Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (2 to 3 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Chai Tea

5 Cardamon
1-2 Cinnamon Sticks
7 Peppercorn
10 Cloves
2 inches Ginger (peeled and smashed)

Boil the above ingredients for 10 minutes

Add 2 heaping Tbsp. black tea, steap 5-10 minutes

Add 1/2 as much milk as water, add sugar to taste.

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

4 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 onion, sliced into rings
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 1 quart casserole dish.
2. Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
4. Bake 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven.

Savory Chicken Noodle Bake

• 6 ounces thin egg noodles, cooked, drained
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 to 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 2/3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup pimiento, drained, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups cooked diced chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed under hot water
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese , plus more for topping

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish.

In large skillet or saucepan over low heat, melt butter; sauté mushrooms until tender. Blend in flour, stirring until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add chicken broth, milk, pimiento, and salt and pepper; stir constantly until sauce is thickened. Stir in chicken, peas, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and the cooked noodles. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over top. Bake chicken noodle casserole 20 to 25 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Serves 8.

Country Corn Bake

1 (15 oz) can cream-style corn
1/2 cup butter
1 (8.5 oz) pkg. dry corn muffin mix
1 (8 oz) pkg. prepared French onion dip
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 2 quart casserole.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine corn, butter, corn muffin mix, French onion dip, eggs, salt, celery, salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
3. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 40 to 60 minutes.

Apple Pie Filling

• 10 pounds Apples, More Or Less As Needed (Amount Of Apples Depends On How Thickly You Slice Them)
• 4-½ cups Sugar, Divided
• 10 cups Water, Divided
• 1 cup Corn Starch
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• ¼ teaspoons Nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoons Cloves

Combine 3 1/2 cups sugar and 9 cups of water together; bring to a boil and make sure sugar is dissolved.

While it’s heating, combine 1 cup corn starch, remaining 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Stir in a bowl until no longer lumpy.

After sugar and water are boiling, whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Keep whisking to make sure lumps don’t form. Add in remaining ingredients (except apples) and bring to a boil to thicken.

Pack hot jars with peeled and sliced apples. Ladle into jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Remove bubbles and adjust 2-piece caps. Process in a water bath for 20 minutes (additional time may be needed according to your altitude). Makes about 7-8 quarts.

Note: sometimes I do a thick slice of apples for apple crisp.

Carmelized Crock Pot Onions

• 1 pound Onions
• 2 Tablespoons Butter

The measurements for the ingredients are per part. For a 6-quart crock pot, I used 6 pounds of onions and 2 sticks of butter. Next time, I’ll use my 18-quart roaster, and hopefully 18 pounds of onions and 6 (!) sticks of butter.

Use any onion you like. Yellow onions are usually cheapest. They will be very sweet when they are done, so only use sweet onions if you *really* like the sweetness.

Slice onions 1/2-inch thick. Pile them into the crock pot and fill it as much as you can. Top with pats of butter. Turn crock pot on low. Stir after a few hours, and leave overnight.

These can be put into containers to refrigerate, or they can be canned.

To can: sterilize jars and lids. Fill with onions, and replace lids. Process.

The possible uses are endless.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

• 1 bottle (750ml Bottle) Good Quality Vodka
• 3 whole Vanilla Beans Per Container
• 10 jars (Small Jars) With Tight-fitting Lids

For each jar of extract you would like to make:

Slice three vanilla beans down the center, being careful not to cut through them so that they will release their seeds. Place all 3 vanilla beans into each jar and then fill each jar with vodka. Don’t quite fill to the top.

Place the lids on tightly. Store them in a dark and cool place. Give the jars a good shake once a week. Vanilla extract will be ready to use in approximately 8 weeks.

Garlic Confit

• 1 jar Whole, Peeled Garlic Cloves
• 2 cups Olive Oil (use Only Enough To Cover Cloves)

The quantities listed above assume you have purchased a giant jar of whole, peeled garlic cloves from the grocery store, used about 10 while the rest are in serious peril of getting moldy before you use them all! Garlic Confit is perfect for that.

Alternatively, if you have only a handful of garlic cloves you wish to make this with, you would only need perhaps 1/2 cup of olive oil. Basically, only use as much oil as you need to cover the cloves.

DIRECTIONS:

Put garlic into a heavy-bottomed pan and add enough olive oil to cover.

Bring to just barely a simmer and immediately turn heat down to the lowest heat setting. Cook for at least an hour. If you see the cloves getting brown, you are cooking them at too high of a temperature.

When the garlic is as meltingly soft as butter, they are done. Pour the garlic and the oil into container(s) that you can store in your refrigerator. Use the cloves in place of raw garlic for a delicious twist. Use just the oil for a subtle garlic flavor in any dish you would normally use plain olive oil.

I love using Garlic Confit because my husband is sensitive to raw garlic and this allows him to eat my food (and live in my house and stay married to me!).

Easy Freezy Apple Butter

• 4 cups Jonagold Apples, Or Whatever You Like
• 4 cups Sugar
• ⅓ cups Cinnamon Red Hots

Spray a large crock pot with nonstick spray, or use a liner.

Core, peel and slice 4 cups of apples. Place in the crock pot.

Add 4 cups sugar. Add 1/3 cup cinnamon red hots. Stir well and cook on LOW for 6 hours or until soft.

Using a stick-blender, blend until smooth. Pour into freezer jars and freeze. Use within 1 year.

Apple Butter

• 5 pounds Tart Apples
• 2 cups Apple Cider
• 3 cups To 5 Cups Sugar
• 3 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoons Ground Cloves
• ½ teaspoons Ground Allspice
• ½ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg

Core and quarter apples (peeling isn’t necessary). Cook apples slowly in cider until tender (I put them in my crock pot), then blend in a food processor or blender.

Add 3 cups of sugar and check for sweetness, then add more as necessary (sometimes up to 5 cups total). Add spices and stir together.

Cook for 6 to 8 hours in a crock pot. I just cook it overnight on low.

Test for thickness by spooning butter on a cold plate. If no liquid comes out the edges, it is thick enough. If it isn’t thick enough, take the lid off the crock pot and turn it up to high. Let some liquid boil off, but stir and check back often.

Ladle into sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude if necessary.

You can also freeze this apple butter if you prefer.

Note: this recipe as stated makes ten 1/2 pints of butter. I use a few more apples as I have a large crock pot and I just fill the thing with apples. My crock pot makes about 16 1/2 pints of butter.

Homemade Chunky Salsa

• 8 quarts Tomatoes, Diced
• 1 quart Sweet Peppers, Chopped
• 1 quart Onions, Chopped
• 1 quart Celery, Chopped
• 1 quart Cider Vinegar
• 2 cups Water
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• ⅓ cups Canning Salt, Not Iodized
• 1 Tablespoon Pickling Spice, Tied In A Cloth
• 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
• 3 Tablespoons Cayenne Pepper, More If You Want It Hotter
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
• Tabasco Sauce, To Taste (None For Mild Salsa, Plenty For Hot Salsa)
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper To Taste

Combine all ingredient in a large, heavy kettle or roasting pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove the picking spice that was tied in a cloth. Pour hot salsa into clean, sterilized pint jars. Process in a pressure canner at 10 lbs. pressure for 30 minutes.

This makes a mild to medium-heat salsa. For killer hot, we drop in 2 or 3 jalapeno peppers.

Yields 14 pints.

(We’ve cooked this in the oven, on the barbecue, and on a portable propane burner. All methods work equally well.)

Canned Vegetable Soup

• 2 quarts Carrots, Diced
• 1 head Cabbage, Shredded
• 3 whole Green Peppers, Seeded And Diced
• 1 bunch Celery, Chopped
• 1 gallon Tomatoes (peeled And Diced)
• 3 whole Onions, Diced
• 1 quart Green Beans
• 1 cup Sugar
• ¼ cups Pickling Salt

Cut up all vegetables and combine in a large stock pot. Cover with water and cook for 1 hour.

May be frozen in quart freezer bags or ladled into hot jars, sealed and processed in a hot water bath. This makes about 10 quarts.

When pulling out a bag or jar to prepare for a meal, add meat, potatoes, and or pasta and a quart of beef or chicken broth. Can also be made using hamburger, stew meat, chicken, or Italian sausage. When using Italian sausage, add Italian seasonings and garlic to taste.

* I have also added okra, shredded zucchini and fresh corn off the cob.

Peach Jam

• 7 cans Empty Canning Jars
• 7 whole Peaches
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 package Sure-Jell
• 5-½ cups Sugar

Prep:
-place lids and bands in water
-place on stove and begin to boil
-place jars in water
-place on stove and begin to boil

-peal peaches and cut into sections
-place in large bowl
-smash peaches
-place 4 cups smashed peaches in large stock pot
-place lemon juice, butter, and sure jell in pot with peaches

-Stir constantly
-bring peach mixture to a rolling boil
-once to a rolling boil add sugar and stir one minute

-pull jars out of boiling water
-turn upside down for a few seconds
-turn jars right side up
-place large funnel in jar
-pour peach mixture in jar

-once all jars are filled, wet a paper towel
-wipe all sides of jars
-drain bands and lids
-place on clean towel
-place bands on jars first
-place lids on jars

-use paper towel to screw lids on tight (will be hot)
-turn upside down immediately (5 minutes)
-after 5 minutes place right side up
-wait for jars to POP! (seal)

Onion Jam

• 3 cups Red Onion
• 1-½ cup Apple Juice
• ½ cups Red Wine Vinegar
• 1-½ teaspoon Fresh Sage
• ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
• 4 cups White Sugar
• ¾ cups Light Brown Sugar
• 1 box Powdered Pectin

Peel and dice onions.

Add apple juice, vinegar, sage (chopped) and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Measure sugars in separate bowl, set aside.

Stir pectin into onion mixture in saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.

Stir in sugars. Bring to full rolling boil and boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat, skim off foam and ladle into hot jars. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.

Sweet Pickle Relish

• 4-½ cups Finely Chopped Cucumber
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Carrot Or Red Bell Pepper
• 3 cups Finely Chopped Onion
• ¼ cups Pure Salt (no Additives)
• 1-½ cup Mild Honey
• 2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard Seed
• 1 Tablespoon Celery Seed
• ¼ teaspoons Turmeric Powder

Finely chop all of the vegetables and mix them together in a large bowl.

Sprinkle the salt over the vegetables and mix. Cover the vegetables with filtered water and let stand for 4 hours in your refrigerator.

During the last hour sterilize your clean jars, rings and lids by boiling them in water for 15 minutes. Leave them in the water until you’re ready to fill them.

Drain the vegetables thoroughly in a colander, pressing out the excess liquid.

Combine honey, vinegar, and spices in a large pot and bring to a boil.

Stir in the drained vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pack into hot sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch from the top. (Using a canning funnel will keep the jars clean)

Run a butter knife around the inside of the jars to release any air bubbles. Make sure the top edge of the jar is free from pieces of relish.

Put the lids on the jars and screw the rings on firmly.
Process in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Remove them from the water to cool on a rack. After they’ve cooled, check each jar to be sure it’s sealed properly. The lid should not make any noise or move up and down when you push on the center. You can remove the rings and use them on something else.

Multi-Berry Jam

• 4 cups Mashed Berries (any Type) I've Used Strawberries, Raspberries, Black Raspberries, Blackberries, And Blueberries In All Combinations Before
• 1 envelope No Sugar Needed Pectin (I Like My Jam More Fruity Than Sugary, And Always Use Low Sugar Pectin)

Before canning, make sure your supplies are ready, so wash and clean 6 pint sized jars, or 12 half pint sized jars. Clean the rims of the jars, and prepare the tops in hot water (not a full boil).

-Wash and prepare berries by removing any stems or bad pieces.

-Place in a large measuring cup, enough for at least four cups, and mash with a potato masher. You will need four cups mushed berries.

.-Pour the berries into a large sauce pan, and stir in the packet of pectin.

-Bring the mixture to a full boil, while stirring continuously.

-Once it’s reached a boil let it roll for two minutes. Continue stirring so you don’t get anything burnt to the bottom of the pan.

-Stir in all the sugar at once. Depending on the sweetness of your berries you can adjust between 1-2, or even 3 cups of sugar.

-Bring the mixture to a boil again, and let it fully boil for 3 minutes, again stirring the whole time.

-Ladle into jars, leaving 1/4″ headroom at the top.

-Wipe off any excess jam that spilled over, and seal the lids and tops “finger tight”.

-Place the jars in a boiling water canner, or a large pot of water. Bring to a full rolling boil with lid covered and let boil for 10 minutes.

-With tongs (or silicon oven mitt) remove the jars, making sure there’s no water left on the top. Place them right side up to cool until all the lids “pop” into place.

-If the lids do not seal, make sure to put the jar in the fridge and eat it within the next week or so. If the lids did seal they will store in the cabinet for up to a year, but need refrigeration after being opened.

Stewed Tomatoes

• 2 quarts Tomatoes
• 2 whole Any Bell Pepper
• 1 whole White Onion
• 4 stalks Celery
• 1 whole Medium Size Zucchini
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Celery Salt
• 4 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Salt

With food processor using the chop mode, chop all veggies till fine but not pureed.

Add remaining ingredients and cook on low heat til ingredients are hot.

Pack in hot canning jars to 1/2 inch from top. Put lid and screw band on tightly. Process in boiling water bath for 1 hour.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

• 5 cups Rhubarb
• 10 ounces, weight Frozen Strawberries
• 4 cups Sugar
• 3 ounces, weight Strawberry Jello

Wash and cut rhubarb into 1 inch pieces. Place strawberries and rhubarb into kettle and bring to a boil.

Add sugar into boiling kettle and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in package of Strawberry Jello and let simmer for about 5 minutes more. Pour Jam into jars and seal.

**I have substituted sugar for Splenda and used sugar free Strawberry Jello and jam still turns out yummy!

Old Fashioned Raspberry Jam

4 cups raspberries
4 cups sugar

Wash 4 half-pint canning jars and rest them on a cake rack at the bottom of a tall stock pot. Cover the jars with at least 1 inch of water and bring to a soft boil. (A rack can be improvised by tying several canning rings together with string.) Keep a kettle of water on the boil to sterilize lids later.

Place sugar in a shallow baking dish in a 250 degree oven for 15 minutes. (Warming the sugar makes it dissolve more readily.)

Place the berries into a medium-sized heavy bottomed pot and place on high heat. Use a potato masher to crush the fruit. Bring to a full rolling boil for 1 min, stirring constantly.

Add the warm sugar to the hot berries and return to a full boil until the mixture gels, stirring to avoid scorching.

Gelling can be tested a few ways:

1.) When a candy thermometer reads 220 degrees

2.) When a cold teaspoon dipped into the syrup collects on the edge of the spoon and sheets rather than dripping off

3.) Using a chilled plate, place a dollop of hot jam and return it to the freezer for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, push the cooled jam with your finger and if the surface wrinkles it’s ready to be packed. You can also tilt the plate to see if the jam moves, if it moves very slowly it’s ready.

The time it takes for the raspberries to reach gel stage varies anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes depending on the moisture content in your fruit. Remove jam from heat.

Place canning lids (not rings) in a bowl and cover with boiling water. The lids need to stand for a couple of minutes to soften the sealant material. Use a canning jar lifter, or tongs to lift your hot jar, pouring all of the water out.

Pour jam into a glass measuring cup to ease filling the jam jars leaving a 1/2″ of headspace. Clean up any dribbles on lip of the jar using a clean dishtowel dipped in boiling water.

Grab a hot lid using a pair of tongs and place on the jar, screw on the canning ring until just snug. You want to avoid screwing the band on too tightly as air needs to escape later. Fill remaining jars.

Carefully lower the filled jars into the stock pot. Arrange the jars so that they stand upright and do not touch. Make sure the jars are covered with at least 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Once the water comes to a strong boil, process for 10 minutes. Higher elevations may need to add more time, these can be looked up online.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the jars to remain in the hot water for 5 more minutes.

Remove jars from water and place on a cutting board in an undisturbed spot. They should seal if not immediately, in 12-24 hours. You should hear a sucking sound and the lid will be concave in the middle.

In the event the jars don’t seal, consume the jam immediately and store in the refrigerator. Properly canned jam can be stored up to a year in cool dark spot.