applesauce and apple pie filling

here's something else i don't need to buy for a while -- applesauce! i have started using applesauce to replace oil in some of my baking recipes. my wonderful parents have a golden delicious apple tree and a red delicious apple tree and were more than happy to share their abundance. nothing beats free apples when you want to make applesauce, and i didn't even need to add any sugar the apples were so sweet. i use the guidelines on this website PYO canning for making the applesauce. if you want to can anything, check out that site!

it is recommended to use two different types of apples for the best flavor.

to make the pie filling, i first peeled the apples and then used my handy apple corer slicer. the apple slices were still too big, so i cut them in half. then, simmer 4 cups of apple cider with 2 cups of sugar. simmer the cider and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. then add all your apple slices and simmer for 3-5 minutes. add the apples to sterilized jars, then fill with the cider/sugar syrup, but leave a 1/2 inch head space. add the lids and process according to the directions for your altitude.

whole wheat applesauce pancakes

my little boy can't get enough of these mini pancakes.







since i just canned a bunch of applesauce, i wondered what i was going to do with it all. then i found a recipe for applesauce pancakes that inspired me to create this recipe. the problem i have with making whole wheat pancakes is that they never get fluffy enough for me. they end up thin and have little flavor. make this recipe and you will never go back to white flour pancakes again. these pancakes taste awesome! plus, you can feel good about eating a healthful breakfast that will keep you going until lunchtime.

whole wheat applesauce pancakes
serves 8

2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons wheat germ (optional)
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2/3+ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon butter

in a small skillet, melt the butter. add the diced apples and saute until soft, about 3-5 minutes. in a mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients. make a well in the center and add the eggs, applesauce, lemon juice, and 2/3 cup milk, and vanilla. stir to combine. if the batter is too thick at this point, add more milk, a tablespoon or two at a time until desired consistency is reached. fold in the apples. cook on an oiled and heated skillet....i'm sure by now you know how to cook pancakes!

serve with maple syrup, or if you feel like a little taste of heaven, try this buttermilk syrup recipe and you will have caramel apple pancakes.

buttermilk syrup

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla

add all ingredients but vanilla in a deep saucepan. bring to a boil. boil for five minutes. do not stir. remove from heat and add vanilla. great on pancakes, waffles, french toast, and ice cream.

couscous for breakfast

couscous is a small pasta that originates from morocco and northern algeria. it is used in a similar way our culture uses rice. i learned about couscous from some college roommates. i liked it, but never thought to buy it after i got married since mark isn't really into couscous. once my son was old enough to eat "people" food, i had an idea to give him couscous and surprisingly he liked it. this recipe is easy to make and doesn't take too much time.

i like the hodgson mill whole wheat couscous with milled flax seed & soy because it has 6g of fiber and 10g of protein per 1/3 cup serving. i've seen this brand at smiths.

breakfast couscous, serves 1 adult or 2 toddlers

1/2 cup water, juice, or milk*
1/3 cup couscous, plain
dash of cinnamon
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup blueberries, (i use frozen)
vanilla yogurt

1. in a small saucepan, bring the water, juice, or milk to a boil.
2. stir in the cinnamon, butter, and couscous.
3. remove the saucepan from heat, sprinkle on the frozen blueberries, and cover with a lid.
4. let sit for 5 minutes. serve with yogurt.

variations: add 1/4 cup diced dried fruit to the saucepan with the water, juice, or milk in step 1.

* never heat milk and juice together unless you want curdled milk.

do it yourself -- yogurt

my mom and dad used to make homemade yogurt when i was younger. i didn't really like it. it was tart, not sweet, and didn't taste like the "candy" varieties (ahem, yoplait) i was used to. i guess my taste buds have grown up because i am a plain yogurt lover. a year ago, i decided to make my own. i found some recipes on allrecipes.com (<-click here to see them) and had fun experimenting. back then i didn't have a yogurt maker so this is what i did instead: (you really need a cooking thermometer to make this.)

in a large glass bowl, heat 4 cups of milk to 180-185 degrees (i use the microwave). once the milk has reached desired temperature, let it cool to 115 degrees while covered with plastic wrap. mix some of the warm milk with 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt containing active cultures. before adding the yogurt, stir 1/3 cup powdered milk into the warmed milk. then pour the thinned yogurt into the bowl, (you don't need to stir it again) re-cover the bowl with plastic wrap as well as a towel and put in a warm place where it will stay between 112-115 degrees. i used a hot pad, but a heating blanket will work too. let it "incubate" for 6-8 hours. the longer you leave it, the thicker and more tart it will get. then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

i've had to play around with the recipe a few times to get it right and once i got my yogurt maker, (thanks mom and dad!) i had to experiment some more to get the results i wanted. my batches always end up with a layer of clear liquid on the top. i never stir it in, just pour it out before i use it and it stays nice and thick. just remember this yogurt is "homemade". it doesn't have the gelatin, or other stabilizers to give it the same texture of store bought yogurt.

i came up with the following on my own because the recipes that came with my yogurt maker didn't give me the texture i wanted.

yogurt maker yogurt:

heat 2 cups milk until it reaches 180-185 degrees. meanwhile, pour 1 cup powdered milk in a pint measuring cup. fill the measuring cup with cold water until the level reaches 2 cups. stir in the powdered milk until well combined. mix 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with 2 tablespoons of the cold milk. then, mix the hot milk with the cold milk but do not add thinned yogurt yet. pour the hot/cold milk mixture into the yogurt maker jars. divide the thinned yogurt among the jars, but do not stir it in. place the jars in the yogurt maker, cover with the lid and turn the timer on for 6 to 7 hours. when the yogurt is done, put the lids on the jars and refrigerate them for at least 4 hours.

i love to eat yogurt with this granola recipe, (<-click link), substitute it for sour cream, and add it to smoothies.

learnin' to jam part II

using more of my father-in-law's nectarines, i decided to attempt more jam. i made two batches: nectarine-blueberry, and low sugar nectarine-pomegranate. i decided i LOVE the no/low sugar pectin. the jam sets up so well and it is nice and tart because you can control the amount of sugar you use. i just followed the recipes that came with the pectin and added the amounts of fruit and sugar i wanted. for the nectarine-pomegranate jam, i added a handful of pomegranate seeds to the jar just before filling and stirred the jam and seeds together. then i proceeded with the water bath canning. i am seriously never buying jam again, (well, unless it is raspberry jam, because raspberries are expensive!)

learnin' to jam

this is my first attempt making jam. these beautiful nectarines came from my father-in-law's orchard. i searched the internet to learn how to make nectarine jam and found this one that doesn't call for pectin and uses a lot less sugar than most recipes. i added 1/4 teaspoons each of cinnamon and ginger, and about a tablespoon of vanilla extract. yum!

nectarines don't break down as much as other types of fruit, even after boiling for 30 minutes. so they need to be finely diced. no need to peel them, though.

i probably should have used a bigger pot for this batch. let's just say my stove and counters were covered in sticky jam splatters.

ten nectarines gave me three pints. i'm still waiting for them to set up so the jam is more like chunky syrup right now. but it tastes great and would be awesome on pancakes or waffles. maybe i'll use a pectin recipe next.