Iced Strawberries

 

" Hull strawberries. Add 3/4 pound powdered sugar to each pound of strawberries. Place in deep glass dish with layer of sugar between each layer of fruit. Pour over 1/2 cup and fruit juice. Place in refrigerator for an hour and a half. Remove, sprinkle with shaved ice and then more powdered sugar. "

Strawberry Jam

It is strawberry season in Maine! I had to close out the Jam month of the Food in Jars Mastery challenge by including some strawberry love!

Quick and simple and from one of my favorite cook books, Put 'Em up!, this jam was put up in a pinch!
Because when I have a million things to do on a Friday before the college reunion we host arrives at our house, I decide to add making jam to the list!



The recipe was really quick which made my hasty decision so much more rewarding.

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 TSP Pomona's Universal Pectin
4 cups strawberries, hulled and slices
1 teaspoon calcium water (in the Pomona Box)
1/4 cup bottled lemon juice

Process
*** boil your jars asap as this recipe goes quickly!***
1. Combine the sugar and pectin in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Place the berries in a medium non-reactive pot and crush with a potato masher.
3. Bring strawberries to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
4. Stir in the calcium water and lemon juice.
5. Slowly pour in the sugar and pectin mixture, stirring to dissolve.
6. Return to a boil and stir to be sure it is heated through.
7. Remove from the heat and let sit 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to release air bubbles.
8. Skim off the foam.
9. Pour into hot jars, affix the lids, and process in the hot water canner for 10 minutes!

SORBET!!!

We are churning out multiple batches of Sorbet this weekend.

Strawberry. Locally grown at Gillespie Farms.
Blueberry. Frozen last fall from MOFGA and the Common Ground Country Fair.
Blackberry. Raspberry. Grown outside right in front of my house.
Any combination of the above flavors.
Here is a blueberry sorbet, individually portion, and deeply frozen in our upright freezer.















I do so love our ice cream maker. It is so handy.

Here it is wearing its fruit fly repellent hat.



























Today's flavor: Cherry Peach. YUM!





















We are using a modified version of the Strawberry Sorbet Recipe from the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Book.
The recipe makes about a dozen 3 ounce cups, even if one is just a partial for the cook (bottom center).












Ingredients
1/2 pound frozen fruit, or fresh berries refrigerated, hulled/sliced/mashed (we throw it in the food processor)
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of a lemon
1/4 honey (or corn syrup)
2 cups cold water

Directions
1. Combine fruit, sugar, honey and lemon juice in food processor and blend.
2. Pour contents into the frozen drum of your ice cream maker and follow the makers instructions.
3. When finished, pour into 3 ounce cups, and deep freeze in a freezer.

Yield = about 1 dozen 3 ounce servings.

Last Weekend in June Party Food post

Our Last Weekend in June party was last weekend, and it was a bonanza of fun as usual. It seemed there was non stop talking, laughing, eating, playing, drinking, cavorting, croqueting, happiness for all! I don't have any new recipes to share, but many photos of food, and the links to those recipes. Without further explanation of the bonanza, here goes a new take on my blog. It all began with the girl's days and a lovely lunch with La. This Salad was yummy and a perfect use of our fresh local strawberries. The picture doesn't do it justice.










While we dined on this gloriousness, the tweens had bagel sandwiches.
Have you ever seen a bagel sandwich this ridiculous?



















Look close - closer - yes, there IS a chicken patty in there.
Now, look at the size of that tomato slice!? Laughter - lots of laughter.
Food - lots of food - endless eating.

You want to know what the best midnight snack with your husband is?













Take my word for it, try it some time! :D

Lunch on Saturday was this most amazing salad from Tasty Kitchen.
It is a grilled salad with a Strawberry Balsamic reduction.
Here are two photos -
plated before
and after the reduction is added.



Then there was the Saturday Shmorgazborg!

Among many grilled things already eaten pictured here are: Home made Russet French Fries Mark's Cod Cakes - did I never get that recipe up??? Must inquire with the authorities :D Pioneer Woman's Fancy Macaroni - with and extra 1/3 lb shredded Gruyere and some lumps goat cheese sprinkled on top. A spinach and veggie salad with more of the Strawberry Balsamic reduction
and we must not forget the 3 (high maintenance) beer can chickens (earlier photo used)

La's Green Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

This picture totally doesn't do it justice!
Green Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup or brown sugar
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups baby spinach
3 cups watercress, tough stems removed
2.5 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/3 cup fresh chives, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (or more, if you're anything like us!)

Directions
1. Whisk maple syrup (or brown sugar), vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Add spinach, watercress, strawberries & chives; toss to coat.
3. Divide the salad among plates and top with pecans and goat cheese.

Tip: To toast chopped or sliced nuts, stir constantly in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Chocolate Fondue

Compliments of William Sonoma. This, accompanied by a mimosa, made the perfect brunch today. It's important to maintain moderately low heat (no more than 120°F) under your fondue pot so the chocolate stays melted and just warm to the touch. Too much heat can ruin the chocolate. And make sure that the chafing pot is dry, as water will make your chocolate seize.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled

Directions:

1. Fill the fondue pot with 2 cups warm water and place the pot on the stand. Fill the fuel burner with oil according to the manufacturer's instructions and set it on the stand.
2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the cream until steam begins to rise, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and stir until melted, smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and stir until blended. Pour the chocolate sauce into the porcelain insert and place the insert in the fondue pot. Set the splatter guard on the top.
3. Set the fondue pot on the table and light the fuel burner, following the manufacturers instructions. Serve with pound cake, strawberries and individually marked fondue forks for dipping.

• Serves 6.
  Adapted from The Fondue Cookbook, (Hamlyn, 1999).

Berry Buckle for 5

A few weeks ago, the kidlets and I went on our first, of what I hope to be many, berry picking walks in the front field. It was an adventure for us - surviving blasting heat, prickers, a run in with poison ivy, and a collapsing stone wall leaving Puckstopper breathless. From our four mighty yet easily dropped containers, we yielded 2 cups of fresh black and rasp berries. The perfect incentive to not eat the precious bounty of our picking, Berry Buckle for dessert.

We had enough for HALF a recipe. So here is a modified berry Buckle, for a family of five. I baked it in a loaf pan.

Ingredients
Fruit
2 cups berries - any variety! (only strawberries need to be cut)
A couple tablespoons of sugar (only really for tarter berries)
A dash of water if needed

Cake
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
grated peel from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
sprinkling of cinnamon

Process
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly coat a shallow casserole dish with spray.
3. Combine berries, sugar and water in baking dish.

















4. Using electric mixer in another bowl, combine cake ingredients one at a time.

5. Spoon over berry mixture, leaving center uncovered.

6. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.

7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean.

8. Remove from over and let cool a bit.































9. Serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Chocolate fondue

This recipe is awesome! Please maintain a low heat so that you do not scald or even burn the chocolate. Too much heat will ruin it, whether on or off the stove.

Ingredients
1/2 cup heavy dream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped in food processor
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound cake cut into 1 inch pieces
2 pints strawberries; rinsed, trimmed and cut in halves or quarters

Process

1. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the steam until steam begins to rise.
   
2. Remove from heat and add the chocolate and stir until melted, smooth and creamy.
   
3. Add the vanilla and stir until blended. Sometimes I will put it back over medium heat if I think it needs a little extra umph.
   
4. Pour the chocolate sauce into your fondue pot and put over heat as directed.
   
5. Serve with pound cake and strawberries on individual fondue forks for dipping.