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

Ham and Jam

The perfect combo.  Especially since they are both old.  I was able to use use the last of the Christmas ham.  Just in time, too.  That was close.  And the jam?  It was unrecognizable. 

Slow Cooker Peach-Glazed Ham
From Pillsbury
Serves 14
       
1 fully cooked smoked bone-in ham (7 lb) 
3/4 cup peach preserves 
3/4 cup packed brown sugar 
1/2 cup Dijon mustard 
1/4 cup white cranberry and peach juice
Fresh peach slices, if desired 

Spray 7-quart oval slow cooker with cooking spray. Remove excess fat from ham. Make cuts about 1/2 inch apart and 1/4 inch deep in diamond pattern around top and sides of ham. Place ham in slow cooker. In small bowl, mix preserves, brown sugar, mustard and cranberry juice until smooth. Spread or brush mixture over ham in slow cooker.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 hours or until meat thermometer reads 140°F. Remove ham from slow cooker; cover with foil and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, pour juices from slow cooker into 2-quart saucepan. Heat to simmering; cook until slightly thickened. Serve ham with sauce. Garnish serving platter with peach slices.

Calories per serving: 274    

Peach Peel Chicken

I used some of my peach peel jam to make apricot chicken.  It was tasty. 

 Apricot Chicken
 From crockpot365

11 oz jar of apricot preserves (I used my jam made from peach peels)

1 t dried minced onion flakes

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T soy sauce

1/4 t ginger

1/4 to 1/2 t red chili flakes (optional)

6 chicken thighs or equivalent body parts ( I used frozen thighs)

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients except the chicken.  Place the chicken into slow cooker. Pour sauce over chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, high for 4-6--if your chicken isn't frozen, your dinner will cook faster.

Choose Your Weapon

You can either use fermenting apple juice jelly or peach peel jam for this. Or do something normal like buy apple jelly. Serve with caramelized wrinkly old apples.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apple Jelly Glaze

4 lb pork tenderloin roast
1 T. salt  
1 garlic clove, minced 
1/2 t paprika
Pepper to taste, optional

Preheat oven to 425.
Mix salt, garlic, paprika and pepper well. Rub over entire roast. Roast in 425 oven for 1 hour.

Meanwhile. mix:
1 small onion chopped
1 c. apple jelly
1 T. dry mustard

After pork has roasted for 1 hour, pour apple jelly mixture over roast. Reduce oven to 375 and continue roasting until meat reaches 170 degrees about 1-1.5 hours. Cover with foil let stand 30 min before slicing.

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