Fig Preserves, #2.

Fig Preserves

12 cups sugar
2 quarts water
3 lemons, sliced
6 quarts figs

Boil sugar, water, & lemons until syrup is thick. Add figs. Boil until figs are transparent. The mixture may be taken up and put in jars now; or let sit overnight in syrup and next morning place cold figs in jars. Bring syrup to a boil, then pour hot syrup over figs and seal. If overnight method is used, place jars, with figs in them (and the top on) in pan of hot water to heat figs before adding hot syrup. The overnight method makes the figs plump up more, but both methods taste the same. Makes 16 pints.

Fig Preserves, #1.

Fig Preserves

12 pounds figs
1 lemon, sliced thin
9 pounds sugar

Select firm ripened figs. Wash & place figs, sliced lemon, and sugar in large kettle. Cook until syrup thickens and turns amber. Pack in sterile jars & seal.

Strawberry Preserves Supreme.

Strawberry Preserves Supreme
from "Blue Ribbon Preserves" by Linda Amendt

9 cups small whole unblemished strawberries
1/4 cup strained fresh lemon juice
8 cups sugar
1/2 tsp unsalted butter
1 3 oz. pouch liquid pectin

Rinse strawberries in cool water and drain well. Using a sharp paring knife, remove the stems. Discard any hollow berries. In a large bowl, combine the strawberries with the lemon juice, stirring gently to coat the berries. In an 8 quart pan, alternately layer the berries and sugar. Cover and let stand 4 to five hours.

Remove the cover. Over medium-low heat, gradually heat the mixture, stirring constantly and gently, until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the butter. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly and gently. Stir in the entire contents of the pectin pouch. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Skim off any foam.

To prevent floating fruit, allow the preserves to cool five minutes before filling the jars. Gently stir the preserves to distribute the fruit. Ladle the preserves into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp cloth. Cover with hot lids and apply screw rings. Process half-pint jars in a 200 degree water bath for 10 minutes, pint jars for 15.

Microwave Strawberry-Lemon Jam.

Microwave Strawberry Lemon Jam
From "The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving"

1 and 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups sliced, strawberries
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice (you can substitute lime juice as well)

Place sugar & strawberries in two alternating layers in a deep 12-cup microwaveable bowl. Pour lemon juice over the top. Do not stir. Microwave, uncovered on High for five minutes, stirring twice. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 10 minutes or until mixture will form a gel, stirring every four minutes.

Ladle into hot jars and process for 10 minutes.

Variations:

This can be made using peaches instead of strawberries. Just cut the lemon juice to 1 TBSP.

Quesadilla Loaves

This recipe is from Quick Loaves by Jean Anderson. Truthfully, the book was bought in a frenzy of buying bread books. Never did I expect that the first dish from the book would be in the "Meatless Loaves" section.

Our 10-year-old chef-hopeful announced that this dish would benefit from the addition of refried beans. We served them as a side, but I suspect she is correct about layering them into the loaf itself.

Quesadilla Loaves

Makes 8 appetizer or 4 main dish servings.

One 9-ounce package 6-inch tortillas (I used white corn)
2 cups coarsely shredded jalapeno jack cheese
3/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
One 16 ounce jar salsa
1 medium firm-ripe Haas avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
Sour cream (optional, for serving)

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Generously grease two 12x15 inch sheets of aluminum foil.
2. On one sheet of foil, layer 1 tortilla, 1/3 cup cheese, 2 tablespoons corn, a second tortilla, 3 tablespoons salsa, and 1/4 of the avocado. Repeat once and then top with another tortilla, another layer each of cheese and corn. Top with a final tortilla. Set the loaf aside, unwrapped. Make a second loaf exactly the same way, then spoon half of the remaining salsa over each loaf.
3. Tightly wrap each loaf in the foil, then place the loaves on a jelly-roll pan and bake in the lower third of the oven for 20 minutes.
4. Gently unwrap each loaf (beware of the steam!), quarter, and serve with sour cream.

Alfredo Sauce.

I found this scribbled on a small piece of paper, so it must be good.

Alfredo Sauce

1 quart half & half
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup parmesan
2 TBSP scotch or bourbon
salt & pepper to taste

Combine and simmer slowly until thickened, carefully avoiding scorching.

Mother's - New Orleans.

Here's a few recipes from the legendary Mother's Restaurant in New Orleans.

Crepes, Anyone?

I've just recently considered digging out a crepe recipe and trying out my skills. And, just like magic, it is the topic of this week's Kitchen Window. Enoy!

Bread in a Bowl - White or Sweet Rolls.

Bread in a Bowl - White or Sweet Rolls

1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 TBSP salt
4 cups high gluten flour
2 packages dry active yeast

Mix all together. Gradually add hot water until mixture forms a kneadable ball. Knead for five minutes in the bowl, using enough flour to keep dough from sticking to your hands. Cover and allow to rise until doubled. At this point, dough can be punched down, covered, and put into the refrigerator for up to four days. Or divide in half, allow to rise until doubled, and bake at 350 until brown & hollow-sounding.


Variation - Jalapeno Cheddar Bread (1 loaf)

1 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 cup sliced canned jalapenos

Use 1/2 of the dough, flattened to 1/2 inch thick square. Cover with cheddar and jalapenos. Work cheese & peppers into the dough until evenly dispersed. Roll and shape into a load, folding in the endds. Alow to rise until doubled, place on greased cookie sheet, and bake at 375 for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Bread in a Bowl - Wheat or Oatmeal.

Bread in a Bowl - Wheat or Oatmeal

1 cup whole wheat flour OR 1 cup quick-cooking oats
3 cups flour (high gluten or bread flour is best)
1 & 1/2 TSP salt
2 TBSP sugar (brown or white)
2 TBSP oil
2 packages active dry yeast

Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Add hot tap water gradually until you get a kneadable ball of dough. Knead about 5 minutes. If it is too sticky, dust your hand with flour as you knead. Allow dough to rise in warm place until doubled in size. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate for a day or two if you want, or shape into loaves, put on a greased cookie sheet or bread pans, and allow to rise until doubled. Pre-heat over to 350 and bake for 20 minutes or until bread is brown and hollow sounding. This dough can also be shaped into buns.

Sweet Potato Rolls (or Bread).

Sweet Potato Rolls (or Bread)
From "Beard on Bread", by James Beard

2 packages active dry yeast
4 TBSP sugar
1/2 cup warm water
3 TBSP melted butter
1 TBSP salt
3 eggs
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes or yams
2 TBSP cream


METHOD:
In a large bowl combine the yeast with 1 tbsp of sugar and the warm water. Set aside for 5 minutes until very frothy.
Add the remaining sugar, melted butter, salt and 2 of the eggs, stirring well to blend.
Mix in the flour, 1 cup at a time, and then the sweet potato, adding a little more flour if the mixture is too tacky.
Turn the dough onto a well floured surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes adding just enough flour to make a smooth and springy dough.
When the dough is smooth & springy to the touch, shape the dough into a ball and place into a large buttered bowl, turning it over until the dough is completely covered with butter.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrapl and let it sit in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Punch the dough down, then shape it into a ball and let rest for 2 minutes.

For Rolls:
Divide the dough into about 2 dozen golf ball sized balls and place them on lightly oiled baking sheets about 2 in apart (or, if you want the rolls joined, about 1/4 inch apart). Cover and let rise in a warm place to rise until doubled in size- about 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
Mix the remaining egg with the cream and use to glaze the rolls.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden.

For Bread:
After the dough has had its first rising, punch down, let rest for 2 minutes, and then turn out onto a floured board. Divide in half, shape into loaves, and place in two buttered 9X5X3 loaf pans. Let rise until almost doubled. Bake at 375 for 40 to 45 minutes.

Easy Crawfish Etouffee.

Easy Crawfish Etouffee

1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cans c/o mushroom, or c/o shrimp
1 TBSP Old Bay seasoning
1 & 1/2 pounds crawfish tails (fresh or frozen)

Saute veggies with Old Bay. Add soup and stir in crawfish tails. Serve over rice.

Tomato Casserole.

Today I am adding more from my friend, Scotty. I had to retype these instead of just cut & pasting.

Tomato Casserole

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 stick butter
2 cans whole tomatoes, chopped
Seasoned salt, to taste
1/4 TSP sugar
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of hot sauce
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
2 slices wheat bread, torn into bite-sized pieces

Saute onions. Add tomatoes, salt, sugar, worcestershire, & hot sauce. Cook down, then add cheese. Add bread until thickened. Bake in over at 350 for 30 minutes.