Strawberry Jalapeño Jelly

 

If I can, you can...

The dog days are not quite over! I tried a spicy and fruity summer recipe that is perfect for hot weekends, better spent indoors. Let's face it, it's flippin HOT outside, ya'll. Since my pickle post was so successful, I wanted to give another lesson on preserving sweet SUMMER:) Thanks so much for the sweet comments and emails. Please let me know if you get a chance to use this recipe!

I know I call this a recipe but I didn't realize CANNING was such a sport! I'm talkin' special pots, gadgets and devices.

I remember raiding my grandmother's garden and making blackberry jam with her when I was little...it was grand-daughter bliss and a memory I'll always remember.

Since I'm just a poor twenty-something girl living in an apartment, I rely on farmer's markets and the HEB fruit section for my fresh berries:) One day I'll be picking my own fruits and veggies from my own little garden...one day.

There are 4 simple steps in this process: Prepping + Cleaning + Cooking + Cooling.

*PS: I recommend watching a couple of YouTube videos to really understand the process of canning. 
  
 
 
 

 

 INSTRUCTIONS:

[Yield: 8 half-pint jars]
recipe acquired from food.com - click here to change yield

4 cups strawberries, crushed (discard stems and leaves)
1 cup jalapeno pepper (processed in food processer)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 (1 3/4 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin (Sure-Jell Premium yellow box I prefer using 1 1/2 packages because strawberries are runnier)
7 cups granulated sugar (yes this is the right amount...it's jelly!)
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional aka MY SECRET TOUCH)
1/2 tsp. butter

1.  Place the crushed strawberries (do not chop in a food processor; the texture will be too fine and choppy), processed jalapeno pepper, lemon juice and pectin into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan; stir in the sugar to dissolve. Rapidly bring to a boil over high heat (long, slow boiling destroys the pectin). Once at a full rolling boil, cook for 1 full minute. One half teaspoon butter may be added to keep down the foam, if desired. Letting this mixture sit for about 5 minutes discourages the fruit from separating.

2. Sterilize eight half pint canning jars with lids and rings, boiling for at least 5 minutes and kept hot.

3. Pack the jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings. Don't screw too tight...

4. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. Remove the jars and place onto a cloth-covered or heat-resistance surface. (While cooling, I shake frequently to redistribute content.) Allow to cool overnight. Store in a cool, dark area.

I made a little label and added some personal touches to give as a gift...the more personal the better! Good luck and don't burn your tongue doing a taste test, trust me:)

 

Sweet and Spicy Pickles

 
 

Preserving sweet summer...

 This weekend I celebrated National "Can it Forward" day! Who knew? As the summer season is bitter-sweetly fading away (buh-bye triple digits), this is a way to PRESERVE your in-season fruits and veggies. After scouring the farmer's market Saturday morning, I decided to make pickles and jam (I will hopefully post the jelly recipe soon!). I found this recipe for "quick" pickles...meaning you can enjoy them 2-24 hours after canning them. Whereas typically, they take about a week to pickle.

The important part is properly prepping your veggies....
For cucumbers, slice to the size you desire and place on a layer of course salt and paper towels (I did this on a baking sheet). Next, top with a layer of coarse salt and let sit for 15 minutes. After time is up, pat veggies dry. For the pearled onions, we soaked them in ice cold water for 10 minutes before peeling. The process varies with whatever veggie you are pickling. Here's more information from Miss Martha.

Lets get picklin'!

Ingredients:
3 c. white vinegar
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 teaspoons course salt
3 pearled onions
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 jalapeno (optional)
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 c. fresh dill fronds (about one bunch)
_____________

For Brine:
In medium saucepan combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric and bring to a boil. Stir constantly to dissolve sugar.
_________________

Next, arrange fresh dill fronds into jar with prepared cucumbers. Pour hot brine into jar to completely cover the cucumbers. Seal and refrigerate. Enjoy when cold!
_____________________

My only regret...not making more!! If I haven't mentioned already, I'm a HUGE fan of spicy foods so my boyfriend and I left all of the jalapeno seeds in. It was just the right amount of hurt so good - as they say. The vinegar balances out the spice so don't be scared:)

Happy canning!

Perfect Pesto Pasta

 

Happy Sunday,  friends! 

After a wonderful weekend spent with family (my rents came in town!) and friends I am pooped! In a good way of course... But I always feel like my weekends fly by. One of my favorite ways to spend Sundays involves the kitchen (and the couch when football season is here). This pasta dish is super easy and one of my favorite go-to's for something light but filling. It's always a crowd pleaser and it can be served warm or cold. I hope you guys enjoy!

Ingredients:
feeds: 4 hungry humans

• 2 sliced chicken breasts
• 8 oz. bowtie pasta (cooked)
• 1/4 c. chopped artichoke hearts
• 1/2 c. sliced sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 c. chopped kalamata olives (these add major zing!)
• 8 oz. pesto sauce
• 1 c. fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

This ingredient list is never set in stone. I'm always adding a few more sun dried tomatoes when no one is looking...and the kalamata olives are a bit strong so sometimes I skimp on those. If you want fresh tomatoes instead of sun dried, go for it!

Instructions:
Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Saute in a shallow pan. In a separate pot, add the pesto sauce to your noodles and stir until evenly distributed. Fold in artichokes, olives and tomatoes and cooked chicken. Chop or tear your basil leaves into small pieces and top each dish as a finishing touch. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The pesto sauce gives the pasta that oily texture with a delicious flavor. I'm determined to whip out my food processor and make my own pesto sauce.. another day, another post! Thanks for reading:)

{This post is linked to the TWB weekly link party!}

Cherry Almond Crumble

When I told my boyfriend what was cookin' he had no idea what a "crumble" was ...typical. But you ladies know, right!? Another word I would use would be a "crisp"! Call it what you will, this treat is amazing especially when you're using in-season FRESH fruits. This is a perfect summer dish and the cherry almond combo is killer.

If you follow me on instagram, you may have noticed how super excited I am about my new photo gear... I'm not quite ready for the dog/hubby/kids phase of my life so I got a really awesome camera instead:) Photographing and editing this for me was SO fun! I have to resist taking my camera everywhere! Anyways, I hope your eyeballs enjoy themselves...

Now, let's get cookin! 

Cherry Filling
1 1/2 lbs (0.7 kg) dark sweet cherries, pitted and halved
1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon brandy or dark rum (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10 inch round or cast iron pan.
In the prepared pan, mix the cherries, brown sugar, and cornstarch together until the sugar and cornstarch dissolves. Evenly pour the brandy over the top. Bake for 20 minutes.
Almond Crumble
4 tablespoons (60 grams) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (60 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (45 grams) old fashioned oats
1/2 cup (60 grams) sliced or chopped almonds
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Mix in the cinnamon and salt. Stir in the flour, oats, and almonds. The mixture should hold together in your hand when squeezed together. When the cherries have finished baking, evenly sprinkle the crumble over the top. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.
Serve warm or chilled, with ice cream or whipped cream. Keep chilled in the refrigerator.
  
recipe adapted from Pastry Affair

PS...Ice cream it's mandatory!

{Weekend}

Hey Austin, I've been doing a little exploring and with this triple digit Texas heat, it feels nice to wander in and out of (air conditioned) shops. It feels even nicer if there are cold drinks involved:)

Among the snapshots of my weekend, I discovered a couple South Lamar gems...

• Mockingbird Domestics...This store is a great place to get inspired by local artists. Most of the items are a bit out of my price range, but the hand-made furniture is stunning.
• Henri's Cheese, Wine & Charcuterie...This quaint little cafe had me at cheese:) They serve lunch and offer cheese and wine into the evening hours. This is a must-try spot! Not to mention the funky Austin interior vibes...those pendants (above) had me drooling. 

Also, meet my hunky boyfriend Doug, bestie Andrea (name twins) and her sweet pup BRUCE! We were busy with fixer upper projects, fresh basil recipes and sunset trail walks.  I hope you had a lovely weekend as well!

Cheers.

Mini Mason Jar Trifles

Celebrating America! 

It is almost Independence day and I've always had a silly urge to make festive treats for holidays...shocking, I know! As I was shopping around for my 4th of July staple items (watermelon, booze, etc..) I wound up with all of the necessary items for this dessert in my basket! Also, we happen to have 8 thousand mason jars in our apartment (because drinking wine from a jar is more fun:) so I decided they would make the perfect parfait container. BONUS : if you're going on a picnic to watch the fireworks...throw these in your basket and *wahlah* dessert on the go.

 

 

Ingredients:
- strawberries (diced)
- angel food cake (cut into 1" squares)
- whipped cream
- blueberries
- mason jar

Complicated instructions:
 - Build your parfait and enjoy!

*(Store your trifles in the fridge before serving)

Thanks for stopping by...I hope you guys and gals have a wonderful and SAFE holiday weekend!
Cheers.

Fiesta Fruit

 

We recently celebrated a lit'a boy's birthday (actually, he's 30) at the lovely Zilker park and I wanted to put a little festive spin on your average fruit kabobs! I made the skewers the day before and did my skewin' the day of the fiesta. Lets get started...

Make it:

You will need the following supplies listed above ..including your favorite fruit, of course! :) 

- Using food coloring you will need to follow the instructions on the package to create the color of your choice...Just like dying Easter eggs!

- Let the skewers steep in the colored liquid for about 3-4 hours. *They will float, so use a cup or flatware to hold the skewers down.

- Remove from liquid (be careful, the dye can stain your fingers!) and allow to dry. 

- Wrap a piece of WASHI TAPE around the top of the skewer with about 1.5" on each side and stick them together. This secures our flags in place.

- Cut triangles to achieve a fun flag shape...and wahlah!

**Washi tape side note: I am in love with this stuff! I keep trying to think of cool ways to use it. They have tons of different colors and patterns at the craft store...it's so fun!!

I love the way these festive skewers brighten up a simple/easy party snack. Thanks for reading and I hope you guys are enjoying your summer as much as I am:)

TECH talk

1.  Always be prepared with this hand crank charger.
2.  Dear Kate Spade...can we be best friends?
3.  Fashion and function? I like your style, Mohzy.
4.  This might be the cutest little invention, ever!
5.  Best for last: SOLAR backup battery! (thank you sun gods and Nordstrom)


Okay, so I'm a bit of a tech nerd ...and I know you all have your iPhone within 2 feet of you right now too! If you're like me, I'm constantly on my little gadget and my battery life is not too happy with me at the end of a day. I try to carry an extra charger in my purse but after looking at these cute alternatives I think I may need to invest! 

Keep it classic.

 

1. Work that waist girl! Get it. $60

2. Your doo can be fashionable too! $18

3. This tote goes with everything...and carries everything:) $79.50

4. I'm all about comfort and these sandals are adorbs. $138

5. This makeup bag has you lookin good before the makeup! $5.95

6. I love the pop of color in this blouse! $43

I love black and white right now...and aren't stripes are a fun way to wear it? I'm a firm believer in buying staple items and these are some examples of staying trendy while keeping a classic style. I have a feeling black and white won't go away...and adding a pop of color is always fun:) Ps.. forget the "horizontal stripes make you look fat" rumors...and rock it!

Go FRESH!

 

Saturday morning ritual:)

Apple pie cookie...how cute!

Check out Princess & Moose's Sister Bakery , they're busy "Keeping Austin Sweet".

Here's an easy snack or breakfast idea...

Apples with almond butter, honey and chia seeds. SO good.

I wanted to encourage you guys to check out your local farmer's markets. Not only is it a great place to get your fresh produce, it's FUN! I'm a bit of an early bird on the weekends because I want to soak up all my free time, so if you're like me, this is the perfect morning adventure. Usually, I head straight for the coffee/tea tent then my search for the tastiest breakfast begins. The free tastings are a plus...they usually include; fresh cheeses, meats, veggies, fruits/jams, kombucha and much more! Also, you are bound to encounter some live music and cute kiddos dancing...what's not to love?:)

Below are a few of the markets in the Austin area:

• Barton Creek Farmer's Market
• Sustainable Food Center (SFC) Farmer's Market
• Beecave Farmer's Market

...find more here!

I can't think of a better way to spend my Saturday morning. Let me know what you love about your farmer's market!

 

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”  ~Hippocrates

Summer Dillas!

Summer time is just around the corner (woohoo) and what says summer more than corn on the cob? Answer: corn OFF the cob. This recipe is a fancy twist on your regular quesadilla and a crowd pleaser indeed! It is the perfect sweet, smokey and fresh combination of flavors. Yum! 

All mixed up and ready to spread!

BEST tortillas...ever!

If you want to pretend like you've got the real deal homemade hook-up on your tortillas, you need to try these! I have only seen them in the flour tortilla version...but if you're a breakfast taco enthusiast like myself, these are DElish (with a capital D). Cook them in a pan...adding butter is always recommended...and wah-lah.

I was in a hurry to eat these...

ingredients:

serving size: 3 quesadillas

• 3 ears of sweet corn (1 per serving)
• one 4 oz. log of goat cheese
• 1/2 c. chopped scallions 
• shredded monterrey cheese  
• 6 flour tortillas 
• salt and pepper to taste

make it:

First things first, roasting the corn. It is SO easy and brings out all sorts of awesome flavors. Make sure you are using FRESH corn on the cob. Cut the ends and place it in a bowl to catch the kernels. Use a sharp knife to cut the corn off the cob. Next, place the corn in a large pan and make sure the kernels are not crowded (I did this in two batches). Leave the stove on a medium/high setting and let the kernels sit for 1-2 minutes. Be patient and don't stir! 

Once they have browned and start to smell amazing...remove the corn and return to large mixing bowl. Combine green onions, salt/pepper and goat cheese then set aside.  

In another pan, begin to cook your tortillas. Once you have two tortillas...sprinkle your shredded cheese on one side. This cheese is our quesadilla "glue" since goat cheese is a very soft cheese. Any chance I get to add more cheese..I'll take it!

Spread the goat cheese mixture on the other tortilla. Sandwich together, slice and serve!

This recipe is always a hit! Even if you aren't a fan of goat cheese...I promise you will enjoy these:)

Enjoy this recipe and the rest of your week. Let me know if you get a chance to make them!

*Also, There are some April 15th tax day freebies going on in Austin today. Sonic happy hour all day? Score! Check out other deals on this fellow Austinite's blog!