Ingredients and Equipment
Grapes!
Spoons and Ladles
Sugar (optional) 0-3 cups depending on taste
Strainers - a jelly strainer and/or cheesecloth are needed.
Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
At least 1 large pot
1 Water Bath Canner (a huge pot to sanitize the jars after filling
Ball Jars
Lids
Rings
Directions:
1. Pick your grapes (or buy them from a store, farmers market, etc.)
2. An average of 25 pounds of grapes is needed per canner load of 7 quarts of grape juice. Or to make 9 pints of juice, you'll need an average of 16 pounds of grapes.
3. Wash the jars and lids. You can just stick them in the dishwasher to be cleaned. Put the lids into a pan of hot, but not quite boiling water for about 5 minutes.
4. Wash the grapes! Put the grapes in a large bowl and run cool water over them. Remove the grapes from the stems and pick out any stems and leaves that became mixed in!
5. Crush or chop the grapes (optional) You can cook the grapes with out first chopping or crushing them, but I find it speeds up the process. If you have a electric juicer, you can simply juice the fruit, then skip to step 8 to heat the juice to boiling.
6. Heat the grapes on the stove. Put the grapes in a pot and cover with just enough water to cover the grapes. Put the crushed grapes in a big pot on the stove over medium to high heat (stir often enough to prevent burning) for until it starts to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. We just want to soften the skins to help release the juice and break down some of the fruit to help it pass through our juice strainer.
7. Sieve the cooked grapes. You can either put the soft cooked grapes through a juice strainer (about $9.00, see ordering at right) which results in the most clear juice and is easiest to use, or pour them through cheesecloth in a colander. Or if you don't mind chunky juice, just let the juice stand for 20 minutes, and decant (pour off) the clear liquid to use and leave the solids behind.
8. Step 7 - Polishing and filtering
If you read the USDA's guide, they have steps to polish the juice so it is crystal clear. I don't bother with these as it adds a day or two to the process and most people like the natural look, anyway!
But if you do want the polished look, here what to do:
Refrigerate juice from step 6 for 24 to 48 hours.
Without mixing, shaking or disturbing it, carefully pour off clear liquid and save; discard the sediment.
If desired, you may now strain through a paper coffee filter for a clearer juice.
Continue to step 9.
9. Get the lids warming in hot (but not boiling) water.
10. Sweeten (if desired) and bring to a boil. Add any sugar you may want and then bring the juice to a boil.
11. Fill the jars to within ¼-inch of the top, wipe any spilled juice off the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Then put them into the boiling water canner!
12. Process the jars in a boiling water bath. Make sure the jars are covered with at least two inches of water. Boil them for 5 to 10 minutes.
13. Remove and cool the jars.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Chicken
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked
2 cups eggplant, cubed and peeled
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
½ tsp. dried basil leaves
½ tsp. dried thyme
2 cups de-fatted, low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup dry sherry or red wine
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained
6 cups egg noodles, cooked
Directions:
1. Spray a large soup pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
2. Add eggplant, mushrooms, onion, garlic, oregano, basil and thyme and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add cooked chicken, chicken broth, sherry, salt and pepper and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for about 1 hour. Add artichokes during last 20 minutes of cooking. Serve over noodles.
2 cups eggplant, cubed and peeled
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
½ tsp. dried basil leaves
½ tsp. dried thyme
2 cups de-fatted, low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup dry sherry or red wine
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained
6 cups egg noodles, cooked
Directions:
1. Spray a large soup pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
2. Add eggplant, mushrooms, onion, garlic, oregano, basil and thyme and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add cooked chicken, chicken broth, sherry, salt and pepper and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for about 1 hour. Add artichokes during last 20 minutes of cooking. Serve over noodles.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Pizza
Pizza Dough makes enough dough for two 10-12 inch pizzas.
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 degrees - 115 degrees)
1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) of active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TSP salt
1 TSP sugar
Pizza Ingredients
Olive Oil
Cornmeal (to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone)
Tomato Sauce (puree)
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Mushrooms, thinly sliced
bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced
Italian sausage, cooked ahead
Chopped fresh basil
Pesto
Pepporoni, thinly sliced
sliced ham
Making the Pizza Dough
1. In the large bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer, like a Kitchen Aid, add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.
2. Attach a mixtin paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on a low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour.
3. Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place (about 75 to 85 degrees) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preparing the pizza
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Prepare your desired topings. About a third a cup of each tomato sauce and cheese should be sufficient for each pizza.
4. Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at teh center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2 inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 - 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip.
5. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent the dough from bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.
Repeat with the second ball of dough.
6. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions.
7. Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.
8. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking time you can sprinkle on a little more cheese.
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 degrees - 115 degrees)
1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) of active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TSP salt
1 TSP sugar
Pizza Ingredients
Olive Oil
Cornmeal (to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone)
Tomato Sauce (puree)
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Mushrooms, thinly sliced
bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced
Italian sausage, cooked ahead
Chopped fresh basil
Pesto
Pepporoni, thinly sliced
sliced ham
Making the Pizza Dough
1. In the large bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer, like a Kitchen Aid, add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.
2. Attach a mixtin paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on a low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour.
3. Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place (about 75 to 85 degrees) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preparing the pizza
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Prepare your desired topings. About a third a cup of each tomato sauce and cheese should be sufficient for each pizza.
4. Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at teh center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2 inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 - 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip.
5. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent the dough from bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.
Repeat with the second ball of dough.
6. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions.
7. Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.
8. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking time you can sprinkle on a little more cheese.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Southwestern Salad
½ cup onions, chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. dry oregano
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 cup canned kidney beans, red, drained
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
1 medium tomato, diced
2 cups lettuce
½ cup cheddar cheese
Directions:
Cook ground beef and onions in a large skillet until the beef no longer remains pink. Drain.
Stir chili powder, oregano, and cumin into beef mixture; cook for 1 minute.
Add beans, chickpeas, and tomatoes. Mix gently to combine.
Combine lettuce and cheese in large serving bowl. Portion lettuce and cheese onto 4 plates. Add 1 cup of beef mixture on top of lettuce and cheese
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. dry oregano
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 cup canned kidney beans, red, drained
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
1 medium tomato, diced
2 cups lettuce
½ cup cheddar cheese
Directions:
Cook ground beef and onions in a large skillet until the beef no longer remains pink. Drain.
Stir chili powder, oregano, and cumin into beef mixture; cook for 1 minute.
Add beans, chickpeas, and tomatoes. Mix gently to combine.
Combine lettuce and cheese in large serving bowl. Portion lettuce and cheese onto 4 plates. Add 1 cup of beef mixture on top of lettuce and cheese
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread
Recipe taken fromhere.
Ingredients
* 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 4 Tbsp butter
* 2 lbs pizza dough
* 6 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes (you'll need ~48 pieces)
* 48 slices of Turkey pepperoni (from 1 package)
* 2-3 cups marinara sauce, warmed, for serving
Instructions
1. Heat garlic and butter over medium heat just until the garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat and let sit.
2. Lightly brush the inside of a bundt pan (or other oven-safe dish) with garlic butter.
3. Pull off large marble-sized balls of dough and flatten (a kitchen scale makes this very easy). Top with a slice of pepperoni and a cube of mozzarella.
4. Wrap the dough around the pepperoni and cheese, pinching well to seal.
5. Very lightly brush the pizza ball with garlic butter and place into the bundt pan (I dabbed the pizza balls on a butter-dipped silicon brush to keep butter use low - there will be 1+ Tbsp leftover - and my hands butter free. Buttery hands make it hard to get the pizza balls to seal).
6. Repeat until all of the dough is used.
7. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, while preheating the oven to 400.
8. Bake for ~35 minutes, until the top is very brown.
9. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.
10. Turn out onto a platter and serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
Yields: 48 pieces
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Chicken Salad
2 cups chicken breast, baked, cut in bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp. pecans, chopped
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 cup seedless grapes, sliced
½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
Directions:
Combine all ingredients together. Keep refrigerated.
2 Tbsp. pecans, chopped
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 cup seedless grapes, sliced
½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
Directions:
Combine all ingredients together. Keep refrigerated.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Strawberry Lemonade
THE ULTIMATE STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
(makes 2 pint-glass servings with ice)
3/4 cup sugar
2 large lemons, microwaved for 30 seconds
2 cups water
1 cup of frozen strawberries, microwaved for 1 minute (you could use fresh, but I think the frozen works better here)
In a blender squeeze the lemons and add the rest of the lemon, rind and all. Pour in the water and sugar. Add the strawberries. Pulse until everything starts to come together and the rind is starting to be processed. Remove the blade (or place the entire contents of the blender into a microwavable pitcher) and microwave for another 2 minutes. You can do all of this on stove top if you’d prefer, but the microwave is easy and quick. Refrigerate for about 1 hour, then strain into glasses loaded with ice.
(makes 2 pint-glass servings with ice)
3/4 cup sugar
2 large lemons, microwaved for 30 seconds
2 cups water
1 cup of frozen strawberries, microwaved for 1 minute (you could use fresh, but I think the frozen works better here)
In a blender squeeze the lemons and add the rest of the lemon, rind and all. Pour in the water and sugar. Add the strawberries. Pulse until everything starts to come together and the rind is starting to be processed. Remove the blade (or place the entire contents of the blender into a microwavable pitcher) and microwave for another 2 minutes. You can do all of this on stove top if you’d prefer, but the microwave is easy and quick. Refrigerate for about 1 hour, then strain into glasses loaded with ice.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Beef & Vegetable Stir-Fry
¾ lb. beef round steak, boneless (12 oz.)
½ cup carrots, sliced
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
dash pepper
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. oil
½ cup onion, sliced
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups broccoli florets
1¼ cups water
Directions:
1. Trim all fat from steak. Slice steak across the grain into thin strips about 1/8" wide and 3" long. (Partially frozen meat is easier to slice).
2. Heat oil in wok. Add beef strips and stir fry over high heat, turning pieces constantly, until beef is no longer red (about 3-4 minutes). Reduce heat.
3. Add carrots, onion, and seasonings. Cover and cook until carrots are slightly tender (3-5 minutes).
4. Add broccoli; cook until vegetables are tender-crisp (3 to 4 minutes).
5. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; add slowly to beef mixture, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened and vegetables are coated with a thin glaze.
Yield: 4 Servings
½ cup carrots, sliced
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
dash pepper
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. oil
½ cup onion, sliced
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups broccoli florets
1¼ cups water
Directions:
1. Trim all fat from steak. Slice steak across the grain into thin strips about 1/8" wide and 3" long. (Partially frozen meat is easier to slice).
2. Heat oil in wok. Add beef strips and stir fry over high heat, turning pieces constantly, until beef is no longer red (about 3-4 minutes). Reduce heat.
3. Add carrots, onion, and seasonings. Cover and cook until carrots are slightly tender (3-5 minutes).
4. Add broccoli; cook until vegetables are tender-crisp (3 to 4 minutes).
5. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; add slowly to beef mixture, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened and vegetables are coated with a thin glaze.
Yield: 4 Servings
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