It's just getting good.

Peach orange marmalade, 2003 that is.  That and moldy homemade ketchup which I used to make the dressing.  Even the brown sugar I used to make the dressing was moldy.  How is that possible? Only me.  On the fresher side I found some chicken in the basement fridge drawer that had been there since March.  It was still good!  Even I was amazed.

Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken Recipe: 

From crockpot.com

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups apricot preserves
1 cup Russian dressing (I used Wishbone brand)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
6 chicken breasts

Directions:
Mix together the preserves, dressing and soup mix.  Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker; pour mixture over chicken.  Cover and cook on High for 1 hour.  Reduce heat to Low and continue cooking for 3-4 hours.

Here's another version:  http://itsstillgood.blogspot.com/2012/09/peach-peel-chicken.html

Dried Crystallized Blueberry Jam

I couldn't even get it out of the jar to heat it to melt the crystallized sugar.  First I had to add a little water to soften the jam.  But it all worked out ok.  Sorta.  But then I turned it into a crumb cake and it was yummy.  And well disguised. 

 

Blueberry Jam Crumb Cake

From Food.com

Serves 9-12

Crumb Topping

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, chilled (cut into small pieces)
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen, don't thaw)

Cake
 
cooking spray
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
6 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup blueberry jam

To prepare crumb topping, combine 1/4 cup flour with cinnamon and brown sugar in small bowl. Using a fork, cut in two tablespoons of butter until mixture resembles course meal. Set aside.
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly coat 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray, set aside.
 

In a small bowl combine all dry ingredients (except sugar) and set aside.
 

Combine in mixing bowl powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of butter and beat until well-blended(about 2 minutes). Add vanilla and almond extracts and the egg to the mixture and beat another 2 minutes. Combine milk and juice and add to sugar mixture and beat another 2 minutes.
 

Add half the flour mixture to sugar mixture and stir until smooth.  Add remaining flour and stir until just combined.
Spoon half the batter into pan, spreading evenly.  Top with jam.  Spoon remaining batter over jam layer , spreading evenly.  Sprinkle top with fresh blueberries and then top the blueberries with crumb mixture.
 

Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. 

Calories per serving (1/12 or 58 g.): 184

The Waiting Game

is not good when it comes to most foods. Like waiting for more raspberries to ripen while the already picked ones turn moldy. The second picking becomes picking out the moldy ones then using them to make jam. I added blueberries to make up the missing raspberries. Which I could have done in the first place. The blueberries actually make it so you don't have to sieve the seeds out of the raspberries. A nice inconsequential consequence.
Raspberry Freezer Jam
From SURE.JELL
Makes About 7 (1-cup) containers or 112 servings, 1 Tbsp. each

3 cups prepared fruit (buy about 6 cups fully ripe red or black raspberries) (I used half black raspberries, half blueberries)

5-1/4 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

3/4 cup water

1 box SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin

RINSE clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.
CRUSH raspberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. (Press half of pulp through a sieve to remove seeds, if desired. Not necessary if you use half blueberries.) Measure exactly 3 cups crushed raspberries into large bowl. Stir in sugar. Let stand 10 min., stirring occasionally.
MIX water and pectin in small saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling and stirring 1 min. Add to fruit mixture; stir 3 min.or until sugar is almost dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)
FILL containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

How to Measure Precisely

To get exact level cup measures of sugar, spoon into dry metal or plastic measuring cups, then level by scraping excess sugar from top of cup with straight-edged knife.

Substitute

Prepare using blackberries.

Tomato Blight Jam

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head,
But that doesn't mean my tomatoes are turnin' red.
They're droppin' off the vine.
But I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining.
I'll make jelly.
Nothin's worryin' me.

Green(ish) Tomato Jam
Makes about 8 pints

3 cups prepared (peeled, seeded, some juice removed) tomatoes (about 1-3/4 lb. green tomatoes)
1/2 cup fresh fresh lemon juice
7-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine
2 pouches CERTO Fruit Pectin

Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.

Finely chop or grind tomatoes (use a blender or food processor). Measure exactly 3 cups prepared tomatoes into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Add lemon juice.

Stir sugar into prepared tomatoes in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands very tightly. Immediately turn jars upside down on counter. Let stand for 12-24 hours in a draft free area. Turn right side up and check seals by pressing middle of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Shards of Peach Peel

I did not make any peach peel jam with my bushel of peaches this year. I have plenty and since no one really likes it I have to find ways to use it up. I often substitute it for other jams in recipes. Here is one that works well.



Chicken Salad

2 lbs. chicken
4 ribs celery or 1/2 t. celery salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
2 c. red grapes-can cut in 1/2
1/2 c. golden raisins

Poach chicken in water with a little apple juice and white wine vinegar by simmering for 45 min. (depending on the size) or until meat register 160 degrees. Let cool. Dice or shred chicken. Stir in rest of ingredients and mix in dressing. Spoon into romaine lettuce leaves.

Dressing
1 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. half and half Or cream OR plain yogurt OR sour cream
1/2 c. apricot preserves OR peach peel jam
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
2 T. curry
1/2 t. white pepper

I use 2 t. curry and I don't add the vinegar. I increase the dairy instead to about 6 T. Add more if too dry or add a little vinegar.

Peach Peels

Peach season soon will be upon us. I love freezing peaches and have learned to actually put them up before they rot.
It has only taken me 20 years.

Here is my recipe for freezing peaches:

1 quart peeled and sliced peaches
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. Fruit Fresh

Place peaches in a Ziploc freezer bag and add sugar and Fruit Fresh. Seal the bag. Gently shake the bag to mix the ingredients. Let the bag lie on the counter. Turn over/gently work the bag every so often until the sugar is dissolved and a syrup is created which covers the peaches. Freeze flat.

To thaw, I microwave the frozen peaches for 3 minutes. This makes them partially thawed/frozen. Of course I am using a 28 year old Amana Radarange. Your times may vary.

These frozen peaches make a perfect foundation for fruit salad.

1 quart frozen peaches, partially thawed
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 apple, peeled, cored and cubed
1 quart of strawberries, hulled and halved
add the following to taste:
grapes
blueberries
raspberries
kiwi

Combine and stir gently.


Hey wait a minute! I thought this was a blog about using up old rotten food or stuff that gets thrown out.

I give you peach peel jam.

Don't throw out those peels! Follow the directions on the SureJell instructions for making peach jam and substitute the peels. All those peels make a lot of jam! Or use one of these recipes.

http://www.recipezaar.com/41035
http://hemmeke.blogspot.com/2008/08/peach-peel-jelly-aka-peach-pit-jelly.html

http://aclangston.blogspot.com/2009/09/peach-pit-jelly.html

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1623,155163-236192,00.html

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1623,152163-232193,00.html