Moldy Oranges

My daughter and her family flew 1400 miles a month ago with cut up oranges in her bag.  That's ridiculous.  Sniff.  So proud.  Then there was the time in college she brought home raw potatoes because she didn't want them to go bad.  Grandma was smiling from above.  But I digress.  The inside of the oranges were moldy but the rind was still good. 

 

Molded Cranberry Sauce  
That's molded not moldy.  Kind of. 
From William-Sonoma
Serves 14 to 18
 
1 1/4 lb. fresh cranberries
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tsp. orange zest
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. fresh orange juice
Pinch of salt
1 cup water
1 Tbs. unflavored gelatin

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, salt and 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the cranberries have burst, 25 to 35 minutes. Note: The sauce should measure no more than 3 3/4 cups.


Meanwhile, pour the remaining 2 Tbs. water into a bowl (use a small mixing bowl) and sprinkle with the gelatin. Let stand until the gelatin softens and swells, 5 to 10 minutes. 


Spoon 3/4 cup of the hot juices from the cranberries into the gelatin and whisk until the gelatin has dissolved. If you prefer a sauce with a smoother texture, transfer the remaining cranberry mixture to a food processor and pulse for 2 seconds (10 to 15 times), then proceed as directed.
 
Pour the gelatin mixture into the cranberry mixture and whisk to combine. Lightly coat the inside of a ceramic cranberry mold with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the cranberry mixture into the prepared mold and let cool to room temperature. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. 

 

To unmold, set the mold in a large bowl of warm water (115° to 120°F) so the water reaches almost to the rim of the mold. Let stand for 30 seconds, then remove the mold from the water. Carefully insert a small offset spatula or paring knife along the side of the mold. Gently pull the gelatin away from the mold to release the suction, then remove the spatula. Place a serving platter upside down on top of the mold and invert the platter and mold together. Remove the plug. Gently shake the mold until you hear the gelatin begin to release, then lift off the mold. If the gelatin does not release, replace the plug and return the mold to the warm water for 15 seconds, then repeat the steps as directed above. 

All I had to do was run the mold under warm water for seconds, unplug it and it slid right out.  






 

Leftover Oil

I have been storing last year's red peppers in some olive oil that I flavored.  We finally finished a jar and I wasn't about to throw out flavored oil.  After much contemplation,  I decided to roast my garden cauliflower in it.  Yum.

Roasted Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Break or cut cauliflower head into florets.  Place on cookie sheet.  Drizzle with flavored oil and toss.  Roast for 40 min. making sure cauliflower is brown and crispy.  

You could just use olive oil, salt, garlic or seasonings of your choice. 

Eat Your Fall Decor

When I planted my jack-o-lantern seeds it said on the package good for eating, too.  So I thought I'd give it a try with a couple I used for decoration.  They were so big there was a lot of pumpkin.  These recipes called for small pie pumpkins but mine worked out fine with adjustments. 

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good
From Dorie Greenspan via Martha Stewart
This recipe serves 4.  Adapt to your pumpkin size.

1 (3-pound) pumpkin (a small pie pumpkin) Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/4 pound Gruyere, Emmenthal, or cheddar cheese (or a mix of all three), cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 to 3 cloves garlic, split, germ removed, and coarsely chopped 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or sliced scallions 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 1/2 cup heavy cream Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack set in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or use a Dutch oven that is slightly larger in diameter than your pumpkin (in which case, you will need to serve your pumpkin from the Dutch oven, as it may stick, but it will keep its shape better this way). 

Using a sharp, sturdy knife, cut off top of pumpkin, working around the top with the knife inserted at a 45-degree angle to cut off enough to make it easy to work inside the pumpkin; reserve top. Remove seeds and strings from cap and pumpkin. Season inside of pumpkin generously with salt and pepper. Place on prepared baking sheet or in Dutch oven; set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, chives, and thyme until well combined. Pack into pumpkin; it should be well filled but not overstuffed. You may need to add some bread and cheese or some of the filling may not be necessary to use. In a small bowl, stir cream and nutmeg to combine. Pour over filling; filling should be moist but not swimming in cream -- you may need to use more or less accordingly.

Place top on pumpkin and transfer to oven; cook until filling is bubbling and pumpkin flesh is tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove top and continue baking until liquid is slightly evaporated and top of filling is browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. 

Carefully transfer pumpkin to a serving platter (or serve in Dutch oven, if using) and serve.  (Slice into 4 wedges.) 

Pumpkin Soup
From thepioneerwoman
Serves 8

2 whole Pie Pumpkins (the small kind)
1 quart Vegetable Or Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/3 cup Maple Syrup
Dash Of Nutmeg
Salt To Taste
Extra Cream, For Serving

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pumpkins on a cookie sheet and roast them until slightly shriveled and soft. Allow to cool slightly, then slice in half and carefully scoop out seeds and pulp. Scoop yummy flesh into a bowl. Set aside.
In a pot, heat up the pumpkin flesh with the stock and maple syrup until simmering. Mash out the big chunks, the transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor (or use an immersion blender) and puree until velvety smooth. Add cream and nutmeg, then blend again.
Reheat if you need to, or just go ahead and serve in a hollowed-out pumpkin of whatever size you'd like.

Pumpkin Puree
From thepioneerwoman 

One small (4-pound) pumpkin yields at least 1½ cups of mashed pumpkin—the same as one small can.  A 3 pound pumpkin will yield about 1 cup. 

Select a couple of small-ish pumpkins. Cut the pumpkin in half. With a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. You don't have to be too thorough with this.
Place all the seeds into a bowl (you can roast them later and make pepitas). Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp.
Place pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I’ve done both) and roast in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork-tender. They should be nice and light golden brown when done.
Peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces until you have a big pile of the stuff. If you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. Or you can simply mash it up with a potato masher, or move it through a potato ricer, or process it through a food mill.
Pulse the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water during the pulsing to give it the needed moisture. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it on cheesecloth or over a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid or the preferred method for a particularly moist variety, once roasted and puréed, it should be sautéed for about five minutes over high heat to cook off excess moisture.) My note:  the large pumpkins are watery. 
Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl, and continue pureeing until all the pumpkin is done.
You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you’d like, store it in the freezer for later use.
To store in the freezer, spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each plastic storage bag. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store them in the freezer until you need them.

 

Beets

Beet Chips
From Martha Stewart 
Serves 4  (and by four I mean me)

2 medium beets 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (more if desired)
Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Peel beets and slice 1/16 inch thick with a mandoline or food processor. In a large bowl, toss beets with extra-virgin olive oil.

On two rimmed baking sheets (or use one sheet and bake in two batches), arrange beets in a single layer. (I sprinkled beets with salt) Stack another rimmed baking sheet on top of each. Bake until edges of beets begin to dry out, about 20 minutes. Uncover and rotate sheets. Bake 10 to 20 minutes, removing chips as they become lightened in color. Transfer to a wire rack; chips will crisp up as they cool.

Beets in Sour Cream
From The Copper Kettle

1 1/2 lbs baby beets or if larger halve, slice, or quarter
Beef consomme 
4 T. butter
1 T. flour
1 1/4 c. sour cream
3/4 t. allspice
1 1/2 T  beef stock (my substitution for Madeira) 
1 t. salt

Scrub beets well and cook until tender in beef consomme.  Drain, remove skin and cut off root and cap.

Melt butter and blend in flour.  Add sour cream gradually , stirring.  Add allspice, stock (use consumme)  and salt.  Add beet and cook over low flame until hot and well coasted with sauce.  Serve.

Spinach Souffle

 

Spinach Souffle

From southernfood.about.com

Serves 4-6

• 1 bag (16 oz) frozen chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup flour (all-purpose)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoon very finely chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, fresh is best
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Thaw spinach in a colander; squeeze well to get as much moisture as possible out.
Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 1-quart souffle or casserole dish.
Heat butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. When butter has melted, add flour; stir until smooth and bubbling. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. When mixture is thick and boiling, remove from heat. Stir in the finely chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the nutmeg.
In a metal or glass mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks have formed. In a separate bowl, beat yolks until frothy and lemon colored.
Stir egg yolks into the sauce mixture; stir in the spinach.
Stir about 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into the spinach mixture, then gently fold in the remaining egg white mixture.
Pour into the prepared souffle dish; set dish in a large pan then add water to a depth of about 1 inch.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. The top will be lightly browned. Serve immediately.

From Taste of Home:  How Much Spinach
When a recipe calls for cooked fresh spinach, 1 pound of fresh spinach will yield 10-12 cups of torn leaves, which will cook down to about 1 cup. One package (10 ounces) of frozen spinach leaves yields about 1-1/2 cups after cooking. Therefore, you can substitute 1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach leaves for 1-1/2 pounds of fresh spinach.


I had swiss chard to use up so I substituted it for the spinach.

40 Year Old Rice

It's almost as old as I am.  It smells worse than I do.  Sometimes.  It has a distinct stale starch smell.  That can be fixed of course.  Smother it in sauce.  Sometimes we use the rice instead of sand at playtime.  There is nothing like children that smell of old rice. 

Fried Rice

4 c. cooked rice
1/4 c. oil
Green onion-to taste (I often just throw in dried minced onion)
1 c. cooked diced meat (ham, pork, chicken) 
1/2 pound bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 c. frozen peas
1/4 c. Yoshida's Sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten


Place frozen peas in a heat proof bowl and pour boiling water over them.  Let stand.  Heat oil in a large fry pan.  Saute onions.  Add rice, stir and heat through.  Add meat.  Drain peas and mix in.  Stir in Yoshida's Sauce.  Add egg and stir until completely cooked. 

Kohlrabi

Let's face it, why wouldn't you throw out a kohlrabi.  Especially when they look like this:

Kohlrabi and Apple Slaw

From allrecipes.com

Serves 6

3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon white sugar
4 kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and grated (food processor with a shredding disk works great)
4 apples - peeled, cored, and diced(I shredded mine)

Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and sugar together in a bowl.
Toss kohlrabi and apples together in a large bowl; pour mayonnaise mixture over kohlrabi mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Calories per serving: 204

Its that time of year.

That time when you disguise yourself and pretend your something your not.  Like these carrots that are all dressed up to look fresh.  Well at least edible.

Roasted Vegetables with Fresh Herbs
Adapted from Food and Wine
Serves 12

2 pounds of carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used a food processor slicer)
5 pounds of potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 sage leaves
5 thyme sprigs
Two 6-inch rosemary sprigs, cut into 2-inch lengths
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper  
  
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the olive oil, sage, thyme and rosemary and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables on 2 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for about 55 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and golden. Scrape into a bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.

 

Swiss Chard

One of the healthiest vegetables in the world, second only to spinach. 

Tomato, Chard, and Gruyere Casserole 

From Food and Wine

Serve 8

This giant Provençal casserole is called a panade.  It's like a strata.  Be sure to note the 10x15 lasagna pan required.  When preparing mine, I reduced the layers to fit a 9x13. 

5 1/2 pounds Swiss chard, stemmed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 cup chicken broth or apple juice/cider or combo of the two (my substitute for dry white wine )
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
One 1-pound loaf of day-old peasant bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 pounds beefsteak tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
9 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (3 cups)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

 

1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the chard for 2 minutes; drain. When the leaves are cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess water. Coarsely chop the chard.
2. In the same pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and thyme and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 12 minutes. Add the chard and the wine and simmer over moderately high heat until the wine is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Butter a 10-by-15-inch baking dish. Line the bottom of the dish with one-third of the bread, overlapping the slices slightly and cutting the bread to fit. Top with half of the tomato slices and season with salt and pepper. Spread half of the chard on top, then sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat the layering once and finish with the remaining bread. Pour the hot stock over the casserole and press with a spatula. Brush the top with the melted butter.
4. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the upper third of the oven for 1 hour. Uncover the dish and bake for about 10 minutes longer, until the top is browned and crisp. Let the casserole rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead:  The cooked chard can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. 

More Zucchini

I am hoping for an early frost.  

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

From Paula Deen

Yields: 2 loaves

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• Whipped cream, for serving
• Zucchini ribbons, for serving

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.  Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, pecans, chocolate chips, and orange zest. Stir in sifted ingredients. 

Pour into prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove loaves from pans and cool. Chill before slicing. Serve with whipped cream and ribbons of zucchini.

Zucchini Gratin

From Ina Garten

Serves 6 

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping
• 1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large)
• 2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup hot milk
• 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup grated Gruyere

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.

Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

I should have had a V8.

Maybe like 12 of them in 2006, before they expired.  I popped one open and guess what?  Yep, it's still good.  You knew I was going to say that.

Zucchini and Tomatoes

From my friend PC
Makes about 6 cups

8 cups chopped zucchini

8 oz chopped tomatoes or 1-15 oz can tomatoes

1-11.5 oz can V8 or 1 cup tomato juice

1 T. dried onion
Salt to taste

Season with desired spices

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.  (Sometimes I saute my zucchini first in olive oil)  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thicken to desired consistency.    I cook until it starts to get kind of sloppy.  I add another cup of juice if I use Roma tomatoes.  Serve over pasta or in tortillas.  Use it in a sandwich or on a pizza.  Or place in skillet and top with cheese.  Cover and heat until cheese is melted.  The suggested cheese is Swiss but use whatever cheese is desired.  Cooked meat could also be added.  Try bacon.

Make it into a soup by thinning with water and adding cooked pasta and/or beans. Make it into a creamed soup by adding cream or milk.  Cook it down more and use as pizza sauce. 

This sauce (without meat) can be water bath canned.  Process for 40 min.  For a similar method using sauce instead of juice go here. 

Make your tomato juice with a 4:1 ration water to paste.  

Hostess Tip

If you have something you don't like and will never eat, foist serve it to your guests.  They will thank you and as a bonus you may never see them again.  Actually, it tasted delicious. 

 

Garden Fresh Pasta Salad

Adapted from Kraft

Serves 14

1 pkg.  (16 oz.) farfalle (bow-tie pasta)

2 cups chopped zucchini

1 red onion, chopped

2 cups  halved cherry tomatoes

1-2 oz pepperoni, cut-up

1 bottle  (8 oz.)  Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing

1/2 cup KRAFT  Grated Parmesan Cheese

 
COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt.
 
DRAIN. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Place in large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients except cheese; mix lightly.
 
REFRIGERATE 1 hour. Stir gently before serving; top with cheese.

Nutrition:  170 calories per 3/4 cup serving 

 

Pickled Beets

These beets came from T's garden.  Don't decide whether or not you like beets based on canned ones.  There is no comparison.

Swedish Pickled Beets

From Epicurious 

Makes 2 cups

1/2 c. cider or white vinegar

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. sugar

1 t. salt

1/8 t. freshly ground pepper

2 c. thinly sliced beets, cooked and peeled (about 1 pound or 3 medium beets)

Bring salted water to boil in a pot.  Wash beet and trim stalks and root leaving one inch on of each.  Add to boiling water, cover and cook until fork tender, 35-50 min. depending on size.  When cool, pull skins off and slice, discarding the root and stem ends.

Add the first 5 ingredient to a saucepan.  Bring to boil.  Let cool.  Place beets in a deep bowl and pour dressing over them.  Let stand at least 12 hours before serving. 

Soggy Potatoes

Garlic helps hide any flaws in the taste area.

V's Do-Ahead Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

16 servings 

Serving size: 192 g

Calories per serving: 224

5 lbs sierra gold potatoes or 5 lbs red potatoes, diced with peel 

1 cup water 

1 cup butter, cut into chunks 

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder (optional) 

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 1/3 cups milk, warmed 

Directions: 

Place the potatoes, water, and butter into a slow cooker.  Season with salt, garlic powder, and pepper.  Cover, and cook High for 3-4 hours.  Do not remove the excess water from slow cooker. This adds to the creamy texture. 

Mash potatoes with a masher or electric beater, adding the desired amount of warm milk to achieve a creamy consistency.  Keep warm on low until serving. 

Potatoes keep consistency for a couple of hours after mashing. Just keep the lid on the slow cooker and serve directly from there.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/vs-do-ahead-slow-cooker-mashed-potatoes-196153?oc=linkback

Salade Nicoise

Salade Nicoise

From Great Dinners from Life

Serves 6

2 pounds potatoes, boiled and sliced (I cut into chunks)

2 cups cooked cut green beans

1 cup cooked artichoke hearts

3 cups garlic dressing (recipe below)

Salad greens

1 large onion (I used red)

3 7-oz cans of tuna, drained and broken into chunks (I didn't add)

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 cup pitted black olives

6 hard-cooked eggs, quartered

1 large green pepper, cut in rings (I didn't add)

1/2 cup canned or bottled red pepper strips (I didn't add)

2 2-oz cans rolled anchovies with capers (I definitely didn't add)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 T dried  (I forgot)

Combine the potatoes, beans, artichoke hearts and onion with the garlic dressing.  Marinate the mixture in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.  (If you don't have room it can sit on the counter for 2 hours.) Stir gently two or three times.  To serve, line a salad bowl with greens.  Drain the marinated vegetable, keeping the dressing for use later, and spoon them onto the greens.  Put the tuna in the middle of the bowl and arrange the tomatoes, olives, eggs, red and green peppers, and anchovies around it.  Sprinkle lightly with parsley.  Pass the dressing at the table or sprinkle a little onto the salad just before you serve it. 

Garlic Dressing

2 cups olive oil

1/2 cup tarragon vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 T. dry mustard

1 t. sugar

1 T. salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Combine mustard, sugar, salt and a generous amount of pepper,  Mix in garlic.  Add vinegar and lemon juice and stir thoroughly.  Add oil and mix well.  (tip:  whisk while slowly pouring in the oil) Stir or shake vigorously just before using.  Makes about 3 cups. 

No.

You cannot use JELL-O as a reason for blogging.

What if I had it for years.

No.  It never goes bad.

What if I wouldn't use it except for this blog.

Lame.

What if I made it, looked for it for a couple days, cleaned my kitchen and found it under a towel on the counter.

You can't be serious.

Oh, but I am.  Hey, it's still good!

Peachy Berry Mold

From The Joys of Jell-O and lemonlorange

“A fruit mold that brings a bit of sunshine to your meal anytime of year.”

1 package (3 oz.) Jell-O Orange or Orange-Pineapple Gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 can (8 3/4 oz.) sliced peaches
1 package (10 oz.) Birds Eye Red Raspberries

Dissolve Jell-O Gelatin in boiling water. Drain peaches, measuring syrup; add water to make 3/4 cup. Stir into gelatin. Add frozen raspberries, separating berries with fork and stirring until mixture thickens. Then stir in peaches. Pour into serving dishes or a 1-quart serving bowl. Chill until firm. Garnish with sour cream, if desired. Makes 3 1/2 cups, or 6 servings.

My adaptation 

3 package (3 oz.) Jell-O Orange 

3 cup boiling water
1 quart frozen sliced peaches in syrup, mostly thawed
1 package (12 oz.) fresh raspberries

Dissolve Jell-O Gelatin in boiling water.  Combine thawed peaches and syrup with raspberries.  Place in a large bowl or serving dish.  Pour Jello-O over.  Chill until firm. Garnish with sour cream, if desired.

Orange and Raspberry JELL-O

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups boiling water
2 (3 ounce) packages JELL-O Brand Orange Flavor Gelatin
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange segments
1 (12 ounce) package fresh raspberries

Instructions
Stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. 

Drain the mandarin orange segments, saving the liquid.  Add water to the liquid to make 2 cups.  Stir mixture into JELL-O.
Stir in orange segments and raspberries gently. Spoon into 6-cup mold or bowl.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Unmold or leave in serving bowl. Garnish as desired. Store leftover in refrigerator.
 

The Rot Cellar

AKA the root cellar.  I had some butternut squash wintering there and were doing quite well until it turned into the warmest March on record.  I managed to salvage some. 

 

Caramelized Butternut Squash 

From Ina Garten
Serves 6-8 

• 2 medium butternut squash (4 to 5 pounds total)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off and discard the ends of each butternut squash. Peel the squash, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While roasting, turn the squash a few times with a spatula, to be sure it browns evenly. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

Bubbly Buttermilk

Don't throw it out.  It makes a great dressing or dip.

Buttermilk Dressing

From Betty Crocker

 

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 t.  dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon instant minced onion

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1 garlic clove, crushed or 1/8 t. garlic powder

 

Shake all ingredients in tightly covered container. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Shake before serving. About 3/4 cup dressing.