Apple Peel & Core Jelly Jars

After I made 3 quarts of pink applesauce I had so many peels and cores left over I decided to use them to make apple jelly.  Here's how I did it ...

Ingredients:

Apple peels and cores from roughly 10 red apples
6 cups water
3 T powdered pectin
1-1/2 c granulated sugar
1 Cinnamon stick
1 Whole Clove
Star Anise (optional)

Makes approximately 3 cups.

Bring peels and cores to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium; simmer for 45 minutes.  Pour through a sieve into a large saucepan to equal 3 cups liquid.  Add water to make up the difference if needed.

Whisk in pectin and sugar.  Add cinnamon stick and clove.  Bring a boil and continue to boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and discard spices.  Pour into hot sterilized jars/jar; filling to 1/4 inch from top.  Wipe jar rim and cool completely.   Add a star anise to top of each jar, then add lids and chill 12 hours.  Refrigerate up to 1 month.

(Recipe adapted from Southing Living magazine)

Halloween Crafts

Feeling bored, I looked around my craft studio and decided to take some styrofoam and Sculpeys and create a pear-headed goon I saw in a magazine.  I wrapped the styrofoam balls in foil, rolled out the clay with my roller and went to town, wide smile, chunky arms and monster feet and all. I used carving tools to make the indentations that make up the eyes, nose, mouth, and creases on the arms, fingers and toes.  The I brought out the features of the face and body with different colors of acrylic paint.  Isn't it adorable?

I then thought I'd take more styrofoam, since I had plenty, and some felt and make a mummy.  Of course, this mummy had to have wings and a peace sign over its heart, giving it a much more friendly appearance.  I added a few splatters of blood here and there, and drew a cute bat on one of the wings.

Lastly, I had a Halloween Card that a good friend gave to me many years ago.  I really liked the silhouette on the front and bring the card out every year.  I wanted to make a decoration from it, but didn't have the hear to actually cut up the card, so I transferred with my copy machine onto a piece of mylar.  I then filled in the moon with silver glitter glue and made an outline around the edge with orange glitter glue.  I glue it to the front of a picture frame easel and there you have it!

Spooktacular if I must say so myself!

Candied Bacon & Pecan Buttermilk Scones

.
In a previous post I shared a recipe on how to make Slow Cooker Salted Caramel Apple & Pear Butter.  It made me think about what I could make that would compliment it perfectly.  I came up with this recipe, and they were great together.  These scones are so moist and tender and tasty.  You have the sweet 'n salty taste of the candied bacon and the nuttiness of toasted pecans all rolled into a rich, buttermilk dough.  Serve with the Slow Cooker Salted Caramel Apple & Pear butter or a favorite curd or jam.  Not overly sweet, so perfect on a chilly autumn morning.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 T granulated sugar
4 T cold unsalted butter, diced
4 T vegetable shortening
1 1/4 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
6 strips candied thick sliced bacon (recipe below)
1/2 c toasted pecans, chopped
1 egg, beaten with a tsp of water for an egg wash

Candied Bacon:
5 strips thick sliced bacon cut into thirds
1/2 c dark brown sugar
2 T pure maple syrup

Heat oven to 350*F.  Line a cookie sheet w foil and place a rack on top.  Place the cut bacon on the rack, set aside.
Mix brown sugar and maple syrup together.  Cover the bacon slices with the mixture.  I use my fingers and drop pieces on the bacon and smooth it out with the back of a spoon.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until crisp.  Cool completely, then dice with a sharp knife. Set aside. Try not to eat too much of it while you are preparing the scone batter! ;)

Place flour, baking soda & granulated sugar in a large bowl and whisk to get any lumps out.  Add butter and shortening and with your fingers, work the mixture until the butter and shortening and pea size.  Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk all at once along with the vanilla.  Combine just until blended.  Toss in the diced bacon and pecan pieces.

Prepare the scone batter:
Cover a large cookie sheet w parchment paper, set aside.
On a lightly floured surface pat the dough out to about 1 1/2" thickness.  Using a floured biscuit cutter; one with a fluted edge will look nicer, cut out the scones and place them on the prepared cookie sheet.  It is okay if they touch.  With a pastry brush, brush the egg was all over the scones.  This will give them a nice browned color as they bake.
Bake approximately 12 minutes or until golden brown, but still tender to the touch.

Brilliant!  Absolutely Brilliant!

Pear, Dark Cherry & Almond Galette

Ingredients:

1/2 pkg. refrigerated pie crust
1/2 (3-1/2 oz.) pkg. almond paste
4-5 medium Bartlett Pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1 C fresh or frozen sweet dark cherries
Fresh lemon juice
2 T all-purpose flour
2 T granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 T heavy cream
Large sugar crystals or turbinado sugar
Honey
Slivered almonds

1. Roll out crust to a 12" circle.  Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Roll out almond paste to a 7" circle or grate on box grater using largest grate.  Add almond paste to center of pie crust leaving a 2" margin.
3. In a large bowl toss pears with lemon juice, add cherries, flour, sugar and salt. Toss to coat fruit. Place on top of almond paste leaving a 2" margin around the crust.
4. Fold up edges of crust on top of fruit overlapping where necessary.  Note: Crust will not cover the fruit.
5. With a pastry brush, brush heavy cream on crust and sprinkle with sugar.
6. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and crust is golden brown.
7. Let cool on wire rack completely.
8. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with slivered almonds.