Canned Apple Butter (Promise it's easy)

So, let me just say I grew up with a Nana who gardened, canned and made me help.  The cousins snapped many peas and beans, cut, and peeled lot of fruit.  I was the only grandchild who lived in town with Nana.  So I was able to watch much of the canning.  It was a CHORE for her, but I loved spending time in her kitchen. When Clint and I bought this home, we actually had room for our own garden.  Clint's  grandfather was a farmer in Mississippi so we were destined to go back to our roots.  (no pun intended)  

With our little garden I have been able to put up some great things.   For summer after summer I TRADITIONALLY canned like Nana.  Boiling jars, preparing contents, and bringing back to another boil to seal when cooled.  But I did some research and found that you can clean your Ball Jars, and lids in the dishwasher with a high wash, rinse and heat dry. One busy day after I did this, I put the contents inside the hot jars, just out of the dishwasher, and put the lids on good and tight.  BUT WAIT!  I had to take a kid to a lesson and did not put them on to boil, cool then seal :(

Yet, I came back they were all sealed.  I tried it with beans, it worked.  I tried it with hot sauce, it worked.  I tried it with jelly, it still worked.  Now, I don't know if it's our altitude or what?  Lubbock is at 3202 ft above sea level and we have a very dry climate.  Does that have anything to do with it?  I HAVE NO IDEA!  But wherever you are I think this method is worth a try!!!  

So here it is:  (FINALLY)  How you can apple butter!  Or you can do peaches EXACTLY the same way and amounts... Here is what you need:  12 sweet apples, 4 pint ball jars and lids, 1 & 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, 2 t. vanilla, and 2 t. cinnamon, 1 1/2 cups sugar.

Take a dozen SWEET apples and core, peel and cube.  (I used Honey Crisp) They really cook down so you can count on about 3 apples to make one pint.  Put them in the crock pot for 4 hours on high with 1 &  1/2  sticks of unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.  Cover. I put my jars in about 1 hour before the apples are finished.

When apples are finished cooking and are tender, add 1 1/2 cups of sugar.  I prefer organic cane but you can use whatever you choose.  White granulated is just fine.  Put them in the blender on high until processed.  While they are still HOT, add them to your HOT jars JUST out of the dishwasher.  Tighten the lids and set aside to cool.  As they cool, you SHOULD hear some popping.  That is the sound of goodness and the sealing of your jars. 

After the jars are cooled, the center of the lids will be drawn down.  If you can press it and they pop down, then your apple/peach butter did not seal. But do not press them until they are completely cooled.   If they did not seal, it's no big deal!  You just have to put it in the refrigerator and not in the pantry.  Remember, a dozen apples will only make 4 pint jars so no great loss if it doesn't work for you.  But I have literally never had them NOT seal.  

Note:  when recipes say apple "butter" or peach "butter"  just know it is not the consistency of butter; it is more like baby food.  Now, I love baby food (not), but this is leaps and bounds above it!

Nona Lacewell
Sorry you didn't have a hot dishwasher Nana!

Pesto Pesto Pesto !!!!!

Pestos for paninis or pasta....you choose!

Ok so we went to Italy less than a year ago and when we returned, in the spring, I planted my garden.  But this year I added a great deal of garlic and basil.  Why?  Because I was taught how to make my own pestos and let me tell you, speaking from a culinary stance, it changed the way I eat and the way I cook.  

You cannot be worried about calories when you are cooking with this glorious, clean, beautiful, tiny dish.  Small amounts of it will add flavor you will not believe!  Add it to a sandwich or cook your favorite pasta and when it's hot toss in a few tablespoons to coat.  Each tablespoon will be about 75 calories only because of the olive oil.  Pesto originated in northern Italy  and they use ingredients known to their region; garlic, basil, and pine nuts topped off with olive oil and shaken vigorously to combine. Any combination you choose is wonderful, so lets talk about what some pestos have in them:  

you basic ingredients will almost always be

garlic, fresh basil, and about a teaspoon of sea salt.  

Other items you may use are

olives, pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes, chili peppers, onion and of course olive oil. 

Here is what I made today:  

I used 2 cloves of garlic, a hand full of basil, 1/4 up of sun dried tomatoes, 1/5 cup of pine nuts

I know you can put it in a food processor or chopper, but it is recommended by Italian chefs to chop it by hand

When complete with chopping add it to a jar with a lid, cover with extra virgin olive oil and shake

As always on my blog I say, cook to YOUR TASTE.  If you like more garlic add it, if you like less basil, don't use it.

Add I teaspoon of sea salt and shake one more time

Refrigerate and enjoy when needed! 

This is a picture I took from a market in Florence and below is a beautiful pasta display in a window in San Gimignano

  

Ahhh Italhy...I can't even be sarcastic about it