Joy in the Kitchen!

Several years ago at a family reunion auction, we bought a cookbook put together from my husbands grandmother's recipes.  Not all of them, but some she'd collected over the years.  The cousin who made this cookbook made copies of the recipe cards in grandma's own handwriting and assembled them into a cute binder.  Seeing these hand written cards brings back sweet memories of when I joined the family and grandma helped me feel so welcome!   Thank you Jeana! Grandma Evelyn would be 118 years old now if she were still here on earth, and I'm sure this recipe was from the years she was raising her children.  Definitely fits that vintage era!  I would guess the 1940's or 1950's.  There were some delicious recipes then that were very basic homemade food. I already use some of Grandma's recipes on a regular basis but I decided to try some of the others out of this cookbook.  Since we have a few apples on our tree that could be used, I decided to try ...

Every year about now we wish we had a cider press.  We have several apple trees and after canning dozens of quarts of applesauce and some pie filling, a few fresh apple pies, eating fresh apples until we're sick of them, we pick several boxes, store them in the garage, eat a few & throw the rests out in the spring.  So wasteful! This year Dave decided he would build a cider press.  After perusing the different home made presses others have made and posted on the internet, he built one we quite like!  He used materials we had on hand or that were scrap, so the total cost for the press came in under $50!  The grinder for our apples came from Dave's grandparents.  Grandpa hooked it up to a motor years ago and it worked pretty slick for grinding up our apples.  A few days ago we had Cider Pressing Day.  A few family and neighbors brought apples to press and in between, we pressed our own.  We started just after 10am, finishing up about 6p...

We're trying out some fun new dishes for our New Years Eve festivities!  I just finished making this one and it is SO good!  I saw a recipe idea online and changed it for what's in season and my own tastes.  The Cinnamon Crisp recipe can be found in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  This salsa is so fresh and bright, it brings a taste of summer to these bleak winter days.  What a great way to ring in a new year, serving something so bright and hopeful!   I hope you enjoy it as much as we are enjoying it! Fresh Fruit Salsa 3-4 kiwi 2 golden delicious apples 1 C. raspberries or strawberries (I used frozen) 1 pear, Bosc, Bartlett, whichever you prefer or is in season 1 T. lemon juice 1/4 C. strawberry or raspberry jam (I used my homemade freezer jam for a good color) 2 T. brown sugar 1 T. honey 1 T. sugar In a small bowl, mix jam, sugars, and honey.  Set aside to let the sugar start to dissolve.   Peel, core, and finely dice pear ...

You may have noticed my blogging has slowed down the past week or so.  I've decided to try a sewing project.  Partly to prove you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. lol  I cook.... I don't sew.  (at least not very well)  I'm nearly done though, only a few seams unpicked, a few pin stabbings, and only once had the urge to say a bad word. (and I even resisted that!)  lol  Soon we'll get back to our regular hobby of cooking. Apple Crisp .  You know, when I was younger, the only part I liked was the crisp part on top.  Okay - so that was pretty much up until now.  The apples were always just a little too tart for my taste and often too firm, I like them almost mushy.  SO... with my need to figure out ways to use apples right now, I decided to fiddle with the recipe and see if I could make a crisp that I like, fruit and all.  I DO like apple pie filling - so I thought I'd treat the sliced apples the same as if I were making a pie an...

Mom shared a BUNCH of green peppers Dad grew in their garden.  THANK YOU Mom and Dad!  Our peppers were pecked to death by the chickens early on and we only got a few survivors. (peppers, not chickens lol )  I've been freezing the peppers from my parents a few at a time.  I've got 3 quarts of diced peppers in the freezer.  Tonight I chose to fill a few and use them for dinner.  Mom used to make these once in a while when I lived at home. YUM!   The little girls don't like peppers, so rather than waste a good pepper on them, I put some filling in muffin cups and let them have theirs that way.  I've found an easy way to keep the peppers upright while baking, is to set them in a large muffin tin. (the kind that makes large muffins)  If you don't have one of those, a casserole dish is fine, or check and see if your peppers are thin enough, they might fit in a regular muffin tin. As a side dish, and trying to use up more of our abundant c...

Last night we had snow.  Today my son and husband were busy picking apples to bring in before the hard freeze we're supposed to get tonight.  I think they've picked about 2 bushel so far!  One delicious way to use fresh, crisp apples is in Apple Cake!  This will make a 9x13 pan.  It's as good or even better the next day and since it has basically the same ingredients as the Cinnamon Streusel Apple Muffins I make, I figure if there is cake left over, the kids can have cake for breakfast!  (Aren't I just about the nicest Mom...  just wait until they tell their school teacher's Mom gave them cake for breakfast. lol ) Every time I peel apples for recipes like this, I remember reading somewhere, I swear it was in the Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, that peeling an apple without the string of peel breaking, was a sought after skill.   I wish someone would find that source and tell me if that's where I read it.  Maybe it's time to ge...

Celebrate fall by enjoying these moist apple muffins!  Muffins are a quick and easy breakfast!  These Cinnamon Streusel Apple Muffins use fresh apples which are abundant this time of year.  I double this recipe and freeze half.  (back in the old days, when we had 7 kids at home, we ate a double recipe of this... ahhh the memories)  The apple in these muffins keeps them really moist. Cinnamon Streusel Apple Muffins 2 C. flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 C. sugar 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1 C. milk 1 egg, beaten 1/4 C. butter or margarine, melted 1 C. apple, peeled, cored, and chopped Heat oven to 400.  Grease 12 muffin cups.  Stir together all dry ingredients in one bowl, mix together the milk, egg & butter in another bowl.  Stir the two together.  Fold in chopped apples.  Spoon batter into muffin cups and top with the following streusel topping: Streusel Topping 1 T. softened butter 3 T. sugar 1 T. brown sugar...

Apples are abundant and inexpensive right now. We have our own trees, so in the fall I'm always looking for ways to serve apples. This dip is one of our family favorites. I'm amazed at how many apple slices the kids will eat with this dip versus eating them plain. Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip 1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened 1/3 C. brown sugar 1 tsp. caramel or vanilla flavoring. Mix the above together until the sugar is dissolved. Chill until ready to serve. Joy's Note: We almost always use apples with this, but it would be great with a variety of fresh fruit. (or even spread on a bagel!) ALSO, I've added a few good sized spoonfuls of sour cream and another few Tablespoons of sugar to this for a thinner dip.