumpkin Seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons light olive oil

dab of unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

 

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.  Toss the pumpkin seeds with the olive oil. spread on a nonstick baking sheet, and roast for 12 to 14 minutes.  Toss the hot seeds with a dab of butter and the salt, stirring to coat, and then allow to cool (you can add cumin, curry or your favorite seasoning)

 

 

 

 

 

(sexy girl picture for Doug... there you happy now???)

 

 

Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

1 egg white

1/4 cup natural cane sugar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt

1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

 

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the egg white, sugar, cayenne and salt. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss well. Drain off any excess egg white (using a strainer) and place seeds in a single layer across a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until seeds are golden. Sprinkle with a bit more sugar and cayenne pepper when they come out of the oven. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Makes one cup.

 

Curried Pumpkin Seeds

1 egg white

2 teaspoon curry powder

scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt

1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

 

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the egg white, curry powder and salt. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss well. Drain off any excess egg white (using a strainer) and place seeds in a single layer across a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until seeds are golden. Sprinkle with a bit more curry powder when they come out of the oven. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Makes one cup.

 

Black Tea & Butter Pumpkin Seeds

You can use many different types of tea here. I opted for a smoky black one, but you can go for one infused with other flavors, or even tisanes (I have a dried lime tea that I be would be interesting in this recipe). Choose a tea that is fragrant and has a pronounced flavor for best results.

 

1 teaspoon (black) tea

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt

1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

 

Preheat oven to 375.

Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the tea into a fine powder. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the butter and salt. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss well. Place seeds in a single layer across a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until seeds are golden. Sprinkle with the ground tea. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Makes one cup.

 

 

 

Savory Pumpkin Seeds

 

 

2 cups fresh pumpkin seeds

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

• Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with foil and grease the foil. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients; spread into prepared pan. Bake at 250° for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Increase heat to 325°. Bake 5 minutes longer or until seeds are dry and lightly browned. Serve warm, or cool before storing in an airtight container.

 

 

 

 

Skillet Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

 

Rinse pumpkin seeds. Use your fingers to remove all the pulp. Drain pumpkin seeds and discard pulp. Spread out on a cookie sheet to dry overnight.

 

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed, dry skillet over medium heat. pumpkin seeds. Shake and stir the seeds constantly as they are toasting to prevent burning.

 

When the pumpkin seeds begin to get golden, start to pop open, and release their aroma, they are done.

 

Sprinkle hot toasted pumpkin seeds with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, or your choice of seasonings. Toss to coat.

 

Cool pumpkin seeds before eating or storing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 months or refrigerate up to 1 year.

 

If you like your toasted pumpkin seeds extra-salty, soak overnight in a solution of 1/4 cup salt to 2 cups of water. Dry an additional day, then proceed as above

 

 

One morning, while frying some bacon for breakfast I glanced at the bowl of seeds that had been soaking in salt-water, over-night, and wondered about flavored sunflower seeds. I drained the grease from the pan and threw a handful of the sunflower seeds into it. I took my bacon-flavored sunflower seeds into work with me, and they were a hit.

 

 

 

The pumpkin fruit, in general, is grown as a field vegetable crop; and its seeds, nevertheless, are used as food and to extract useful pumpkin seed oil. In fact, in some parts of central Europe (Styrian province in Austria, Slovenia and Hungary), it is cultivated as a major oil-seed crop at a commercial scale.

Generally, the pumpkin fruit is allowed to mature completely in order to obtain good-quality seeds. Each fruit contains up to 500 cream-white husky seeds located at its central hollow cavity interspersed in between net like mucilaginous fibers. The seeds are semi-flat, have a typical oval shape with a conical tip. Inside, the edible kernel has olive-green color. The kernels have sweet, creamy nutty flavor enjoyed in deserts, as a snack, in savory dishes, etc. In Central America, hulled and roasted pumpkin seeds known as Pepita.

 

 

  

 

Health benefits of pumpkin seeds

• Crunchy, delicious pumpkin seeds are high in calories, about 559 calories per 100 g. In addition; they are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and numerous health promoting antioxidants.
• Their high caloric content mainly comes from protein and fats. On the positive side, the nuts are especially rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) like oleic acid(18:1) that helps lower bad LDL cholesterol and increases good HDL cholesterol in the blood. Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet, which is liberal in monounsaturated fatty acids help to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.
• The seeds contain good-quality protein. 100 g seeds provide 30 g or 54% of recommended daily allowance. In addition, the seeds are an excellent source of amino acid tryptophan and glutamate. Tryptophan is converted into serotonin and niacin. Serotonin is a beneficial neuro-chemical often labeled as nature's sleeping pill.Further, tryptophan is a precursor of B-complex vitamin, niacin (60 mg of tryptophan = 1mg niacin).
• Glutamate is required in the synthesis of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA, an anti-stress neurochemical in the brain, helps reducing anxiety, nervous irritability, and other neurotic conditions.
• Pumpkin seeds are a very good source of anti-oxidant vitamin E; contain about 35.10 mg of tocopherol-gamma per 100 g (about 237% of RDA). Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant. It prevents tissue cells from the free radical mediated oxidant injury. Thus, it helps maintain the integrity of mucus membranes and skin by protecting from harmful oxygen-free radicals.
• Pumpkin kernels are an also excellent source of B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) and folates. These vitamins work as co-factors for various enzymes during cellular substrate metabolism in the human body. In addition, niacin helps to reduce LDL-cholesterol levels in the blood. Along with glutamate, it enhances GABA activity inside the brain, which in turn reduces anxiety and neurosis.
• Furthermore, its seeds contain very good levels of essential minerals like copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Just as in pine nuts, pumpkin seeds too are very rich in manganese (provide 4543 mg per 100 g, about 198% of daily-recommended intake). Manganese is an all-important co-factor for antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. It is therefore, consumption of pumpkin kernels helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.

 

 

 

Medicinal values of pumpkin seeds.

• Research studies suggest that pumpkin seed to have DHEA (Di hydro epi-androstenedione) blocking actions. Thus, it cuts the risk of prostate and ovarian cancers.
• In addition, experimental studies suggest that certain phytochemical compounds in pumpkin seed oil may have a role in prevention of diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease).

 

Culinary uses

Whole as well as hulled pumpkin kernels are used in variety of recipes worldwide.

Here are some serving tips:

 

• Raw kernels can be enjoyed as healthy snacks. Whole seeds can equally be enjoyable when roasted.
• In addition, the kernels can be salted or sweetened. In Mexico, the seeds are usually toasted and flavored with salt, lime, or chili pepper, and eaten as snacks.
• Pumpkin seeds are one of the ingredients in the Mexican mole sauce.
• Just like other nuts and seeds, they can also be used in granolas, biscuits, breads, cookies, casseroles or baked goods.
• The seeds also used in salads especially sprinkled over fruit/vegetable salads.
• You may add them to desserts, particularly sundaes and other confectionary.
• The seeds are frequently added to enrich in meat, poultry, rice, and vegetable dishes.
• Pumpkin seed oil is used in salad dressing as well as in cooking. In Austrian-Styria, the oil is mostly used to add to soups and salad dressings along with vinegar, salt and minced garlic.

 

Safety profile

Unlike tree nut's allergy, it is rare to find true pumpkin-seeds allergy incidences. However, in known sensitive persons a few allergic symptoms may appear due to antigenic cross-reactions with some other nuts, seeds and fruits, especially of Anacardiaceae family such as mango,cashew nuts, pistachio,etc. Persons with previous history of allergic-reactions to these seeds, and nuts may therefore need to observe caution. (Medical disclaimer).

 

 

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking sheet

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds, rinsed well, dried, and toasted

 

Directions

1. Butter an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar and honey. Bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until mixture is medium amber and a candy thermometer registers 280 degrees, about 6 minutes. Stir in pumpkin seeds. Cook until mixture reaches 300 degrees, about 2 minutes. Pour onto prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely. Break into pieces.

 

  

  

Pumpkin Seed Trail Mix

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 cup large unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup whole almonds (toasted)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup candied ginger (cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine pumpkin seeds and olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with coarse salt. Toss to combine. Spread in a single layer. Toast, stirring halfway through, until golden, about 8 minutes
2. Place toasted pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, almonds, dried cranberries, and candied ginger in a bowl. Mix to combine. Divide among jars, containers, or bags.

Cook's Note

Trail mix can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

More Apple Recipes... The Pick of the Crop

 

Ever since Eve gave Adam the apple, there has been a misunderstanding between the sexes about gifts

all my love for you..always

Apples, apples and more apples!!  We love apples!! Does anything taste bad made with apples???  Don't think so!!  They may not keep the doctoe away, but they will make your tummy happy!!

One of our most versatile fruits, apples are delicious eaten fresh, used in salads, or baked in desserts, and they go nicely with meats like chicken, veal and pork and vegetables like cabbage and sweet potatoes.

Many recipes call for baking or tart apples. Apples particularly good for baking include Cortland, Rome, Winesap and Northern Spy. Tart varieties include Granny Smith, Rhode Island Greening and McIntosh. Sweet varieties, especially good for eating out of hand, include Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala and York Imperial. For pies, Golden Delicious keep their shape better than most, while Granny Smith will become mushy if used alone. Use a combination of sweet and tart varieties for best results.

Store fresh apples in a cool, dark place or refrigerate in a plastic bag; they will keep longer if they aren't touching each other in storage. To keep chopped or sliced apples from darkening, toss with a little lemon or orange juice.

Interesting facts:

The crabapple is the only apple native to North America.

Apples come in all shades of reds, greens, and yellows.

Two pounds of apples make one 9-inch pie.

100 varieties of apples are grown commercially in the United States.

Apples are grown commercially in 36 states.

Apples are grown in all 50 states.

Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free.

A medium apple is about 80 calories.

Apples are a great source of the fiber pectin. One apple has five grams of fiber.

Apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruit.

Apple varieties range in size from a little larger than a cherry to as large as a grapefruit.

Apples are the second most valuable fruit grown in the United States. Oranges are first.

Here is a recipe that combines apples and MY FAVORITE FOOD!!  And apples and bacon, Doug's favorite food!!

Apple-Jack Chicken Pizza with Caramelized Onions


3 tablespoons butter
2 large sweet onions (such as Maui or Walla Walla), very thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust
(any pizza crust will do)
1 unpeeled large Red Delicious apple, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
6-8 slices of bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
2 medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese (6 oz)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)

In 12-inch skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add sweet onions and thyme; cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove onions from skillet; set aside.

2 Heat oven to 425°F. Spray large cookie sheet with  No-Stick Cooking Spray. Unroll pizza crust dough on cookie sheet; press dough into 14x10-inch rectangle. Bake 7 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.

3 Meanwhile, in same skillet, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add apple and sugar; cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar is melted and apple is slightly soft.

 

4 Spread onion mixture over partially baked crust. Top evenly with chicken, apple mixture, bacon, green onions and cheeses.

 

5 Bake 10 to 20 minutes longer or until cheeses are melted and crust is golden brown.

Crockpot Apple−Glazed Roast Pork

· 4 pounds Pork loin roast
· 6 each Apples
· 1/4 cup Apple juice
· 3 tablespoons Sugar, brown
· 1 teaspoon Ginger, ground


Rub roast with salt and pepper. Brown pork roast under broiler to remove
excess fat; drain well. Core and quarter apples. Place apple quarters in
bottom of crockpot. Place roast on top of apples. Combine apple juice, brown
sugar, and ginger. Spoon over top surface of roast, moistening well. Cover
and cook on Low 10−12 hours, until done.

 

Apple Pork Chops


2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 sliced onions
4 pork chops
1 bottle of light-colored beer
4 cups of water
4 Tablespoons sugar
4 whole cloves
4 Washington apples; cored and cut in wedges. Golden Delicious, Fuji or Cameo are recommended
salt and pepper to taste

1) In a large fry pan, heat oil over medium heat and saute onions lightly until soft. Remove onions from pan and set aside.
In the same pan, add the pork chops. Cover with beer and cook over low heat until the liquid evaporates.
2) In a medium sauce pan, boil 2 cups of water. Add sugar, cloves and apples. Let them cook until it boils and apples start to soften. Remove from heat.
Season pork chops with salt and pepper and grill over medium for 2 minutes per side.
To serve, arrange apple wedges on a plate, top with pork chops, and then top with onions.

 

Pork Apple Mini Burgers

These bite-sized, moist and flavourful patties are packed with tender pork, delicate seasonings, freshly grated Cameo apple and sweet plum sauce. A winner on mini brioche buns topped with lettuce.

1 tbsp olive oil 1 cup minced onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb extra lean ground pork 1 cup grated Cameo apples 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs 1/4 cup spicy plum sauce 1/2 tsp each salt, pepper, ground ginger 1) In skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook onion, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute. Remove from heat and let cool. 2) In bowl, stir together pork, grated apple, bread crumbs, plum sauce, salt, pepper, ginger and cooked onion and garlic mixture until well combined. Using 1/4 cup (50 mL) at a time, form into patties, 1/2 inch (1.75 cm) thick. 3) In non-stick skillet, brown patties on both sides until no longer pink in the centre, about 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately. Apple-Walnut Chicken Bake 1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stuffing Mix (or your own stuffing) 1 large apple, chopped 1 cup Walnut Pieces, toasted 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup KRAFT Honey Dijon Dressing, divided 6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.) 1/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese   HEAT oven to 375ºF. PREPARE stuffing in large saucepan as directed on package. Add apples, nuts, raisins and 1/4 cup dressing; mix lightly. SPOON into 13x9-inch baking dish; top with chicken. Brush chicken with remaining dressing. Cover loosely with foil. BAKE 35 min. Top chicken with cheese; bake 10 to 15 min. or until chicken is done     Substitute dried cranberries for the raisins.

Cider, Hard Cider & Applejack..that will be the apple of your eye

What’s the difference between apple juice & apple cider?

You might be surprised to learn that apple juice and apple cider are technically the same - they are both 100% juice from the apple. Some apple juice manufacturers also use processes to clarify the juice, resulting in a clear appearance. In fact, the greatest volume of apple juice sold in the United States is clarified apple juice.

Cider is a broad term that is often used to refer to a number of different products (apple cider, sweet cider, hard cider and so on). For example, in the United States, the word cider refers to the freshly expressed juice of the apple. In England and Australia, the word is used to describe fermented juice, which Americans actually call hard cider. When cider is allowed to ferment or partially ferment, it has distinct characteristics that many have come to recognize - including tart taste and dark, cloudy appearance.

Whether choosing apple juice or apple cider, consumers are recommended to select shelf-stable, frozen or other fruit juices and ciders that have been pasteurized or appropriately heat-treated for safety. If a juice or cider has not been pasteurized, the Food and Drug Administration requires that it be labeled as such to inform consumers.

Keep in mind, the shelf-stable and frozen apple juices found in your grocery store are pasteurized or otherwise heat-treated (unless they contain the unpasteurized label required by the FDA) and may even carry the label "apple cider" during certain times of the year! It all depends on whether the term cider has more appeal in a particular market area.

Here are some simple instructions for making your very own batch of apple cider.

 
Equipment
You probably already have most of the equipment you'll need to make apple cider lying around the kitchen. First up: a sharp knife. It's also helpful to have an apple corer, though this isn't mandatory. It will just make things apple easier. You'll also need a blender or a food processor, some cheesecloth, and a container to store the cider in. Voila, that's your equipment list.

Choosing Your Apples

Most commercial apple ciders are made from a variety of different apples. Red Delicious and Fuji make for a sweeter cider, while Granny Smith and Macintosh are tart. When making your own, you can mix it up as you like, or stick to your favorite kind. If you do decide to combine varieties, try to get a mix of red, green and gold for maximum flavor combinations. Cider tastes best when its made from freshly picked apples, so if you don't live near an orchard where you can pick your own, it's worth a visit to your local farmer's market. You want to use the healthiest apples, so avoid ones that are battered and bruised. It takes about 36 apples to make one gallon of apple cider.


Making Apple Cider

Before you start, be sure to wash all of the apples thoroughly. This is especially important if you buy nonorganic apples because you'll want to make sure they're clean of any pesticides. But even if you buy organic, you should give them a rinse to make sure they don't have any dirt that will end up in the final product. Next, you'll want to core the apples. If you don't have an apple corer, you can cut the apple in half and carve out the center of each half. Next, slice the apples into quarters and puree them, peel and all, in the blender or food processor. Keep them whirling until they're finely ground. The finer the pulp, the more juice you'll be able to extract. Now comes the fun part. Spread the cheesecloth over a container of your choice, and pour the pulp into the cloth. The cheesecloth acts as a strainer, so the juice filters through the cloth and the pulp stays put. You'll need to give it some good squeezes to get out all the juice. You can experiment with different spices to add to the flavor. Cloves, nutmeg, lemon peel and ginger are all complementary flavors that can be added to taste, or pop a cinnamon stick in for some holiday flair. If you want to make it a hard cider, add a little rum and brown sugar. If you store it in a container with an airtight lid in the refrigerator, your cider should keep for about seven days. Or, you can keep it for up to three weeks if you pasteurize it by heating it to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees. Celsius). But of course, it will always taste best right out of the strainer.

Mulled Cider

Warm up during wintertime with this deliciously spiced mix made by boiling apple cider with cinnamon sticks, cloves and strips of orange peel. Dress up each mug with a cinnamon stick and orange slice.

Recipe Ingredients

 10 cups (2 1/2 qts) apple cider
3 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
3 strips orange peel, removed with a vegetable peeler
Garnish: orange slices and cinnamon sticks
Recipe Preparation
1. Bring cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peel to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 25 to 35 minutes.
2. Line a strainer with cheesecloth or a plain white paper towel. Set strainer over a large clean saucepan; strain cider mixture into pan. Ladle into mugs. (May be refrigerated up to 2 days, then reheated.)

Recipe Variations

If you’re looking for a little variety in your apple cider, embellish the above recipe with various combinations of spices, fruits and liquors.


Nutmeg and Cardamom Spiced Apple Cider
Add 10 cardamom pods and 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg to the cider and other ingredients before bringing to a boil.


Gingery Pineapple Cider
Add a 1 1/2in. piece of fresh ginger—peeled and thinly sliced—to cider, orange peel and spices before bringing to a boil. Ladle into mugs or glasses and serve with a piece of fresh pineapple.


Hot Toddy
Add 2 Tbsp (1 oz) brandy or spiced rum to mugs or serving glasses before adding the mulled cider.

Handy Tips
1. Utilize your slow cooker. Using a slow cooker to make cider not only cuts down on the cleanup, but will keep it warm while guests mingle. Just follow the steps above, but substitute the large pot with a slow cooker and let guests refill their mugs straight from the cooker using a large ladle.
2. Make a sachet. If you want to add a touch of flair, create a sachet to go with the cider. Put the mulling spices on a piece of square cheesecloth and tie together with twine—the DIY creation will act as a tea bag. Another plus? You can give it as an adorable holiday gift, too.

Perfect Food Pairings
Cider can be paired with just about anything, but certain foods bring out the sweet flavor even more. Serve one of these festive eats—from casseroles to pies—at your party.

Caramel Apple Cider1 gallon apple cider
6 cinnamon sticks
1(10 ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping
1 (14 ounce) can whipped topping

In slow cooker, combine cider and cinnamon sticks. Cover. Cook on low 2 to 4 hours. In each mug, add 1 tablespoon caramel topping. Add cider.Mix well. Top each with whipped topping. Drizzle caramel topping over top. Makes 15 servings.

Red Hot Cider Recipe

Yields one cocktail

Ingredients:
25 g sugar
2 oz Apple Jack
4 oz Apple Cider
1/4 oz Lemon Juice
Pinch of Salt

Instructions:
Add a pinch of salt to the Apple Cider. In a saucepan, caramelize the sugar on medium heat until it becomes as amber color. Add the Apple Jack to the pan (be careful. There will be a huge flame). Douse the flames with the Apple Cider. Add the lemon juice. Take off the burner. Serve.

Apple Jack

If you put a bucket of your hard cider outside, let it freeze, remove the ice hunk and repeat the process you get "Apple Jack" I read from a retired farmer. An apple spirit through "reverse distillation." I've never had the chance to try it.

Hard cider is cider that has been fermented so it is carbonated and alcoholic - along the lines of beer. Most often it is shelved alongside beer in markets.An excellent recipe to make your own hard cider  This recipe came from Mother Earth News.

Find the Ingredients

Choose Your Juice. The best hard cider is made from sweet apple cider fresh from the cider press — whether your own, or a local cider mill’s. If you’re buying sweet cider, start by checking the label to be sure the cider doesn’t contain chemical preservatives, because these will kill your yeast and your cider will not ferment. (The cider is chemically preserved if sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate are listed on the label.) Your best bet for preservative-free cider is to buy it in season from a local orchard. In a pinch, you can also make hard cider with grocery store apple juice, as long as it doesn’t have preservatives.
Also, be aware that most commercial cidermakers are required to pasteurize their cider, and the process they use will affect the flavor. Preferably, your sweet cider should be “cold pasteurized,” which kills microorganisms with ultraviolet light. The usual method of pasteurization kills microorganisms with heat, which affects the flavor of the juice. If you’re not sure which method a local cider mill uses, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Choose Your Yeast. A variety of dry and liquid brewing yeasts will do the trick, and you can find them online or from homebrew stores. Although you can buy specialized liquid yeast packs for fermenting cider, dry wine yeasts do an excellent job and are much cheaper. (You can get a pack for less than a dollar.)

Make a Starter. The day before you brew your cider, make a starter. This step is optional, but it ensures that your yeast is proofed (i.e., alive) and will start fermenting your cider right away. To make a starter, open the bottle of preservative-free apple juice and pour out a few ounces. Pour the contents of one yeast packet into the bottle, reseal it and shake for a few seconds. Within five or six hours, you should see a bit of bubbling within the bottle. Once you do, release the pressure within the bottle, reseal it and put it in the refrigerator. Get it out a couple of hours before you brew.

Start Brewing

On brewing day, pour your cider into the brewpot and simmer it over medium heat for about 45 minutes. This will kill most of the wild yeasts and bacteria in the cider. Bolder cidermakers will forgo this step by pouring the sweet cider directly into a plastic bucket and then pitching in the yeast. If you follow this strategy, wild strains of yeast will still be in the sweet cider when it begins fermenting. This will alter the flavor of the cider. (It may or may not improve it.) If you do heat the cider, don’t let it boil! Boiling causes pectins to set, which creates a permanently hazy beverage. While simmering the cider, you can add the optional 2 pounds of brown sugar or honey. This will boost the fermentable sugar content in your cider and up the alcohol content.

Next, pour the cider into a sanitized fermentation bucket — an unsanitized bucket may spoil the cider. To sanitize, pour a capful of bleach into your bucket, fill it with water, let it sit for a half an hour, then dump out and rinse with cold water. (You can also buy non-bleach, no-rinse sanitizers at homebrew stores.) Let the cider cool to nearly room temperature, then add your yeast — or starter, if you chose to make one. Stir the mixture for a minute or two with a clean stainless steel or plastic spoon to aerate, then seal the lid and affix the airlock. Place the bucket in a room or closet where the temperature is 60 to 75 degrees — the closer to 60 degrees, the better. Stay within this range if you can: At lower temperatures the cider won’t ferment, while higher temperatures will speed up fermentation, but may also change the flavor.
Let it Ferment. Within a day or two you should see the airlock start to bubble. The gas it’s releasing is carbon dioxide, a byproduct of the fermentation process. Congratulations, your soft cider is on its way to becoming a delicious, inebriating elixir of the gods! This bubbling should subside within two weeks, signifying an end to the primary fermentation. After that, let the cider sit another week to allow the yeast to settle out

Options For Bottling

There are a couple of different ways you can go at this point:
Option 1: Bottle the Cider Now. If you want to bottle the cider immediately, affix the rinsed food-grade tubing to the spigot on your fermentation bucket and pour the cider off into sanitized jugs or bottles. (Be gentle when moving the bucket full of cider. Sloshing can disturb the yeast sediment at the bottom of the bucket and cloud up your cider.) Seal the jugs or bottles. Let the bottled hard cider sit for another two weeks and then it will be ready to drink. Your cider will probably be “still” (i.e., not fizzy) unless you let it age for several months. Hard cider is more like wine than beer, and the flavor will improve as it ages.

Option 2: Let it Clarify. If you only use one fermenter, your cider will taste fine, but may not be perfectly clear because it will probably still have some suspended yeast. To reduce cloudiness, siphon your cider into a secondary fermenter (another food-grade bucket). Sanitize this bucket before filling it with cider. Once you’ve siphoned your cider into the secondary fermenter, put a sanitized lid and airlock on it and place it back in a dark and, preferably, cool location. A month should be ample time for the cider to clarify. After it’s aged for as long as you can stand, bottle it as above. This cider will most definitely be “still,” with no bubbles.

Option 3: Make Sparkling Cider. Regardless of whether you decide to bottle immediately or let it clarify in a secondary fermenter, if you want “sparkling” cider, you’ll have to add a couple steps at bottling time. First, boil 1 cup water with three-fourths cup honey or brown sugar. Pour this mixture into a sanitized bottling bucket (i.e., another fermentation bucket with a spigot at the bottom). Then, siphon your cider over from your fermentation bucket to the bottling bucket. The honey or brown sugar syrup and cider should mix together naturally, but stir slowly with a sanitized spoon if you feel it is necessary. Then, bottle as you would normally. You’ll have to let this sit a bit longer than the still cider, so the residual yeast will have time to ferment the sugar you added and carbonate the cider inside the bottle.

Brewing Equipment

• One 5-gallon food-grade plastic bucket with spigot, lid and airlock
• 3 to 6 feet of 5/16-inch food-grade plastic tubing
• Stainless steel or plastic spoon
• Enough half-gallon glass “growler” jugs or other bottles (including caps or corks) to store the finished cider
• Optional: Stainless steel or enameled pot
• Optional: a second 5-gallon food-grade plastic bucket with spigot, or a glass carboy

Hard Cider Ingredients

• 5 gallons of preservative-free, sweet apple cider, preferably unpasteurized
• Two packets of wine yeast (Lalvin 71B or Red Star Cote des Blancs are good choices)
• Optional for higher alcohol content: 2 pounds of brown sugar or honey
• Optional for creating a starter: one 16-ounce bottle of preservative-free, pasteurized apple juice
• Optional for sparkling cider: 3/4 cup honey or brown sugar

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Coffee Cake Recipes... you don't have to drink coffee to enjoy

    

doug and june

     As you know neither Doug not I drink coffee, we drink tea.  But we do like coffe cake, especially the following,  June does not like frosting, or anything too sweet (looks at Doug sideways).  So, I omit frosting every time, however if I am making it for family and friends, I will frost it.  These recipes are probably my favorite.  They have the important ingredients, cinnamon and sugar.  I included one with chocolate, because I want to make sure you get your minimum daily requirement of chocolate.  Read on, my litle foodies!


Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe

 

 

 

Though there’s no true “classic” style of coffee cake, this one seemed to remind us most of the coffee cake our moms used to make. A mixture of cinnamon, sugar, and nuts is ground fine and layered into a rich, buttery batter that includes a hearty hit of sour cream for a little tang.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

For the nut mixture:

• 6 ounces raw pecans (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for coating the pan
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for coating the pan
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

For the nut mixture:

1. Place the pecans in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 4 to 5 (1-second) pulses. Add the remaining ingredients and process until very fine and the texture of wet sand, about 30 seconds; set aside.

For the cake:

1. Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 9-by-9-inch metal baking pan with butter and dust with flour, tapping out the excess; set aside.
2. Sift the measured flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, letting the first completely incorporate before adding the second. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula.
4. Add the sour cream and vanilla, turn the mixer to medium speed, and continue beating until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle.
5. Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
6. Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the nut mixture. Dollop the remaining batter over the nut mixture and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining nut mixture and gently press it into the batter.
7. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick comes out dry with a few crumbs attached, about 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Bread:

 

 

 

 

 

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 eggs, cold
• 15 oz can of pure pumpkin puree
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp fresh ground cloves
• 2/3 cup warm water

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease and flour your pans, set aside. If your pans stick, line the bottoms with parchment paper.
3. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the sugar and oil.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Mix on medium-high for 1 minute until light and smooth.
5. Slowly mix in the pumpkin. Scrape the sides and mix on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.
6. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
7. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the water, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape the sides and mix on low ONLY UNTIL INCORPORATED.
8. Pour half of the batter into each pan.
9. Bake in the center rack of the oven for 55-65 minutes. Rotate 180 degrees after 30 minutes.
10. Once a toothpick comes out of the center clean, place pans on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.
11. After cooled, flip the bread out onto the wire rack and drizzle with the glaze.

Cinnamon Butter Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 4-5 tbsp milk

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar.
2. Add the butter and vanilla and whisk together. It will be clumpy at this point.
3. Add the milk 1 tbsp at a time and whisk until you reach your desired consistency.
4. Immediately drizzle over warm bread.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Morning Coffee Cake Recipe

 

 

 

 

 

Peanut Filling (see recipe below)
1 cup butter (prefer salted butter and not margarine)
2 cups granulated sugar2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt (use only if you did not use salted butter)

3 extra large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

8 ounces sour cream

 

 

 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Thoroughly butter inside of your Bundt pan. Note: I use am plastic sandwich bag over my hand to butter the pan...works every time!

 

Prepare Peanut Filling; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Sift in flour, salt, and eggs (alternating eggs with each addition). Mix the batter thoroughly at slow speed, then add the vanilla extract and sour cream. NOTE: The batter should have the texture of well stirred sour cream. If the texture is too thick, add approximately 1 to 2 tablespoon of water to get this texture.

Sprinkle approximately 1/3 of the prepared Peanut filling into the prepared bundt pan. Spoon 1/2 of the batter over the top of the Peanut Filling; smooth it out a little bit with a rubber spatula. Add the remaining Peanut Filling, then the rest of the batter. Finish by gently smoothing the batter again with your rubber spatula.

Place your filled bundt pan on a cookie sheet and place in the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 65 to 70 minutes. The cake is done when the sides shrink back slightly from the side of the pan, and when the top springs back when lightly pressed with fingertips, or when a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven and immediately turn out the cake onto your serving plate. NOTE: If you let the cake set in the pan, the Peanut Topping can adhere itself to the pan and you won’t be able to remove your cake in one piece.

 

 

Peanut Filling:

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

3 tablespoons firmly-packed brown sugar

In a small bowl, mix together the peanuts, cinnamon, cardamom, and brown sugar.

I have made this with and without this peanut filling.. Personally, I dont use nuts.  But that's just me.

 

This recipe is from Peggy Weaver of Peggy's Baking Corner. Peggy says, "For a holiday morning, I like a breakfast that is filling, easy and tasty. This is the recipe that we use. It can be put together in a jiffy and it is easy enough that the kids can make the coffee cake for you. What could be better than that?

Rich Coffee Cake Recipe
 
 

 

 
Cinnamon-pecan swirls and a chocolatey drizzle enhance this tender coffee cake.
 

 
1. 1 cup butter, softened
2. 2 cups sugar
3. 2 eggs
4. 2 cups all-purpose flour
5. 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt
7. 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
8. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

1. TOPPING:
2. 1 cup chopped pecans
3. 2 tablespoons sugar
4. 1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon

 

1. CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
2. 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3. 1/4 cup butter, cubed

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Combine sour cream and vanilla; add to creamed mixture alternately with dry ingredients just until combined.
• Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle 2 tablespoons into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. For glaze, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Spoon half of the batter over topping; sprinkle with half of the remaining topping. Drizzle with half of the glaze. Top with remaining batter; sprinkle with remaining topping.
• Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Warm remaining glaze; drizzle over warm coffee cake. Serve warm if desired. Yield: 12 servings.

Gaytha Holloway from Marion, Indiana submitted the recipe.

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Overnight Eggnog Coffee Cake w/ Nog Glaze

TOPPING:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

CAKE:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup eggnog

8 ounces sour cream

1 teaspoon rum extract

2 large eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground mace

 

GLAZE:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons eggnog

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

 

Directions:

1. Grease 12-cup round molded cake pan with shortening.
2. In a small bowl, mix all topping ingredients with a fork until crumbly; sprinkle evenly into prepared pan.
3. In a large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed. Beat in 1 cup eggnog, the sour cream, rum extract and eggs until blended.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and remaining dry cake ingredients. Stir dry mixture into wet mixture. Spoon evenly into pan (on top of the topping). Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover pan; bake 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and then flip out onto a rack to cool completely.
6. In a small bowl, mix all glaze ingredients until smooth. Add more eggnog if not thin enough to drizzle. Spoon over coffee cake. Cut and serve.

Tips:

*Freshly grated nutmeg is best!

*I used full fat eggnog and full fat sour cream for this recipe, and the end result was a super moist and rich cake. You can certainly try to sub the lower fat versions but the baked product might turn out slightly different.

*Use real rum if you'd like (in place of the extract).

 

 

 

 

Blueberry Best Coffee Cake

 

 

Crumb Topping                               

 

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

Coffee Cake

 

2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed and drained)

Vanilla Glaze

 

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons hot water


 Heat oven to 375°F. Grease bottom and side of 9x3-inch springform pan or 9-inch square pan with shortening or cooking spray. In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour and the cinnamon. Cut in butter with fork until crumbly. Set aside.

 

In large bowl, stir together all coffee cake ingredients except blueberries; beat with spoon 30 seconds. Fold in blueberries. Spread batter in pan. Sprinkle with topping.

 

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove side of pan.

 

 In small bowl, mix all glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over warm coffee cake.

 

 

You can tightly wrap and freeze the baked coffee cake for up to six months.

 

 

 

 

Banana Coffee Cake

 

ok,  let me get the lame joke out of the way...you will go bananas over thos coffee cake...phew...that feels better. Thank you.

Banana Basics

Look for plump bananas that are evenly yellow-colored. Green bananas are under-ripe, while a flecking of brown flecks indicates ripeness. If bananas are too green, place in a paper bag until ripe. Adding an apple to the bag will speed the process. Store ripe bananas at room temperature. To prevent bruises, a banana hook or hanger is a great inexpensive investment. For longer storage, you can place ripe bananas in a tightly sealed plastic bag and refrigerate. The peel will become brown but the flesh will remain unchanged. One pound of bananas equals about 3 medium or 1-1/3 cups mashed

 

Yes, my little foodies, as of 10/03/2012, we have only 82 days till Christmas...YAY!!!
We love Christmas!!


Christmas Morning Coffee Cake Recipe

Bananas and cranberry sauce make every slice of this pretty coffee cake moist and marvelous. You could also serve slices as dessert along with vanilla ice cream.

2 cups biscuit/baking mix

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground  Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 can (14 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce

TOPPING:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine the baking mix, sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Combine the eggs, bananas, milk and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan.

Place the cranberry sauce in a bowl; stir. Spread over batter. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over cranberry sauce. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack.