Makin' salsa...

dried chili peppers for paste...

salsa in the pot...

20 jars ready for the pantry...  : )

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*dried chilies are available from specialty grocers and also Cub in the "international" section... Use any combo of mild to hot DRIED peppers, including: Ancho, Pasilla, Cascabel, Guajillo, New Mexico, Cayenne or Chipotle peppers to taste. 

Soak in hot water for about 20 minutes, remove stems-reserve half of the soaking liquid... chop peppers in processor and add liquid to create a paste.

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SPICY SMOKY SALSA

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  9-10 dried chili peppers*

12 c. tomatoes, peeled if desired, and finely chopped (i like some cherry tomatoes in there too!)

3 c. finely chopped red onion

1 1/2 c. packed cilantro

16 cloves of garlic

8 fresh jalapeno peppers

3/4 c. red wine vinegar

1 T. salt

1 t. hot pepper flakes

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...Prepare 10+ half pints or 5+ pint jars for canning...

Combine cilantro, garlic cloves and jalapenos in processor-puree. In a large stainless stockpot, combine chili pepper puree, tomatoes, red onions, cilantro-garlic-jalapeno puree, vinegar, salt and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Lower heat and simmer until slighly thickened, 20-30 minutes-stirring often.

Ladle into hot jars leaving 1/2 " headspace. Process in boiling water canner for 15 minutes (half pints and pints both) Let cool, label and store.

Let set for at least a week or two-it will mellow together nicely.

ENJOY!

Todays Tomato Harvest

YAY!! finally enough tomatoes to make salsa...mmm... & the kaleidoscope of colors is amazing!! 

...more market pics...

...the table full of goodies for tuesday's market...

...glazed peach tart for market...

 ...raspberry turnovers...

A few market goodies...

 

These are the rustic apple tarts i made for tonights market

 

Cornmeal Lemon-Thyme cookies... Yum

  

Chocolate covered Peanut Butter Ritz's... also very YUM... 

Anybody want any ZUCCHINI??????

Lemon-y Peach Butter

 

  

  

  

This butter tastes like summer... Sooo good on a big chunk of bread, or on ice cream, or with a spoon straight out of the jar... It brightens up a blah winter day.

*Read through the full recipe before beginning*

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NOTES

3 medium peaches is about 1 pound prepared. (peeled, and chopped) so you'll need ~14

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Place a small plate in the fridge (to test butter for thickness later)

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Prep jars- 9 glass pint canning jars with lids & screwbands - Clean the jars with hot soapy water. Rinse well and drain. (no need to dry them) Place jars in a large, tall stockpot (with a fitting lid!) with a round rack in the bottom (to keep jars from touching the bottom-a plain floursack towel folded into the bottom will also work in a pinch, but I suggest the rack) Also dont stack them more than 2 jars high. Fill pot and jars with water and 2 T. white vinegar (it prevents hard water marks), filling it 2-3 inchs from the top of pot. Heat the jars slowly over med-high heat, do not boil yet.

Place the lids in a shallow pot of water and heat the same as the jar pot-do not boil.

Set screwbands aside.

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Utensils needed

Jar lifter or good set of tongs

magnetic utensil (for lifting individual lids from hot water) or a fork will work too

canning funnel (a wide mouthed funnel, usually glass)

ladle or big spoon

2 thick kitchen towels

damp paper towel

immersion blender or food processor

a second large stainless pot (not as big as the one for jars) 

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Ingredients

4 1/2 pounds ripe peaches, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/2 c water

grated zest and juice from 1 lemon (wash it) 

1 T. bottled lemon juice

4 c granulated sugar

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Place the sugar in a large bowl, set aside. Combine peaches, water, zest and juice(s) in large pot. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently until peaches are softened-about 20 minutes. Puree peaches but do not liquefy-spoon any larger chunks that remain. Stir in sugar.

Bring puree to a boil, and stirring frequently, simmer until mixture thickens. After about 20 minutes, place a small spoonful onto chilled plate-check for thickness.

Working one jar at a time & placing on a thick towel to prevent temperature shock, ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving a 1/4 inch headspace from the top. Wipe rim with damp paper towel. Place lid and screwband on jar, turn until firmly tightened. Place jar back into water bath, layering from the bottom up. Repeat one by one until all jars are filled (any extra butter can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 weeks)

Ensure all jars are covered by water, increase heat to med-high and bring to a boil. Cover. Once its hit a full rolling boil, set the timer for 10 minutes. 

Turn of heat and remove canner lid. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove jars and place on a towel on the counter to cool at least 8 hours. Store for up to a year in a cool, dark place.

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ENJOY!

Vanilla Cheesecake

I adapted this from a 'Cooking Light' recipe...

3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/4 c sugar

2 T butter, melted

5 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese, softened 

1 c. sugar

3 T flour

1/4 t. salt

8 oz sour cream

4 large eggs

2 t pure vanilla extract

2 vanilla beans, scraped

Combine 1st 3 ingredients and press into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake @ 400 degrees about 5 minutes, until edges are barely browned. Cool on wire rack, reduce oven temp to 325.

Beat cheese until smooth. Add sugar, flour and salt. Beat well and add sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract and vanilla seeds. Beat again until combined. Pour into cooled pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until center barely moves when touched. Turn off oven and cool to room temp with door cracked open. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

Mmmm, peaches... Ive been eating myself sick on them- dispite the crop loss from frost damage, its been a very good year... im going to make more peach butter too- I'm on my FIFTH case...     :)

Wedding Day is here!

The cupcakes are done!! ...there's only 280 of them... geez! It took 15lbs of carrots, 36 eggs, 24 cups of sugar, 40 cups of flour, 12 lbs of cream cheese (!) 24 cups of powdered sugar, and LOTS of fricken' LOVE... about 9 hours of prep/mixing/baking/frosting time & I didnt burn/drop/mess any of them up! --not that I would EVER do that...  8 boxes of 35 'cakes...  CONGRATS, Jordyn and Roger-thanks for letting me be a part of the festivities!!  ... now let's eat 'em!

Mmm...makin cheesecake...

cuppies!

...I also made about 300 carrot cake cupcakes today. It went very well-- 4 TRIPLE batches. I'll be the frosting them on saturday morning... This pic is actually from a batch I made a few weeks ago, & I'll be decorating the ones for the wedding just like them. LOTS of DOTS. 2100 to be exact... yup, I'll be cross-eyed   :)    but they'll be super cute

Mmmm...big bowl of 'maters... I'm hopeful the weather continues to cooperate so i can have enough to make a big batch of spicy salsa!! For now, just enough for snacks and a few sandwiches...

I made these Mexican-spiced brownies (cinnamon, mexican vanilla and chipotle) for the Ely Farmers Market yesterday and they were to die for! I'll be making them again...

Hmmm... Well I'm new to this whole 'blog' thing. I always feel like I'm boring my facebook friends with all of my food talk, so here's a place where I'll be amongst people who share the same obsession for it as I do...

I'm currently preparing to make 250+ carrot cake cupcakes for a friends' wedding this coming saturday. They're going to be SOOO yummers!! ...pics to come...