Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes
30 Jan 2012 3 Comments
in Side Dish, Sweet Potato, Vegetables Tags: Center for Science in the Public Interest, cinnamon, Clark Kent, CSPI, ginger, nutmeg, roasted sweet potato, roasted vegetables, sweet potato croutons, Vitamin A
When I think ‘sweet potato’ my mind automatically jumps to Clark Kent. Yes, this colorful spud has a lot in common with that nattily dressed, bespectacled Super Hero. It is a Super Food if ever there was one, packed with powerful good stuff – Vitamin, A, carotenoids, fiber, Vitamin C, and even some calcium. It’s considered one of the top ten foods you can eat. But don’t take my word for it; check out this article by Center for Science in the Public Interest (the ‘watch dogs’ of the nutrition world).
This recipe is just one of many delicious ways to prepare sweet potatoes. I discovered this on one of my favorite recipe blogs, For the Love of Cooking, and again she did not disappoint. They were rich and naturally sweet with just a touch of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Me, my boys, husband and mother all loved them. Yes, the 6-year-old rejected them, still quite particular in her tastes, but I continue to persevere in that realm. I just know she will eventually come around.
Side note: I was inspired to make these after one of my interns shared a delicious dish – bite-size roasted sweet potatoes served atop a green salad, like croutons. What a cool idea! I’m now bit by the roasted veggie bug. Up next? Brussel sprouts and beets!
Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes
Serves 6
Adapted from For the Love of Cooking
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger
Sea salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine melted butter and olive oil. Lightly coat a 9×13 pan with spray oil. In a large mixing bowl, toss cubed sweet potato with butter/oil mixture until well coated. Add spices, sugar and salt, and toss again until all are distributed evenly. Spread potatoes in the bottom of the pan. Roast in the oven for 60-75 minutes. Potatoes will be fork-tender.
Enjoy!
Chili Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Ginger Glaze
26 Jan 2012 4 Comments
in Pork Tags: Apricot preserves, barbecue sauce, rubbed pork, why I love pork tenderloin
I know what you’re thinking…
Pork tenderloin again? Is that all you eat??
No, definitely not. My first love is chicken.
Are you getting kickbacks from the pork industry?
Wouldn’t that be nice? But, no.
Yes, this is the 5th pork loin recipe I’ve put out there. But I have to do it. I have to share when a recipe makes my mouth soooo happy. It uses a two-step flavor infusion (i.e. rub it now, sauce it later), which makes for an amazing, tender meat with a sweet and mildly spicy glaze. The bonus? It’s so easy to do. Honestly, I find the hardest part about cooking sometimes is just having the right dang ingredients on hand! I had to borrow apricot preserves from my mamacita 
There are three reasons I love cooking with pork tenderloin:
#1 It is LEAN. Three ounces contains just 3 grams of fat and has a whopping 22 grams of protein. The other white meat indeed!
#2 It is TENDER. My kids never, ever complain that it’s ‘chewy’ — their main complaint about lean cuts of beef.
#3 It is VERSATILE. You can morph this easy-going meat into any type of meal you want – sweet, savory, spicy – it all works. You can slice it, shred it, or chunk it. It works in chili, stew, soups, and is delicious as a protein shake (just kidding — paying attention?!)
Is my unabashed love for pork making you uneasy? Never mind, just take a gander at the recipe below, borrow critical ingredients from your neighbor, mom, pastor, or bestie, and get cooking!
Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Ginger Glaze
Serves 8
Recipe from Allrecipes.com
2 – 1 pound pork tenderloins
Spice Rub:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups apricot preserves
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Juice of one lime (or substitute ~2 tablespoons of lemon juice)
1) Place ingredients for the spice rub in a small bowl and combine well. Rub spice mixture onto tenderloins on all sides. Cover the meat and place in refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.
2) While grill is heating up, melt the apricot preserves in saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in remaining glaze ingredients. Set aside half the glaze to serve alongside at mealtime.
3) Grill the tenderloins over medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes (or for about 10 minutes on a George Foreman-type grill). When there is just 4 minutes of cooking time left, brush the meat with the glaze and cook for 2 minutes, then turn the meat and brush the other side with glaze, cooking for a final 2 minutes. Remove from grill when temperature reads a minimum of 145 degrees F.
4) Let the meat sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Brush with additional glaze if desired.
Hearty Sausage and Chicken Soup
24 Jan 2012 3 Comments
in Chicken, Pork, Soup Tags: Italian sausage in soup, no soup for you, Pile o'Crap, To-do list for 2012, variation on chicken rice soup
No soup for you! Well, that’s almost what happened…
I made this awesome soup A MONTH AGO, and then subsequently lost – and found – the recipe three times. Every time I went to blog about it, I couldn’t find my notes. Then, it would turn up miraculously, only to be lost again in the Pile o’Crap that is my kitchen counter. See?
We just can’t seem to get a handle on it. School papers, bills, school projects, store flyers, and homeless household items all land here. And, what’s worse, I created this toxic waste dump on purpose. I declared this counter the place to put all that STUFF in a misguided attempt to preserve some counter space in the kitchen where I could do food prep. It barely keeps the chaos at bay, and I truly want to weep every time I look at the piles.
At the top of my to-do list for 2012? Coming up with a new C.O.P. (Crap Organization Plan). There are other exciting things on that list as well – like getting a sponsor for my blog, learning to make risotto, mastering the Leaning Jowler at yoga (not its real name, but you can probably picture it), and taking skin care seriously. I’ll let you know how all of that goes.
On with the soup already – before I lose it again. This is yet another variation on my basic chicken and rice recipe which I love. With a couple of leftover Italian sausage links in the fridge, I decided to try this twist and we all loved it. So hearty, warm and filling, we all loved it. Five thumbs up!
Sausage and Chicken Soup
Serves 5-6
8 cups chicken broth
2 sweet Italian sausage links
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
Handful of torn spinach
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1) Heat large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage and crumble into pan. Brown thoroughly.
2) Add broth, chicken, rice, carrot, celery, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.
3) Add spinach, and simmer 1-2 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
Express Lane: Creamy Tomato Soup with Rice and Shaved Parmesan
20 Jan 2012 2 Comments
in Quick and Easy Meals, Soup Tags: car horn sound, creamy tomato soup with rice, gray hairs, super quick meal, tomato rice, Trader Joe's
I might have considered yesterday a bad day when I practically fell on my nose trying to master the Crow pose at yoga. Or when my hairdresser’s eyes popped out of her head (cartoon style, complete with the old-fashioned car horn sound) when she saw the number of gray hairs I’d sprouted since my last visit. But it wasn’t, because I had an awesome soup for lunch
Do you need a nutritious, filling meal — and fast? Have I got a soup for you! Don’t you dare stop reading now. I know that tomato rice soup is not new, innovative, or clever, but this particular combo is so fast, so delicious, and so good for you, I am telling you that you are going to want to hit your local Trader Joe’s immediately and stock up on the THREE (count ‘em, three) ingredients you’ll need to pull off this gourmet little number any day of the week.
My friend, Tracey, served this up while I was at her house recently and I was so floored by its ease and deliciosity that I knew it was going to grace my own table soon. I barely waited a week! Why am I so excited? I don’t know – it’s not like I thunk this up all by myself. Not even close. Nor did Tracey, who got the idea from a cooking demo they did at TJ’s. Maybe it’s because this weather in Boston screams for soup, and even I am getting tired of my many variations on chicken soup and chili.
Whatever. I don’t dwell too much on the whys. I just like to share when I’ve found a quick and healthy meal, even if it involves virtually no cooking at all. And, you are getting whole grain, tons of Vitamin C and lycopene, and a good dose of both protein and fiber. Not bad for a 10-minute meal.
Step 1: Find your nearest Trader Joe’s; drive there (buckle up!) and ask one of the very helpful staff for the following three ingredients:
Step 2: Heat up both the soup and rice per directions. I did the soup on the stove and the rice in the microwave. Ground-breaking stuff, people.
Step 3: Put some rice in a soup bowl, like so:
Step 4: Pour the hot soup carefully over the rice. If you like taking photos of your meals as I do, at this point you have your bestie snap the photo for you while you pour so you don’t end up with soup running down your arm and off your elbow.
Step 5: Finish with some shaved parmesan or Asiago or cheddar or whatever your favorite cheese happens to be. Something with a bold flavor works well here.
Step 6: Slurp, chew and chomp your way to happiness. This soup is so hearty and filling, and the flavor and texture so lovely, it wipes out any possibility of a bad day; even the kind involving gray hair and bruised noses
Enjoy!
Grilled Tilapia with Smoked Paprika and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
18 Jan 2012 9 Comments
in Fish Tags: George Foreman grill, indoor grilling fish, quick grilling tilapia, smoked paprika, tilapia
I have always gotten a kick out of seeing George Forman on television. It’s hard to believe that goofy mug was once the fierce face of a heavyweight champion. I often forget about his boxing history, because the first thing that pops into my mind when I see him is his lean, mean grilling machine.
Exciting news on that front — we finally own one! Yep, despite my desperate desire to simplify, especially in the kitchen, I couldn’t deny us this little convenience. We love to grill, and currently don’t have a working outdoor grill, so getting a George Foreman was the easiest fix. And we love it! We’ve used it a number of times already, but the most delicious was this grilled tilapia. Sure, the title sounds high-maintenance, but this was a super-easy and quick to make. A grill pan will work fine, as well, or an actual grill, for that matter.
Not familiar with tilapia? Think flounder, sole, or haddock. It is very similar to other white fish, and is quite mild in taste, so it works with just about any flavors you want to add to it. We’ve used it in fish tacos several times, and now in this delicious dish featuring smoked paprika. The parmesan mashed potatoes are a great addition to this simple, light meal. Whether you go grill, grill pan, or the Foreman, I know you will love this!
Grilled Tilapia with Smoked Paprika
Serves 4
Adapted from Cooking Light
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1.2 pounds tilapia fillets (will be 4-6 fillets)
Cooking spray
Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Mix paprika, garlic, salt and pepper into the olive oil. Spread the oil mixture evenly over each fillet. Spray grill with cooking spray. Add fish and cook 4 minutes each side (or about 5 minutes total in the George Foreman grill), or until it flakes easily with a fork.
Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
Serves 5-6
4 cups peeled and cubed baking potatoes
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Add potatoes and garlic to large sauce pan and cover with water. Heat to a boil, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes pierce easily with a fork. Drain the water out carefully (I used the saucepan lid to cover the opening, and slowly poured the water into the sink to retain some of the garlic). Once drained, add the milk, cheese, and butter, and mash to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
!@#! Floopers (Food Bloopers)
16 Jan 2012 12 Comments
in Food Bloopers Tags: cake mishap, chaos in the kitchen, floopers, Food bloopers
One Saturday afternoon not so long ago…
It was supposed to be a quick drop-by to a friend’s house to pick up our boys, who had spent the day there. Jennifer insisted we stay for a little bit, tempting us with homemade carrot cake she had just finished frosting for her husband’s birthday. As we waited for crew to come inside, we chatted about this and that while sitting at her kitchen island.
That’s when we heard it.
(shhhlump)
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the top layer of the cake slide slowly and majestically off the lower layer, then land awkwardly alongside the toaster oven and counter. Cream cheese frosting was smeared all over, and dripping off the still warm cake.
I don’t remember exactly how Jennifer reacted, but all I could think was, “Whoa, I wish I’d caught that on video.”
That, my friends, was a World Class Flooper. You just can’t stage something like that. BTW, the cake was delicious, though by the time it reached our plates it was more like a trifle
Have you ever burnt the roast? Curdled the cream soup? Dropped the full crockpot on the floor? Overbaked the brownies? We all have. If you cook, you make mistakes. It’s a rite of passage and, while it may or may not make us better cooks, it certainly makes for interesting conversation!
I have burnt the chicken chunks (boy, those panko crumbs turned black FAST)…
Disgraced the pumpkin cheesecake bars (there was no way that crust was getting out of that pan alive)…
And even ruined the sticky walnut rolls (these look deceivingly delicious, but the glaze was more like glue. I think we lost a few teeth trying this one)…
It happens to everyone. And I want to know if it happens to you. In fact, I double-dog dare you. Snap a photo and send it along with a quick description, and I will share it on my soon-to-be created Floopers page. Come on, if we can’t laugh about it, we might start crying And, I promise, I will laugh WITH you, not AT you.
Chicken and Mushroom Alfredo
09 Jan 2012 11 Comments
in Cheese, Chicken, Pasta, Quick and Easy Meals Tags: Cooking Light, healthier alfredo sauce, lower fat alfredo sauce, Parmesan cheese, Perdue short cuts
Put that jar of alfredo sauce back on the shelf. In 30 minutes, you can cook yourself a much healthier, fresher and undoubtedly more delicious version. This recipe, adapted from Cooking Light, is sure-fire. I’ve made it to much acclaim at least 10 times. The applause only comes from my kids, but I’ll take it, as they are my harshest critics as well as my most ardent fans. It is one of just a handful of meals that all three of them give a cheer for and so it has been on our table often in the past few years.
I add chicken and mushrooms, and sometimes broccoli, to this, but you could do shrimp or scallops as well. It is really all about the sauce, a wonderfully creamy concoction made with lowfat milk, a bit of butter, light cream cheese, and Parmesan. If you are nervous about making this basic white sauce, check out this video demonstration from the Cooking Light kitchens, which shows exactly how its done. Otherwise, get cooking! Your alfredo - and applause - await!
TIPS: Have everything else done, or near done, before you begin to prepare the sauce. Once the sauce gets going, you will be stirring for 5-8 minutes and won’t have a free hand during that time. I usually get the pasta boiling and the mushrooms sauteing on the back burner before I begin the sauce, so that they are cooked and hot when the sauce is done; I just zap the chicken in the microwave for 1 minute just before combining everything.
Chicken and Mushroom Alfredo
Serves 4
adapted from Cooking Light Five Star Recipes: The Best of 10 Years, copyright 1996
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups nonfat milk
2 tablespoons light cream cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups hot cooked whole grain pasta (i.e., fettucine, penne rigate, or medium shells)
~2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (I often use Perdue Short Cuts grilled chicken, 9 oz package)
1 cup sliced mushrooms, sautéed
Chopped fresh parsley, if desired
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, and saute for about 1 minute. Do not allow the garlic to burn. Stir in the flour, then gradually stir in the milk using a wire whisk. Stir constantly until sauce is thickened and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and continue cooking for about a minute, until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in grated Parmesan. Immediately combine, sauce, pasta, chicken and mushrooms in a large bowl. Top with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Enjoy!
Chicken and Barley Soup with Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits
06 Jan 2012 7 Comments
in Biscuits, Soup Tags: buttermilk cheddar biscuits, drop biscuits, ground thyme, K.I.S.S., Massachusetts Department of Public Health, quick-cooking barley, Silver lining, soup's on, whole grains
Wednesday morning my super-smart phone told me it was 9 degrees outside. BRrrrrrrrr! I discovered something about myself recently. When I go out in this type of weather, I unconsciously pull my shoulders up near my ears, trying to trap the warmth in and prevent the wind chill from getting inside my coat. Ya know how I found out? It’s not so great for the shoulders and neck. Oweeeee! But, hey, it gives me a whole other reason to get to yoga regularly. See what I just did there? I found the silver lining
Which brings me to today’s topic…soup. The silver lining on a freezing cold day, for sure! It warms me up from the inside out. It seems lately I always have a bowl of chicken stock in the fridge just waiting for its casting call, and plenty of veggies hanging around as well. Rather than repeat my favorite Chicken and Rice Soup recipe AGAIN, I decided to mix it up with some barley and peas, and add some biscuits on the side that would pacify the one kid who doesn’t like any of my soups. (Oh well, she’s only 6. She’ll come around).
This combo was simply divine. I love the hearty, chewy texture of barley and getting in whole grains for the whole family makes me feel like I accomplished something good. The addition of a little ground thyme made the soup smell oh-so-delicious, and the biscuits were the perfect addition. Mark and I both left the table totally stuffed – er, I mean satisfied.
I beg and implore you, do not bother to roll out the biscuit dough. Just go with the smart option, and drop the dough by spoonfuls onto the lightly greased baking sheet. I thought it would look “prettier” if I rolled them out and cut them into round biscuits. Silly, silly girl. What a ridiculous mess that was! If I wasn’t covered fingertip to forearm in flour and sticky dough, I would’ve snapped a photo for you. You see, I totally forgot, for the moment, one of my favorite principles, taught to me by my amazing friend, Vanessa, when we shared a job (and a brain) during our time at the Mass. Department of Public Health.
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Stupid!
Duh. You guys don’t need pretty biscuits, what was I thinking? You just want good-tasting stuff. Anyhow, thought I’d pass on that little tip. These biscuits are really quick and easy to make, and totally worth it! Use whatever type of cheese you want, but make it something strong like pepper jack, or parmesan, or like me, a really sharp cheddar. A little bit adds a lot of flavor, limiting the amount you need to add, thus limiting the fat. Brilliant, no?
Chicken and Barley Soup
Serves 6
8 c. chicken broth
2 c. cooked, chopped chicken (I used a 1.3# package of chicken cutlets, boiled and chopped)
1 cup dry quick-cooking barley, cooked separately according to package directions
2 medium carrots chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 – 3/4 ground thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
1) Ahead of time, prepare chicken and barley. Peel and chop carrots (or use last night’s leftovers!)
2) Combine all ingredients (broth through thyme) in large 4-qt saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed with salt, pepper, and more thyme as desired.
Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits
Makes 12
Adapted from Cooking Light Five Star Recipes: The Best of 10 Years, copyright 1996
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons plus one teaspoon chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup low fat buttermilk (or 3/4 cup 1% milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar added)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (loosely packed, not firmly)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
1) Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender (or two knives) until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
2) Add buttermilk and stir just until moistened. Gently fold in shredded cheese.
3) Lightly grease cookie sheet with pan spray. Drop dough by large spoonfuls onto sheet, about 12 total.
4) Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes, or until golden (bottoms will brown before top, so keep an eye on the edges)
Soup’s on! I hope you enjoy.
My First Canning Expedition – The Barefoot Contessa’s BBQ Sauce
04 Jan 2012 23 Comments
in Blogging, Canning, Sauce Tags: 2012, barbecue sauce, Barefoot Contessa, first-time canning experience, The Year of Trying New Things
Well, hellooooo 2012! Just like that, Christmas and New Year’s are yesterday news, and here we are practically in mid-January.
The holidays were, as always, full of fun with lots of free time to play with the kids and try new things. 2011 was certainly the Year of Trying New Things. The most significant (and scariest at the outset) was starting this blog. When it became clear to me that I wanted to launch this, I was so physically agitated at the thought of it I could barely sit still – the excitement, nervousness, and doubts swirled inside of me, along with the looming question: “Can I really do this and will anybody but my mother bother to read it?” I decided to jump in, and, much to my surprise and joy, the response was great. Eight months later, I now have a small but devoted band of followers, post 2-3 times a week, and am still loving it. I get a little thrill every time I hit the “Publish” button.
I am certain this excited energy is behind all the other ‘firsts’ I decided to take on this year. There were new recipes, of course, but also new fitness pursuits, like committing to regular yoga classes and running my first 5K, as well as attempts at new crafts. I finally got up the courage to learn how to use a glue gun (thank you, Dee!) My son really wanted to make Lindt truffle trees as gifts for Christmas, and something just made me say, “Sure, let’s try it.” It was so easy and they look so purty, don’t they?
That minor accomplishment under my belt, I convinced myself that canning homemade BBQ sauce to give as gifts couldn’t be that complicated (snort). Sure, there is the chance that I’d do great harm to family members if I botched it (Get it? Botched? Like botulism? Haha!) but something told me I should just try it. After all, if the canning process didn’t work out (i.e. if the jars didn’t seal properly), the sauce should still be good under refrigeration for several weeks, possibly months.
The BBQ sauce itself is killer — in a good way. My aunt gave us a batch a couple of Christmases ago and shared her secret recipe, which is actually straight from the Barefoot Contessa. It is truly the most delicious BBQ sauce I’ve ever had. Sweet and rich with a little kick of heat, we’ve used it on our favorite pork tenderloin recipe as well as meatloaf.
Below is both the recipe (for your taste buds) and my canning experience (for your entertainment). If you’ve gotten this far in this longer-than-necessary post, you deserve a medal. Thank you!
The Barefoot Contessa’s BBQ Sauce
from The Food Network
Yield: 1 1/2 quarts
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup tomato paste (10 ounces)
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup honey
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
In a large saucepan on low heat, saute the onions and garlic with the vegetable oil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned.
Add the tomato paste, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator.
[JWJ note: 1) 8 oz. of honey is not the same thing as 1 cup of honey! I learned this the hard way. By at least 12 oz. or you will run out. Same for hoisin sauce. Why, of why, aren't they sold in fluid ounces??]
Canning 101: Lessons Learned
I read up on home canning on the Internet, at the Ball and Pick Your Own sites. I had jars and seals and sauce, as well as the pluck necessary to try this on my own. After watching my mom and mother-in-law can jellies and pickles successfully many times over, I figured good canning karma was on my side.
The main principles of canning (according to the University of Georgia‘s National Center for Home Food Preservation) include using high quality fresh foods that have been washed, adding some kind of acid (like vinegar or lemon juice), hot-packing the food in acceptable jars with good seals, and then processing the jars in boiling water or a home canner for the appropriate amount of time. These practices remove oxygen, decrease enzymes, create a strong vacuum, and prevent growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold. Yes, all good principles.
Lessons learned #1: Clean Up After Yourself
After pouring the sauce into the jars, wipe up the spills along the mouth of the jar right away, while the sauce is still warm. Waiting hours for it to cool and harden necessitates several minutes of strenuous scrubbing on each jar prior to applying the seals. What fun.
Lessons learned #2: Use Canning-Specific Equipment
While adrenaline junkies might find it thrilling to plunge their hand into a vat of boiling water, I was quite dismayed at the prospect. When I realized I didn’t have tongs large enough to hold the jars to lower them into the water, I had to adapt. So, I fashioned a somewhat protective hand-covering by putting on a rubber glove and then an oven mitt. Yeah, that water was HOT. It worked alright but if any of those jars had tipped over in the 10 inch deep water, I was sunk. Canning tongs would have been really helpful.
Lessons learned #3: If It Works, Celebrate!
I was pretty darn excited that this whole process seemed to work out. So, I dressed them up, and packaged up with the Lindt truffle trees and Chex mix for a nice little homemade gift for my sisters-in-law. Fun!
Did you actually stay with me this entire post? I considered cutting out the extraneous info and just get right to the recipe, but that’s no fun. I have a few extra jars of BBQ sauce to share. Leave a comment, and I’ll save you one (no joke!)
2011 in review
02 Jan 2012 2 Comments
Hello faithful readers! Thanks for all of your support of Juggling With Julia in 2011. The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for my blog (graphics and everything!) and it was so cool I thought I would share it with you. It even highlights some of my most devoted followers (a.k.a. some of my BFFs)!
More coming in 2012, but for now enjoy…
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 9,600 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
