Savor The Summer: Garlic Ginger Pepper Jam

I love the taste of Summer from the fresh corn to the nice fiery hot Jalapenos I grow in the back yard.  I also like grilled meats and think that once in awhile you might like to have something sweet and hot on a freshly grilled chop.  Enter this jam.

Southern Style: Sweet & Savory Tomato Jam

FROM THIS ....

TO THIS ...

When sweet meets savory, delicious explosions happen. It's nature. Go with it.  I love Summer; tomatoes, sweet and delicious.  I want to save it for myself and to share with everyone I know.  I found a tomato jam recipe, but it didn't really fit the flavor profile I was looking for. So I did what anyone would do: I made up my own.  This is the result.  Try it.  The only thing it costs you is an afternoon.

Eat This: Peach Apricot Ginger Jam

Peach Apricot Ginger Jam

I love the fresh fruit taste of the Spring.  I went to the Farmer's Market and brought back some beautiful peaches, grown here in the DFW area. I knew I wanted something special, so I am paring them with dried Turkish apricots and ginger. Sweet and spicy with the ginger.  It's delicious.  This is a lower sugar recipe as well. The original called for 7 cups of sugar. I used 2 1/2.  The use of Low-No Sugar Pectin has changed the way preserving works!  Try this.

Eat This Now: Strawberry Lemon Ginger Jam

I love strawberries.  Sweet. Tart. Pretty. Red.  Come on, everyone likes strawberries, right?  I've been on a jelly/canning/preserving kick over the past year and I thought, what could I do with strawberries?  These Texas grown berries are delicious. They're pretty BIG too.  I took a basic recipe from Susan Can Cook and modified it a bit.  It came out really nicely.  Delicious and tastes like "Summer".  Try this. It's easy and delicious.

Eat This: Gingered Sweet Pickled Jalapenos aka "Cowboy Candy"

 
I made candied jalapenos aka "Cowboy Candy" here in the past.  Click HERE for the original recipe with step-by-step instructions.  I ate or gave away my stock so it was time to make more. I wanted to change it up a little and this time, adding a layer of flavor so I added fresh ginger to the recipe.  I love the Asian ginger influence mixed with the Texas taste of the jalapenos.  I cooked fresh ginger, about a 3" long piece, peeled and chopped, in with the vinegar, sugar and spice mixture.  I strained it all before adding the jalapeños.

Preservation II: Clementine-Ginger-Habanero Marmalade

Oh yes baby.  Delicious: Clementine-Ginger-Habanero Marmalade.

I enjoyed making the Orange-Ginger Marmalade so much I decided to take on a new batch.  This time, I used Clementines.  They're sweet, seedless and full of flavor.  To give it a kick, I added ginger, this time in the form of candied ginger and three, yes THREE habanero peppers.  Surprise!  It was a little heat way back on your throat, but not "hot".  Turned out to be delicious.  And here's how it happened...

Preservation: Orange-Ginger Marmalade

Orange-Ginger Marmalade

I tried canning in November of 2011 for the first time when I made Chili Piquin Jelly.  It turned out well and gave me some confidence to try new things.  Up to that time, preservation for me was the freezer.  It turns out, that if you follow directions, things work out pretty well!  Who knew?

Eat This: Pork Filled Asian Dumplings

I love Asian dumpling.  Pot stickers are a favorite and this is my own interpretation.  I used this as a boiled dumpling, but you can also pan fry and steam as well.  These are really delicious; a bit tedious, but well worth the effort.

Eat Fresh: Peach and Raspberry Cobbler

This is my favorite time of year: peaches are abundant. So many types, sizes, colors.  But nothing beats a Georgia peach for sweetness an texture.  I like a little bit of a twist on classic peach cobbler - it's just sometimes called for!  Kick it up a bit, make it a little better, whatever works, just do it (with all due respect to Nike.)  This recipe I adapted from Paula Deen the Butter Queen. I reduced the amount of butter and sugar and added a little kick with Chipotle powder and cinnamon in the peaches as they cook and added cinnamon and ground ginger to the batter.  I also opted to put in a pint of fresh, beautiful raspberries.  Tart. Textural. Delicious.  The aroma as it cooks is unbelievable.

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches (I dice them into 3/4" dice)
• 1 pint fresh raspberries (or blueberries, or blackberries... see where I am going?)
• 1 cup light brown sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup water
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the peaches, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, and water in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon cinnamon and the Chipotle. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt. I use a covered casserole because it makes it easier to store when finished.

Mix remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon and milk, whisking slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.  This is the result:

You can also opt to do the batter on top (as I did in a previous post).  Just do what makes you happy.  this crust is very "cakelike".  I like to turn all the fruit mixture and then serve. To serve, scoop into a bowl and serve with your choice of toppings, or go completely naked and enjoy it as is.

You can also add a pint of any type of fresh berries when you spoon the peaches into the batter and it really turns out equally well each time.  ENJOY!

Adapted: Ginger Pecan, Peanut & Pistachio Blondies

I love brownies. I love blondies. Today I surfed past a recipe for Ginger Walnut Chocolate Blondies from Joy The Baker.  I didn't have candied ginger and I love multiple nut desserts (ask my family and friends). I also like the juxtaposition of sweet and salty, so I use salted roasted nuts. I revised JTB's recipe and made these.

This should make 9 individual blondies.

Here is the adapted recipe:

Pecan, Peanut & Pistachio Blondies
makes 9 servings
recipe adapted from Joy The Baker


1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup chocolate chips ( like dark chocolate best)


Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease an 8-inch square baking sheet.  Line with parchment paper, leaving two flaps hanging over the edges of the pan. Grease and flour the parchment paper.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar. Whisk in egg and beat by hand until mixture is slightly pale, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt.  Add all at once to the butter, sugar and egg mixture.  Stir until just incorporated.  Mixture will be fairly thick.  Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center   comes out clean.  They will be golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting.

I like blondies COLD, as in refrigerated COLD.  Try these and let me know how you like them!