Carmelized Onions

Shared by Jen at November's RS Meeting

Quantities depend on how much caramelized onions you wish to make. In this example, 5 large raw onions yielded about 2 cups caramelized onions.

Ingredients

Several medium or large onions, yellow, white, or red

Olive oil

Butter (optional)

Salt

Sugar (optional)

Preparation

1 Slice off the root and top ends of the onions, peel the onions. Cut the onions in half. Lay them cut side down and slice the onions lengthwise to desired thickness.

2 Use a wide, thick-bottomed sauté pan for maximum pan contact with the onions. Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil, or a mixture of olive oil and butter (about 1 teaspoon per onion). Heat the pan on medium high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, sprinkle some salt over the onions, and if you want, you can add some sugar to help with the caramelization process. (about 1 Tablespoon). You may want to add a little water to keep the onions from drying out too quickly.

3 Let cook for 30, stirring every few minutes. The trick is to let them alone enough to brown (if you stir them too often, they won't brown), but not so long so that they burn. After the first 20 to 30 minutes you may want to lower the stove temperature a little, and add a little more oil, if you find the onions are verging on burning. A metal spatula will help you scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as the caramelization proceeds. As the onions cook down, you may find you need to scrape the pan every minute, instead of every few minutes. Continue to cook and scrape, cook and scrape, until the onions are a rich, browned color. At the end of the cooking process you might want to add a little balsamic vinegar or wine to help deglaze the pan and bring some additional flavor to the onions.

Curried Squash-and-Pear Bisque

Shared by Jen at November's RS Meeting
Yields 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients

1 Butternut squash (about 2 3/4 pounds)

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups chopped peeled Bartlett pear (about 1 pound)

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion

2 1/3 cups water

1 cup pear nectar

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth

2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 small Bartlett pear, cored and thinly sliced (garnish)

Preparation

Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet; bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until tender. OR place face down in a glass casserole dish, cover tightly with Saran wrap, and cook in the microwave on HIGH for 15 minutes. Cool. Peel squash; mash pulp. Set aside 3 1/2 cups pulp, reserving remaining squash for another use.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped pear and onion; sauté 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add squash pulp, water, and next 5 ingredients (water through pepper). Bring to a boil; partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes. Place one-third of squash mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour puréed mixture into a large bowl; repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Return squash mixture to pan; stir in half-and-half. Cook over low heat 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into bowls, and garnish with pear slices.

Homemade Stuffing

Shared by Kay at our Nov. RS Meeting
Adapted from recipes by Ina Garten and Paula Deen

Sausage, Apple, & Herbs Stuffing
Ingredients
16 cups 1-inch bread cubes, I prefer brioche, but you can use white or whole wheat (2 baguettes)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of shallot, 1 cup of yellow onion (chopped)
2 cups medium-diced celery (3 large stalks)
2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and large diced, then mix with1 tsp of apple cider (to prevent discoloring)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted, optional
1 pound of Italian sausage (mild), casings removed
1 cup of dried cranberry
Drizzles of maple syrup (real maple syrup)/honey

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Put the bread cubes on a 13 by 18 by 1-inch baking sheet and bake them in the oven for 7 minutes.
In a large saute pan, melt the butter and add the onion, shallot, celery, apples, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Saute for 10 minutes, until the mixture is soft, then remove from the pan.
Use the same sauté pan, heat the olive oil, then stir fry the sausages.
Combine the bread cubes, cooked vegetables, sausage, and cranberries in a large bowl and add the chicken stock, and almonds, if desired.
Put the stuffing into a large ceramic dish, drizzle the maple syrup/honey on the top, then put in the oven, bake in 350 degree for 30 minutes.

Apple Cranberry Casserole Stuffing
Same ingredients as recipe above but change the quantities of items listed below:
1.      Increase chicken broth to 2 cups
2.      Reduce bread cubes to 8-10 cups
3.      Delete shallots, rosemary, and sausage
4.      Change almonds to walnuts, chopped

Add the following ingredients:
1.      1 tsp cinnamon
2.      3 large eggs, beaten, set aside
3.      (10.75-ounce) can cream of celery soup

Directions:
Soak the cranberries with chicken broth.
Dry the bread as the first recipe, then melt the butter and cook the apples and vegetables until softened.
In a large bowl, mix the cooked vegetables, chicken broth, cream of celery soup, cinnamon, cranberries and the walnuts. Move everything to a lightly buttered casserole pan.
Cook at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until center is set.

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

Shared by Jen at our November RS Meeting
Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups baby arugla, lightly packed
1/2 cup dry white wine or apple cider vinegar
6 to 7 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Carmelized onion for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. (Watch carefully; they may cook through earlier than 25 minutes.)

Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4-5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

Scrape potatoes and leeks from the pan and throw into a stock pot. Add 6 cups of chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes to combine.

Puree in parts using a food processor or blender, and then return to the pan. While in the process add more stock to help the blending process. Add cream and Parmesan and stir well.

Continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until well blended. Garnish with carmelized onions and serve.

Raspberry-Peach Freezer Jam

3 cups crushed raspberries (about 2 pints uncrushed)

1 cup finely chopped peaches (about 1 lb unchopped)

3 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 box Sure-Jell for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes Fruit Pectin

Before you begin, wash and rinse freezer-safe 1 or 2 cup sized plastic containers.  Use a potato masher to crush raspberries.  Sieve ½ of the pulp to remove seeds, if desired.  Peel, pit and finely chop peaches. (Do not puree—jam should have chunks of fruit.)  Combine fruit in a bowl.  In a medium saucepan, combine pectin and sugar and stir until well mixed.  Stir in the water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Let the mixture boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and pour immediately into the bowl with the fruit.  Stir the fruit and hot pectin mixture for 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed.  Pour into prepared containers, leaving ½ inch space at top for expansion during freezing.  Cover.  Let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set.  Makes 6 cups of jam.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

4 cups crushed strawberries (about 4 pints uncrushed)

3 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 box Sure-Jell for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes Fruit Pectin

Before you begin, wash and rinse freezer-safe 1 or 2 cup sized plastic containers.  Using a potato masher or food processor, pulse to chop strawberries.  (Do not puree—jam should have chunks of fruit.)  Set aside fruit in a bowl.  In a medium saucepan, combine pectin and sugar and stir until well mixed.  Stir in the water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Let the mixture boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and pour immediately into the bowl with the fruit.  Stir the fruit and hot pectin mixture for 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed.  Pour into prepared containers, leaving ½ inch space at top for expansion during freezing.  Cover.  Let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set.  Make 6 cups of jam. 

Refrigerate up to 3 weeks. Store in freezer up to 1 year.  Thaw in refrigerator.

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What You Need To Know About

Freezer Jam

Rachel A. was kind enough to teach us all about Freezer Jam, at our last RS Activity.  It was Delish! Thanks Rachel for the great tips and in case you missed it here is what she had to say


Rachel's Tips
Wear An Apron
Measure Exactly
Use a Funnel
Use a Timer
Not all Pectin behaves the same, use the brand of Pectin that is called for in the recipe

Strawberry-Blueberry Freezer Jam

2 ½ cups crushed strawberries (about 3 pints uncrushed)

1 ½ cups chopped blueberries (about 2 pints unchopped)

3 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 box Sure-Jell for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes Fruit Pectin

Before you begin, wash and rinse freezer-safe 1 or 2 cup sized plastic containers.  Using a potato masher or food processor, pulse to chop strawberries and blueberries.  (Do not puree—jam should have chunks of fruit.)  Combine fruit in a bowl.  In a medium saucepan, combine pectin and sugar and stir until well mixed.  Stir in the water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Let the mixture boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and pour immediately into the bowl with the fruit.  Stir the fruit and hot pectin mixture for 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed.  Pour into prepared containers, leaving ½ inch space at top for expansion during freezing.  Cover.  Let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set.  Make 6 cups of jam.  

Refrigerate up to 3 weeks. Store in freezer up to 1 year.  Thaw in refrigerator.

Keep Checking . . . More Great Freezer Jam Recipes To Come

Grilled White California Peaches with Almond-Mint Pesto

At our last RS Meeting, Phil from Harris Teeter recommended this wonderful recipe for your next Summer BBQ

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup skin-on almonds
• 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup honey
• 6 just-under-ripe white peaches, halved and pitted
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese

Directions

Combine the almonds, mint and honey in a food processor and process until smooth.

Preheat the grill for high heat direct grilling.

Brush the cut side of the peaches with canola oil and grill until golden brown and caramelized, about 1 1/2 minutes. Flip and continue grilling until just heated through, about 1 minute longer. Arrange the halves on a platter, cut-side up. Spoon some pesto into the pit hollows and then top with a little dollop of mascarpone. Garnish with torn mint leaves and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of Food Network, Bobby Flay Grilled White California Peaches with Almond-Mint Pesto on the Food Network