Apple Butter

Apple Butter

2 qts sweet apple cider

3 qts peeled & quartered cooking apple (about 4 lbs)

2 cups sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

Bring cider to a boil in a large saucepan. Add apples. Bring to a boil reduce heat. Simmer uncovered stirring often until apples are soft. Stir in remaining ingred. Skim. (Simmer) uncovered stirring often until very little liquid separates from pulp - about 2 hrs.

Makes about 2 pts apple butter.

(My notes - I would probably try to find low sugar cider, use substitute sugar (doc says 'no sugar'), and I would definitely use more cinnamon than this ... because everybody knows I like a little bit of apple in my cinnamon butter!)

Chinese Style 24 Hour Pickles

This is another recipe I found in Mona's recipe file ... the one that was in the pile to go to the dump!!!

Chinese-Style 24 Hour Pickles

1 cup water

1 cup cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar

1 cup sugar

2 tbs dry sherry

1 tsp salt

3 tbs peeled fresh ginger

1 medium granny smith apple 1/4 in wedges

2 med celery stalks cut diagonally 1/4 in thick

2 zucchini cut into 1/4 in rounds

1/2 red bell pepper seeded & cut 1/4 in by 2 in strips

1/2 cucumber peeled seeded and cut into 1/2 x 2 in sticks

12 small cauliflower florets

3 large mushrooms (cut) into 1/4 in thick slices

Stir first 5 ingred. in 2 qt jar or bowl until sugar & salt dissolve. Add ginger. Mix in all remaining ingred. Cover & refrig. overnight.

Can be prepared 6 days ahead. Pack in small glass jars & refrig.

I think this sounds delish!!!

Karmel Corn

I found this recipe in my friend Mona's stuff she was getting ready to send to the dump (!!!).

(1960 Kathy Wagner)

(Very Good ****)

"Delicious!!!"

Karmel Corn

2 quarts popped corn

1-1/3 c sugar

1 c butter

1/2 c Caro clear syrup

1 tsp vanila

Cook all ingred but vanila until thick then stir in vanila and add to pop corn.

My cardiologist would faint if I actually ate some of this ...

So if you make some, let me know how it turns out!!!

Apricot Chutney

I've never been a big fan of chutneys ...

Mostly because I could never figure out what they go with!!!

I'm so glad whoever wrote out this recipe for Apricot Chutney included the information that it would be "excellent with curry chicken or ham"!

Nancy Blackshear's Fruit Salad

I don't know Nancy ... I found this recipe card at the thrift store.
It sounds yummy, though!
And I've never heard of mixing instant pudding into a fruit salad before ... I wonder if you use the mix dry, or if you have to make the pudding beforehand???
What do you think?

Lazy Lasagna

This is not your normal recipe ...
Because I don't have a recipe that I follow for this; and it turns out different every time!

So here goes ...

First I make a batch of spaghetti sauce (sometimes from scratch, sometimes from a can, sometimes with meat, this one happened to be vegetarian). I make sure to add a little extra liquid so it's nice and gloppy.

Then I mix a bunch of cheeses in a bowl, first ricotta and cottage, then shredded mozzarella, romano, parmesan - whatever I happen to have in the fridge!

I then take out my baking dish, and layer away.
I start with the sauce.
On top of the sauce I put a layer of lasagna noodles (uncooked!).
On top of the noodles, I put a layer of the cheese mixture, then more sauce.
If I have a short baking dish, I stop there.
If it's a deeper one, I add another layer of noodles, cheese and sauce, then sprinkle the finished product with some grated cheese (usually mozzarella, but that can change!).

I cover the entire pan with foil, preheat the oven to 350, and bake until the middle is bubbly and hot. The one in the picture was really thick, and it baked for 2 hours!

I hope you enjoy this really easy recipe that will have your family begging for lasagna!!!
(Just don't tell them how EASY it is to make!)

Dear Heloise: Cream Soup Base

This looks really good - I've always wondered how to make a good cream-of-anything soup!
I can't wait to try it!