Leona's Chili Sauce

Mothers....they are the root of a family...the first heartbeat you hear is your Mother's....the first touch you feel is your Mother's.   They teach us so much while we grow and even after we leave the 'nest'.  They continue to guide us even when their address changes to 'Heaven'.

My tomatoes are ripening very nicely and I was looking for something just a little different to use them in.  This recipe was shared with me by my friend Kathy....thank you.

It was given to Kathy by her Mother ...Leona.....who's address is now 'Heaven'.
We never really lose our Mothers because they are always with us, guiding us through each day....in our daily routines. I find my Mother's presence while in my kitchen, working in my gardens and even when I walk along the beach.....honour your Mother, take time to sit and just listen to her stories....her quirks and forgetfulness is all part of 'life experiences' .... it is all filled with LOVE.

Chili Sauce

The ingredients you will need.

The tomatoes, all chopped and ready.

The tomatoes added to the rest of the ingredients ready to simmer for a few hours.

The rest of the ingredients that will be added.

Chili Sauce after everything has been added, simmered until thick.

The spice bag has been removed.

Chili Sauce served over some cheese filled pastry we had for dinner.

Serve it over potatoes, rice anything you want. It is great served on it's own

as an appetizer with cheese and crackers. Spice it up or down....it is your choice.

The sealed jars are stored in my pantry .....opened when needed!

CHILI SAUCE RECIPE

4 quarts tomatoes, peeled and chopped (approx. 16 cups/8 lbs)

2 hot red peppers, chopped fine (I used 1 jalapeño/1hot red pepper)

6-8 onions, chopped fine

3 sweet red peppers, chopped fine

5 - 6 stalked celery, chopped fine

3 sweet green peppers, chopped fine

½ cup pickling spice, in a bag

Put above in dutch oven and cook until almost dry, about 2 1/2-3 hours of simmering.

Add:

2 cups vinegar

2 cups water

4 cups sugar (can use half the amount)

1 Tablespoon each,  salt and pepper

1/2 Tablespoon  small chilies or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne.

4 Tablespoons tomato paste ( optional) I like a thicker sauce.

Let simmer until thick enough to bottle.

Pour into sterilized jars, seal and process in a water bath, 12-15 minutes

Enjoy!

'Most people are like you and me,

or the people across the street or around the world from you and me,

their hearts tell them that somewhere, somehow,

they can make a positive difference in the world.' 

Greek-StyleTomato Fritters

It is the first day of Fall and the skies here are grey and the air is cool, a good day to 'play' with my tomatoes. The long hot summer had my plants producing very well but I still ended up picking off many green tomatoes, both big and small and they are slowly ripening indoors. There are more than enough ripe tomatoes for experimenting with a few recipes. Greek-style Tomato Fritters are easy and delicious as a meal or a snack and also in a bun as a burger. These fritters are a good way to use up a few cups of ripe tomatoes or those that are a bit spotty, as you will be cutting them into finely chopped pieces for the fritters. Serve them with some horseradish mayo, hot sauce or Tzatziki along with a side salad......a perfect meal.

Greek-Style Tomato Fritters

The ingredients you will need.

The onion is grated.

The mint and parsley are finely chopped and smell amazing!

The tomatoes have been chopped finely and have been drained.

The dry ingredients are combined together.

All ingredients have been mixed together and are ready for cooking.

Into the hot oil they go....the kitchen smells wonderful.

Greek-Style Tomato Fritters ready for sampling.....enjoy.

GREEK-STYLE TOMATO FRITTERS RECIPE

11/2 cups, 4-5 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese, mashed into small pieces

1/2 cup red onion, grated (or finely chopped)

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

oil for frying

Cut the tomatoes into small pieces and place in a colander with some salt.

Leave them to drain for 30 minutes.

Into a medium sized bowl, combine the drained chopped tomatoes, the onions and

mix with a spoon; add the herbs, and the feta cheese.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder.

Add the flour mixture to the tomato mixture and stir until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is firm enough to make patties.

Into a pan add enough olive oil to thinly cover the bottom, heat on medium high and slowly add a tablespoon of tomato mixture into pan and flatten with the spoon to form a thin patty.

Cook 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.

Place them on paper towels to absorb the extra oil.

Serve with Tzatziki, horseradish mayo, hot sauce or sauce of your choice.

You can make these appetizer size and serve as an appetizer or meal size and serve along with a salad.  They freeze very nicely so double the batch and save some for later!

'Let the healing power of your spirit run through your hand as you reach and touch another, but say nothing to the person you help. Learn to give invisibly. '

(unknown)

Concord Grape Filling

The feel of fall is in the air.....the nights are cooler....the mornings are covered with heavy dew. After our long dry summer it is a nice change and our plants are loving the extra moisture.
Grapes are being harvested and made into delicious goodies that will be sampled in the cooler days of Winter. My friends Dawn and Glyn have a beautiful Concord Grapes growing in their yard and each year invite me to enjoy some of their Concord Grapes, thank you for your generosity! I picked several five gallon pails and brought them home ( after sampling a few bunches while picking) and had fun experimenting with a few recipes.
I love the rich purple colour of the Concord Grapes and the health benefits they provide. Today I made a Concord Grape Filling that I will jar and seal to use in tarts, pies, serve over pancakes, waffles or crepes, it is not too sweet and would also be delicious over some Greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream. Simple and fast to prepare and would make very nice gift.

I encourage you to make a batch or two!

CONCORD GRAPE FILLING

The ingredients you will need.

The skins have been removed from the grapes

After cooking the pulp for 5 minutes the seeds are removed.

Discard the seeds

Add the grape skins to the pulp and cook simmer 20 minutes.

The colour is amazing, the smell....delicious!

Concord Grape Filling, Pudding, Ice Cream topping....your choice.

The Concord Grape Filling is poured into jars and processed, ready for you use.

SIMPLE CONCORD GRAPE FILLING RECIPE

6 cups ( approx. 7-8 large bunches) Concord Grapes, washed and stemmed.
2 cups sugar
6 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Remove skins from grapes and set aside. Put pulp into saucepan and bring to a boil,

reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Pour pulp into sieve and remove seeds.

Discard seeds and pour the pulp back into the saucepan and add the grape skins.
In small bowl combine sugar and cornstarch, set aside.
Add lemon juice to grape pulp and stir in sugar/cornstarch mixture.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thick, approximately 5 minutes.
To release the purple colour from the skins, mash with a potato masher after the first two minutes.
Pour into sterilized jars and seal.
Process in a water bath for 12 minutes.
Enjoy in tarts, pies, over cheesecake, pancakes or yogurt.

'Morning is God's way of saying one more time, Go make a difference, Touch a heart,

Encourage a mind, inspire a soul and enjoy the day.'

APPLE PICKLES......... Apples.....sweet, tart and so versatile.....Apple Pickles.....you bet!

Apple season is upon us,  the long hot summer we have has helped the apple crop to shine....  the apples are amazing. Thank you to my friends Tina and Geoff for sharing their apples with me so that I can share this post. I came across a recipe for these Apple Pickles, they are crispy, a bit sweet and a bit sour......reminds me of an apple pie in pickle form. Great as a snack, in a peanut butter sandwich or served with some perogies or a simple cheese soufflé. Make up a jar for your family and friends.
Happy September.

 APPLE PICKLES

 

 

The ingredients you will need.

 

 Apples are sliced and layered in a jar.

 

 The brine is ready for the apples.

 



 

 

 

Yum, can't wait to sample these.

 

Apple Pickles ready for family and friends!

 

APPLE PICKLES RECIPE

2-3 medium crisp apples

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

 Instructions

      Fill a 1-liter mason jar with apple slices.

   Combine cider vinegar with water, sugar, cinnamon, salt and ginger

 in a medium saucepan over high.

Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot.

 Pour over apple slices, close lid and refrigerate overnight.

 Keep up to two weeks.

“If you're really listening,
if you're awake to the poignant beauty of the world,
your heart breaks regularly.
In fact, your heart is made to break;
its purpose is to burst open again and again
so that it can hold evermore wonders.”
~Andrew Harvey

 



Blackberry Bars

 

Blackberry Bars, Blueberry tea and friends from near and far away...
I received an email that our close friends Beth and Lindsay (from Vancouver) wanted to share with their friends from Tazmania our Sunshine Coast and the ferry ride over. So after a 3 hour wait in Horseshoe Bay they arrived at our home .It is blackberry season and with the sunny summer we are experiencing they are plentiful, sweet and juicy.

I decided to bake a batch of my Blackberry Bars to share with them along with some of my 'Blueberry sun tea'.

The Blackberry Bars recipe I had reworked from something I had seen many years ago.

 So easy to put together, so delicious, with blackberries picked from my own blackberry bush.

 These Blackberry Bars freeze so very well and this makes them perfect for unexpected company....or our new Tazmanian friends loved the bars as did everyone else. 

 You can see them in the photos below enjoying their second piece of Blackberry Bars!
Another great visit with our extended family and some new friends. Safe travels back to your home Lorraine and Andre .....perhaps a visit to your country is on my bucket list.

 

Blackberry Bars

 

Ingredients you will need for the pastry base.

 



Freshly picked blackberries



The rest of the ingredients for the Blackberry Bars

Everything mixed and folded in and ready for the oven



Blackberry Bars right out of the oven.

Serve with ice cream or just as is!

 

 



 



And there are more in the pan.....enjoy!

 

Andre and Lorraine waiting to sample the Blackberry Bars



Blackberry Bars sampled and the vote was 'delicious'

 

PAM'S BLACKBERRY BARS RECIPE

 

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup fresh blackberries ( I have used frozen, but bake a bit longer)
Preparation:
Combine flour, brown sugar in a medium sized bowl.
 Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse meal.
 Press 11/3 cups of mixture into a 8 inch square pan.
In a small bowl beat eggs, vanilla, salt and sour cream and cinnamon,
 mix in the baking soda then fold in the blackberries.
Spoon over crust, spreading evenly.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes ( more if using frozen berries)
Cool, cut into bars.
 You can sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like ( but I find them perfect just the way they are).
Makes about 12 bars - 21/2 x 21/2 inch bars

'If you say it with Honesty, don't apologize for it. If you say it with cruelty, take it back.
If you say it with anger, you'll regret it.  If you say it with Love - it will Lift You Soul.'



Raspberry Cobbler

Sunshine, blue skies and warm temperatures are the perfect combination for delicious ripe fruits. My raspberry patch started producing raspberries very early this year and my freezer is stocked with many bags of beautiful raspberries. I have shared a few pickings with friends as they were ripening fast and my freezer was getting full.

I have made few batches of raspberry jam, a combination of jams that included raspberries and many sweets filled with the juicy red and golden berries.  

This  Cobbler is a family favourite and I have been making it since my children were very young.

 I use whatever fruit is in season and right now it is raspberries.
This recipe is quick and easy, you can double it for a larger crowd and it is so good!
Bake up a pan for your family and friends and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

 

Pam's Raspberry Cobbler

 

 The ingredients you will need for the fruit layer

 

The ingredients you will need for the batter ( I use coconut oil but butter/shortening works)

 

The fruit is cooked and batter blended, ready to layer

 

 The batter is poured into a greased pan



 I ladled the fruit filling over the batter



 Raspberry Cobbler just out of the oven



Serve with a few fresh raspberries

or the way my Grandmother and Mother served it, with fresh whipping cream

poured over top! So delicious and moist.

 

PAM'S RASPBERRY COBBLER RECIPE

 

11/2 cups fresh fruit (can use frozen just thaw) see note below*

1 cup sugar - divided

1/4 cup water

1 egg

1 Tablespoon coconut oil, butter or shortening

1 Tablespoon milk

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

cream

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease 8x8 inch square pan.

In a medium sauce pan combine prepared fruit, 1/2 cup sugar and the water.

Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, keep fruit mixture hot.

Meanwhile in a medium sized bowl with a spoon, beat egg, 1/2 cup sugar and

the coconut oil until fluffy. Add milk, stir in flour, baking powder and salt.

Spread batter in a greased baking dish, spoon cooked fruit mixture over top.

Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and set in the middle.

Serve with cream or ice cream.

Serves 6

*Note: I used raspberries today but if using peaches, pears, plums etc. thinly slice the fruit

before adding to saucepan.

 

"Every breath we take, every step we make can be filled with Peace, Joy and Serenity"
Thich Nhat Hahn