We’re breaking away from our regularly scheduled autumn foods programming to bring you something tropical and fragrant and oh so delicious.

I have a bit of location envy when it comes to certain food bloggers, specifically those who live in climates that support subtropical fruits and vegetables and extended season gardening, and two of my very favorite food bloggers, Todd and Diane of White on Rice Couple, live in that kind of happy situation. They have a fantastic blog with gorgeous photos and a bountiful garden. Have you seen their garden video? Well in addition to all that talent in the kitchen, in the garden, and behind both still and video cameras, they have generous hearts.

Diane remembered an off-the-cuff comment I left one time about their access to local passion fruit and dropped me an email a few weeks ago saying she wanted to send me some of their passion fruit. My jaw dropped and my heart skipped a beat and I couldn’t type YES THANK YOU fast enough. The very next week a small box arrived in the mail with five passion fruits and a note.

It was a joy to smell the aroma as I opened them and the flavor was so fine it brought back memories of fresh passion fruit in the markets in Colombia. Thanks and hugs to Diane and Todd for this very special gift and for bringing back some wonderful memories.

I slurped up one of them then managed to get a total of 1/4 cup of juice from the rest, so I supplemented with some frozen pulp to make this tasty curd. The curd is very easy to make, you just need to stay with it and continue stirring while it cooks. It tastes great on biscuits or put it between cake layers.

Makes about 20 ounces of curd.

More Recipes You Might Like

More Passion Fruit Recipes From Around the Blogs

Not Quite Nigella - Passionfruit Cupcakes

La Tartine Gourmand - Chocolate and Passion Fruit Tartlets

Canela & Comino - Passion Fruit Cream Puff Ring

What’s for Lunch Honey? - Passion Fruit & Orange Kefir Shake

Equipment

2 quart heavy bottom sauce pan or double boiler
8-ounce or 4-ounce jars with lids

Ingredients

1/2 cup (120 mil) fresh passion fruit juice
1/4 cup (60 mil) fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup (130 g) granulated sugar
9 tablespoons (~125 g) unsalted butter
4 large eggs, whisked

Preparation

1. In the sauce pan, combine the passion fruit juice, lemon juice, and sugar. Cook over low heat until the sugar melts, then add the butter and melt.

2. Stir in the eggs and continue stirring with a whisk until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. You should be able to draw your finger through it and leave a clear trail.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.

4. Pour into jars and cover with lids. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

References

Wikipedia - Passion fruit

************************************************************

Source: adapted from a recipe by Jill Dunbavan (Queensland, Australia)

Copyright © 2005-2008 Andrea’s Recipes.

When I was a kid thought of upside down cakes as “dump cakes.” You know, you dump the cake out of the pan and stuff runs everywhere. It seemed reasonable at the time, even if it sounded less than palatable to the average ear. My boys think upside down cakes are magic, and I had an audience when I turned this one out onto the serving plate. Top Gun stood as patiently as he possibly could, his eyes big as saucers when I lifted off the pan, and he simply said, “Wow.” Then after tasting a few crumbs he wanted to know when we were having dessert.

I like upside down cakes because the fruit and glaze looks so pretty on the top, and for the most part they are easy to make. You can serve them as is or dress it up for guests with a little whipped cream or ice cream; either way, you have a simple cake that looks beautiful and works well for dessert or brunch.

With cranberries in season, this is an easy and tasty way to use them. The tartness of the berries and the orange juice balances the sweetness of the brown sugar, the orange zest carries on the theme in the cake, and the whipped cream has just a touch of orange flavor with Grand Marnier.

The fruit and glaze is easily made on the stove top in the cake pan, an added bonus because you don’t have to dirty another pan, and you can use a standard aluminum cake pan or an oven-proof skillet, such as cast iron. I’ve done it both ways, and I think the cast iron method is easier though the cake pan seems to yield a lighter cake. If you decide to use a cake pan, make sure it isn’t coated with paint because those paints often are not designed to take direct heat from a stove or cooktop.

Other Cranberry Inspirations

More Upside Down Cakes From Around the Blogs

Simply Recipes - Plum Upside Down Cake

David Lebovitz - Orange and Cardamom Upside Down Cake

Cook Almost Anything At Least Once - Banana Upside Down Cake

Smitten Kitchen - Caramel Walnut Upside Down Banana Cake

Equipment

stand mixer with paddle and wire whisk attachments or hand mixer and large bowl
9-inch round cake pan (plain aluminum, no paint on bottom), 8-inch square with tall sides, or a 10-inch seasoned cast iron skillet

Ingredients

TOPPING
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup (~28 g) packed brown sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg
2-3/4 to 3 cups (275 - 300 g) fresh or frozen cranberries (depends on the size of the pan)
1/4 cup (~28 g) chopped walnuts (optional)
2 ounces (60 mil) fresh orange juice

CAKE
1-1/4 cups (140 g) cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
zest of one orange
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cups (130 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (300 mil) sour cream

WHIPPED CREAM
1 cup (240 mil) heavy cream
6 tablespoons sifted confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or fresh orange juice

Preparation

1. TOPPING: Place the cake pan on a burner and turn it on low. Add the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the pan and melt. Stir while the sugar mixture continues cooking until it turns a dark brown. Stay with it and don’t allow it to burn. Remove from heat and allow to cool. The butter and sugar will form a crust as it cools.

2. Add the cranberries and walnuts (optional), making sure they fill the bottom of the pan. Pour in the orange juice and tilt the pan to evenly distribute it. Set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

4. In the small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the orange zest and rub it with your fingers to release the oils into the flour. Set aside.

5. In the bowl of the stand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing and scraping down the bowl after each.

6. Add the vanilla and sour cream, and mix thoroughly.

7. Turn the mixture speed to low, and slowly add the flour mixture, mixing for about 10 seconds. Finish folding in the flour with a spatula, taking care to not over mix.

8. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until the tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a plate for serving.

9. WHIPPED CREAM: In the bowl of the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar, and Grand Marnier until you have stiff peaks. Serve on top of slices of the cake.

Copyright © 2005-2008 Andrea’s Recipes.

Our kitchen counter is covered with five different types of squash, a few steps up from our normal routine of acorn and butternut squash. On my last squash run, I came home with sweet dumpling, delicata, buttercup, acorn, and butternut and plans for all of them, mostly revolving around roasting and soups. And of course I wanted some photos of the squash pile.

Though it’s only November, the temperatures have been chilly and my soup cravings kicked in right away. The thoughts of a comforting bowl of squash soup came to me almost constantly until I finally broke out the slow cooker one evening before going to bed and left the stew to cook overnight. The house smelled fantastic when we woke up in the morning and this made a perfect stew that I even enjoyed for breakfast this morning.

It’s hearty, filling, and healthy with plenty of protein and no added fat, and preparation couldn’t be easier. I soaked the garbanzos for 12 hours then tossed the ingredients into the slow cooker and turned it on Low and left it for about 10 hours. Because slow cookers vary in cooking temperature, keep an eye on the stew and test the beans for tenderness. One of my favorite things about this stew is the opportunity to play with various combinations of spices, and I put together a list of recommendations below, and of course if you come up with some great spice combinations for the stew, please share in the comments!

Makes 8 servings.

More Soup and Stew from Andrea’s Recipes

More Squash Soup Recipes From Around the Blogs

White on Rice Couple - Truffled Butternut Squash Soup

La Tartine Gourmand - Curried Winter Squash Soup with Red Lentil, Coconut Milk, and Clams

Karina’s Kitchen - Curried Butternut Soup

Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska - Spicy Squash Soup

Equipment

5 to 6 quart slow cooker
medium bowl or pot with lid or pressure cooker

Ingredients

3/4 cup (113 g) dried garbanzo beans
2-1/2 pounds (1.134 kilos) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup (170 g) red lentils
32 ounces (~1 liter) vegetable stock or broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon saffron or achiote
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 ounces (59 mil) lime juice

GARNISH
roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Preparation

1. SOAK (choose your method): (No Heat) Pour the dried garbanzo beans into the medium bowl and add water until it is 2 inches (5 cm) above the beans. Allow the beans to soak for 12 hours. Drain and rinse well. (Heat) Boil beans in a heavy pot for three minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 2 hours, covered. Drain the water and rinse well. (Pressure) Put the beans in pot with water and bring to pressure and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and allow the pressure to drop naturally. Drain the water and rinse well. (Note: Follow the manufacturer’s directions for pressure cookers.)

2. SLOW COOK: Add the beans, squash, carrots, onion, lentils, vegetable broth, tomato paste, ginger, cumin, saffron, ground pepper, and salt to the slow cooker pot. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 6 to 8 hours. If your pot has an automatic high/low setting, use that and cook for 8 hours.

3. Stir in the lime juice then serve in bowls, topping each with chopped peanuts and cilantro leaves.

Other Spices to Use

Moroccan: Cumin, chili powder, ground cinnamon, garlic, ground cloves

Indian: Curry powder or garam masala

Mexican: Cumin, chipotle powder or chili powder

************************************************************

Source: adapted from Eating Well

Copyright © 2005-2008 Andrea’s Recipes.

Side dish or dessert? I remember the first time I ordered a side of roasted acorn squash in a restaurant, and I commented on how it was more like dessert than an entree. The restaurant served it with butter and brown sugar, and I had no need for dessert after enjoying that treat. Though I like the sweet treatment with squash, for a meal I prefer a mixture of sweet and savory. Sage is a good flavor to add to roasted squash, and I pulled some fresh from the garden for this preparation. Our sage is still going strong, though we’ve had some freezing nights, and I will have to cut it soon to freeze or dry for the winter.

The boys kept peering through the oven window as the squash baked and they demanded tastes as soon as it came out of the oven, though I managed to hold them off for a few minutes explaining how hot it was. The whole time I was trying to get a photo of one half, they were raiding the other, nipping bites here and there.

Sometimes the squash is slightly larger or has a very deep interior, in which case I make another half recipe of the apple mixture, and that was the case with this particular squash. There were even plenty of seeds for me to save for next summer’s garden.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. Ning of Heart and Hearth is our host for this round, so be sure to visit her blog for more information about submitting your post. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page.

Other Squash Recipes You Might Like

More Squash Recipes From Around the Blogs

Karina’s Kitchen - Acorn Squash with Green Chilies

Closet Cooking - Thai Style Coconut Butternut Squash

Kalyn’s Kitchen - Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices

Smitten Kitchen - Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

Equipment

roasting pan, lined with foil and coated lightly with cooking spray
small bowl

Ingredients

1 acorn squash, 16 ounces (~1/2 kilo) or larger
1 large apple, peeled and diced
4 tablespoons grade B maple syrup (or grade A)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 sage leaves, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. Center the oven rack and preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

2. Cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Scrape the interior until all the strings are removed.

3. Place face down on the prepared roasting pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

4. While the squash roasts, stir together the diced apples, maple syrup, lemon juice, walnuts, sage, and cinnamon in the small bowl.

5. Remove the squash from the oven and turn each half over. Portion the apple mixture between the two halves and drizzle a little more maple syrup on top.

6. Return to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the squash is soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

************************************************************

Source: adapted from The Occasional Vegetarian, by Karen Lee

Copyright © 2005-2008 Andrea’s Recipes.

This week marked the end of the first quarter for school and the teachers had work days to prepare report cards and attend staff development. Oh, how I remember those days! Even though I was an early adopter of electronic grade books—I kept all my grades in ClarisWorks spreadsheets on my first Mac—I always had tons of work to do on those days between quarters. Nothing has changed and teachers still have long lists of things to accomplish on those brief days without students.

I have fond memories of my years teaching, and though I’m no longer in the classroom, I continue to support educators and their work. Our PTA sponsored a luncheon for the teachers on Monday, and I volunteered to bring dessert. I had plenty of cakes I had made before, but I wanted to try another one of Dorie’s recipes from Baking From My Home to Yours, and I selected this Bundt cake since apples are in season. Dorie’s original recipe uses pears, but I have a slew of apples on hand because Michael’s parents sent us a wonderful gift of two boxes of Cortland apples from Beak & Skiff in New York, so a couple of them went into this cake.

The crumbs tasted delicious, and the boys asked me repeatedly for a taste as I sliced it and arranged the pieces on a serving plate. They were disappointed that none stayed home for them to enjoy. Apparently the cake went over very well with the teachers and staff, and I heard from one administrator about his disappointment that he didn’t get a slice, so this cake will definitely get a repeat performance.

More Cake Recipes To Enjoy

More Bundt Cake Recipes From Around the Blogs

Karina’s Kitchen - Vegan Banana Bundt Cake

Cookworm - Banana, Chocolate, and Caramel Bundt Cake

Culinary Concoctions by Peabody - Orange Date Bundt Cake

Alpineberry - Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes

Equipment

stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer and large bowl)
small mixing bowl
12-cup bundt pan, greased and floured
wire rack

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground hazelnuts or walnuts (or 1/4 cup more flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract [link]
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract (only if you use the ground nuts)
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature (or 2 tablespoons lemon juice + skim milk to equal 1 cup)
2 medium apples or pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup moist, plump prunes, snipped into 1/4-inch pieces, or plump raisins (dark or golden)
confectioners sugar, for dusting

Preparation

1. Place the oven rack in the center and preheat oven to 350° F/175° C.

2. In the small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, nuts (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until it’s light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and the almond extract (if using).

4. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 buttermilk, and remaining flour mixture. Mix just until the ingredients are incorporated and scrape down the bowl as needed.

5. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped apples and prunes (or other fruits). Take care to not over mix.

6. Scrape the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top with the spatula.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep in the center comes out clean.

8. Remove cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then unmold onto the rack and allow to cool to room temperature. Dust the top with confectioners sugar for serving. Cake will keep for up to 5 days at room temperature or 2 months in the freezer wrapped well in plastic.

************************************************************

Source: adapted from Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

Copyright © 2005-2008 Andrea’s Recipes.

If you are new to Grow Your Own, visit the Grow Your Own page to learn more about the event. Ning of Heart and Hearth is our host for this next round and entries are due on November 15. If you are preparing for spring planting or are setting up a winter indoor or outdoor garden, feel free to join us!

If you would like an opportunity to host Grow Your Own, please visit the GYO hosting page for more information.

And now for the round-up! Click the images to visit the posts.

Garlicky Roasted Squash from Arika of My Yummy Life (Mississippi, United States)

Adding a little garlic to her homegrown squash made this tasty dish even more tasty.

Tomato Sauce from PG of My Kitchen Stories (Hamburg, Germany)

She spontaneously planted a few seedlings, grew her own tomatoes, and made her first ever tomato sauce with them.

Chicken and Dumplings from Denise of Chez Us (California, United States)

Her chicken and dumplings with homegrown thyme set off a craving for dumplings, which I haven’t made in years.

Fresh Tomato and Oregano Sauce with Seafood Linguine from Beachlover’s Kitchen (New York, United States)

With fresh tomatoes from her neighbor’s garden and fresh oregano from her own, Beachlover made a lovely fresh sauce with seafood.

Mint Tea from Ning of Heart and Hearth (Manila, Philippines)

Mint tea is one of my favorite things to make, and it’s so easy with fresh mint from the garden.

Dried Apples from Rachel of The Crispy Cook (New York, United States)

There are lots of ways to preserve the harvest, and drying fruit is an excellent and tasty option. Rachel tossed her apples with pineapple juice before drying.

Tomato Sauce from Jennifer of Northside Food (Georgia, United States)

Fresh tomatoes, parsley, and basil from her garden made a beautiful homegrown sauce.

Squash Risotto from Becke of Columbus Foodie (Ohio, United States)

Butternut squash with risotto is a match made in heaven.

Wild Salmon Cakes with Kaffir Lime from Nate and Annie of House of Annie

I grew up eating my mother’s salmon cakes, but living in the Midwest we only had the canned salmon. Fresh wild salmon with Nate and Annie’s kaffir lime leaves sounds fantastic.

Grilled Rosa Bianca Eggplant from Todd and Diane of White on Rice Couple

Grilling eggplant is my favorite way to enjoy it, and Todd and Diane had some beautiful rosa bianca eggplant in their garden this year.

Spinach Arugula Pesto from Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes (Virginia, United States)

This year I learned how easy it is to grow our own arugula, that spinach can tame that peppery flavor, and that spinach arugula pesto goes really well with burgers and Swiss cheese.

Copyright © 2005-2008 Andrea’s Recipes.

The mint bush continues to thrive, even with some killing frosts in the past two weeks, which just amazes me. Supposedly the plants grow best in wet soil with partial sunlight, though this bush has grown in a south-facing garden with full sun and has far exceeded my expectations. I have to trim it frequently to keep it in check, but we’ve had so many uses for it that trimming is not a hardship. Because we want to keep some mint on hand during the winter, I’m rooting some stems in soil and some in water to see which ones root faster, then will transplant in a pot for our indoor garden. Most varieties of mint propagate easily with either method.

Today I sipped fresh mint tea with honey while canning the mint apple jelly. Though I like jelly made from fresh apples, I was short on time and chose a recipe that starts with apple juice. I chose a natural type that hasn’t strained all the flavor out and was rewarded with a golden amber jelly with an aroma that made me think of making apple mint tea.  The mint infused the apple juice quickly and permeated the air in the kitchen. I couldn’t resist the urge to stand over the pot and take in the wonderful aroma.

This is my contribution to the third anniversary edition of Weekend Herb Blogging, a weekly event founded by the talented Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen.  She has some celebration giveaways going on, so don’t forget to check those out, then visit her blog again next week for the round-up!

Other Recipes with Herbs

More Apple Jelly Recipes From Around the Blogs

The Cottage Smallholder - Old Fashioned Apple Jelly

A Lifetime of Cooking - Crabapple and Pomegranate Jelly with Rosebuds.

Toast - Forever Amber: Versatile Apple Jelly

Equipment

4 to 6-quart pot with lid
3-quart pot
10-quart canning pot with lid or similar
6 half-pint jelly jars (When canning jelly, I always add one 4 ounce jar + lid + band as back up for any extra. It’s just a thing I do, but I almost always need the extra.)
6 lids
6 bands
lid wand
jar lifter
plastic spatula

Ingredients

32 ounces (946 mil) apple cider or juice
1 cup (40 g) fresh mint leaves (lightly packed), rinsed well and drained
1.75 ounce (49 g) package powdered pectin, not the low sugar kind
4-1/2 cups (788 g) granulated sugar

Preparation

1. Sterilize jars, rings, and lids according to the instructions in Home Canning (Boiling Water Method). Keep the jars in the canning pot and the lids and bands in the 3-quart pot with hot, not boiling, water.

2. Pour the apple cider into the 6-quart pot and add the mint. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain out the mint leaves.

3. Stir the pectin into the hot apple cider. Bring to a boil, then add the sugar.

4. Bring back to a hard boil and continue for 1 minute, uncovered, stirring constantly.

5. Skim the foam off the top of the mixture.

6. Pour into hot jars, leaving about XXX head space, and run the plastic spatula around the inside of the jar to remove any bubbles. Add the hot lids and bands, twisting the bands just until finger tight.

7. Process for 10 minutes covered, then remove lid and process for 5 more minute, uncovered. Remove jars from canning pot and sit on a cutting board or other heat resistant surface. Leave until you hear the pops, indicating the jars sealed. Store in a dark, cool place for up to one year. If any jars don’t seal, store in the refrigerator and use within a week.

Copyright © 2005-2008 Andrea’s Recipes.

I remember seeing Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice for the first time at a bookstore the year it was released. The striking photo on the cover immediately grabbed my attention and I heard my own voice say aloud, “I want to make bread like that.” The book did not go home with me that day, and in fact I waited almost a year before buying it, feeling that I needed to bake more things from some of my other books before adding another bread book to my collection. I was ecstatic the day it arrived in the mail, and I immediately sat down and started reading and tagging breads of interest. For my very first bread, I tackled the Napoletana pizza dough, and I was thrilled with the results. The dough was silky smooth and had enough resting time that I could easily stretch it and make a thin crust, the type I prefer. After falling hard for this dough, I added Reinhart’s American Pie to my wish list, which actually has another variation of this dough formula.

It’s been two years since I wrote about Reinhart’s Napoletana pizza dough (recipe posted there), but time has not diminished my adoration of this dough, and I gladly played along with this month’s Daring Baker challenge. The formula is forgiving enough to allow some whole grain flour, but the original still makes a delicious pizza.

For this challenge I chose to make three medium pizzas instead of six personal pizzas. The dough had a lot of spring and I should have let it relax a little in the refrigerator after rising because I find that chilled dough is easier to stretch into a thin crust. I don’t usually make sweet pizzas, so I decided to have some fun and do that as well as a savory pizza. The sweet pizza is topped with a minced fruit pie filling (half recipe for one 12-inch pizza) that I use in pies at Christmas, and the savory is topped with sauteed spinach and mozzarella cheese. Normally I would use feta cheese with spinach, but the kids aren’t so fond of feta and this was dinner, so there it is.

And yes, I tossed the dough per the challenge requirements.

Notice my shirt? I do tend to get flour everywhere when baking.

I liked the minced fruit pizza, though 550° F/290° C was a little much for that filling. I would reduce the temperature next time to keep it from overcooking.

Thanks to Rosa of Rosa’s Yummy Yums for being a fantastic host and for dedicating the challenge to the memory of Sher, who was to have been Rosa’s hosting partner.

To see all of the delicious pizzas, visit The Daring Bakers Blogroll.

Previous Challenges from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

The more we grow our own food, the more I understand and appreciate farmers, especially how their lives can revolve around harvesting. As the cold temperatures creep in, I find myself pulled into the garden, collecting what is left of our summer herbs and vegetables, and then back into the kitchen as we preserve what we grew. We’re also busy getting the garden ready for the winter season. We planted tatsoi, which grows even under the snow, and put garlic in the ground last week and have now begun the long wait until it’s ready to harvest in July. I have less time for other things these days, but soon the garden will be in winter low-maintenance mode.

We had loads of tomatoes to pull off the vines before the frosts hit, and we ended up with about five pounds of ripe or nearly ripe and about the same amount of green tomatoes. We also had about three dozen jalapeños and about two dozen Hungarian wax peppers. Since our counters were overflowing with tomatoes and peppers, I wanted to try my sister’s recipe for pickled green tomatoes. I call her The Canning Queen, a title she has worked hard to earn. She’s been canning for about 20 years and making this pickle recipe for three years with great success. This year she put up 19 quarts of these delicious pickled tomatoes. They are good cut up in salads or as a snack right out of the jar.

DISCLAIMER: This method is not one I normally follow for canning as there is no processing after packing the jars; they self seal due to the heat of the cooked brine. If my sister hadn’t done so much successful experimenting with it, I probably would have been leery of trying it. Still, if some of the jars don’t seal, you will need to store them in the refrigerator.

This month I find myself with multiple Grow Your Own posts since all of the tomatoes and peppers came from our garden, though this is not my official entry. Grow Your Own is a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page. Posts are due on October 30, so there is still time to participate. Send your post information and photo to me at andreasrecipesgyo AT gmail DOT com.

Other Recipes That Preserve the Harvest

More Pickle Recipes From Around the Blogs

Hedonia - Jane’s (sorta) Homemade Sweet Pickles

Homesick Texan - Cool Off with Hot Jalapeno Pickles

Cookography - Easy Radish Pickles

Eating Out Loud - Chili-Lime Pickled String Beans

Equipment

12 pint or 6 quart jars
lids
bands
12-16 quart pot
3 quart pot
6 quart pot
lid wand
canning funnel
jar lifter

Ingredients

5 pounds (~2.5 K) green tomatoes, no red in the skin or meat (Romas or similar work well; also can use grape and cherry tomatoes whole as shown in photo above.)

BRINE
2 quarts white distilled vinegar (5% acid)
3 quarts water
3/4 cup pickling salt

SEASONINGS, PER QUART JAR (USE HALF FOR PINT JARS)
3-4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon pickling spice
2-3 spicy peppers (anaheim, jalapeno, serrano, banana, Hungarian wax, or habanero), whole or sliced in half and seeded
1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1/4 teaspoon dry dill
¼ teaspoon powdered alum (optional, keeps the tomatoes crispy)

Preparation

1. Sterilize jars, rings, and lids according to the instructions in Home Canning (Boiling Water Method). Keep the jars in the 12-16 quart pot and the lids and bands in the 3-quart pot with hot, not boiling, water. (Optional: My sister does the dishwasher method and turns on the heated dry cycle to get the jars good and hot just before adding the ingredients.)

2. Rinse the tomatoes, peppers, and dill. Quarter the green tomatoes, removing any bad spots. Place the peppers and garlic in the bottom of the jars, then add tomatoes up to about 1/2 inch (1 cm)  from rim of the jar. Add the olive oil, pickling spice, alum (optional), and fresh dill.

3. In the 6-quart pot, cook vinegar, water, and coarse salt over high heat until it comes to a strong rolling boil. The jars have to seal based solely on the heat of this mixture, so keep it good and hot the whole time.

4. Portion the vinegar solution into the jars, adding enough to cover the tomatoes and seasonings, but still leaving 1/2 inch (1 cm) of headspace. If the tomatoes were packed very tight, run a plastic spatula inside the jar to get rid of any air bubbles.

5. Tighten lids and wipe off edges, and leave out on the counter for about 1 hour. Listen for the popping sound to make sure they seal. Label the jars when cool.

6. To give the pickles time to develop flavor, set aside for at least two weeks before eating. Store in a cool, dark, dry place and use within one year.

Resources

National Center for Home Food Preservation

************************************************************

Source: adapted from my sister’s recipe

Copyright © 2005-2008 Andrea’s Recipes.

Washington Post Loudoun Extra - Up Close: Andrea Meyers
(PDF)

WashingtonPost.com - ‘Online Cookbook’ a Must-Read the World Over (PDF)

Copyright © 2005-2008 Andrea’s Recipes.