Spaghetti Sauce Recipe for Freezing

Click here for printable recipe!

We had a bunch more tomatoes ripen up so I needed to make something with them.  I decided I would make them into spaghetti sauce.  The recipe is not exact measurement but gives you a place to start.  Feel free to add or subtract your favorite spices.
2 tbsp Olive Oil
6-8 pounds of tomatoes (peeled) directions below.
6 garlic cloves minced
1 smallish onion minced
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tsp curry
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4- 1/2 cup minced bell pepper
1. To peel the tomatoes bring a pot of water to a boil. Wash tomatoes then cut the top out of each tomato including the stem area.  I skipped this step for the little roma tomatoes.
2. Put tomatoes in the boiling water 1-2 min then remove and put in a bowl of cold water.  I did a handful of tomatoes at a time because they blanched easier, if you put them all in the pot you might have to boil longer to loosen all the skin.
3. In a large pot add your olive oil and saute the garlic, onion and bell pepper.
4. Lower the heat, you want to slow simmer the sauce.
5. Peel and add your tomatoes to the pot, takes a while to peel and add them all, so make sure to stir every once in a while.
6.Add the rest of the seasoning and stir.
7. To get the most out of the flavor simmer on low heat about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Test the flavor and add spices as needed.
8. If you like a chunky sauce then use a potato masher and mash everything to the consistency you like.
9. For a smoother sauce, process everything in a blender or food processor.
10. Put in freezer safe jars or containers.
11. For use, thaw in the fridge overnight and use like any other pasta sauce.

The possibilities are endless for this sauce, add meat, add other veggies, it is all up to you.  This recipe suites my tastes.

"I'm Not Telling" Pie

Yesterday Hermity Christine posted that fabulous pie filling recipe...  not to be outdone, I went to work today to create something equally as impressive -- and I do believe I succeeded!
We told the Old Farmer that this is "Apple-Peach" pie, when in reality is it --- you guessed it --- ZUCCHINI!!  I used some of the remainder of our cue ball squashes for this, as they peel, core and slice and end up looking suspiciously like sliced apples or peaches...  *wink wink*

Ingredients:
Crust for a 9" single crust pie
Filling:
5 cups peeled, cored and sliced zucchini
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon cinnamon (yes, I said tablespoon, we are trying to create a diversion)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup lemon juice
Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Boil zucchini, just covered in water, in a saucepan over medium high heat for 15 minutes.  While this is boiling, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl.  Drain zucchini (don't be too neurotic about this, you want it a little juicy).  Add zucchini and lemon juice to sugar mixture.  Toss to mix well. Pour into prepared pie crust.  For topping, in a small bowl, use a fork to cut butter into flour and brown sugar until crumbly.  Sprinkle over the top of the pie.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until topping and crust are golden-brown.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Click Here for Printable Recipe!
Woops, the photo is sideways.  Ah well, you get the idea.  We consumed half of it for lunch, and the Old Farmer (a zucchini despiser) a) loved it and b) did not know the difference.  And I'm not telling....

Canning Apple Pie Filling Recipe

Today I finally got around to making the apple pie filling and canning it.  I am quite excited about having it, but peeling all the little bitty apples that were given to me was a pain in the butt!  Or more like pain in the hands.  This recipe makes 5-6 quarts, it made 5 for me.

Apple Pie Filling for Canning
3 c. granulated sugar
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. cornstarch
4tbsp apple pie spice or (4 tsp. cinnamon,1/2 tsp nutmeg,1/4 tsp cloves,1/4 tsp allspice)
1/2 tsp cardamom (optional) I like this but not everyone does.
2 tsp salt
10 c. water divided
3 tbsp lemon juice
6 pounds of apples-give or take
quart size canning jars

In a large pan mix sugars, pie spice,cardamom, salt and 8 c. water. Mix well and set aside.
Mix 2c.  cold water, lemon juice, and cornstarch with a whisk and set aside.
Sterilize canning jars, lids and rings.
Peel, core and slice apples.
Pack the raw slices into hot canning jars, leaving 1" of headspace.
Bring sugar mixture to a boil, then stir in cornstarch mixture and whisk it quickly.  When the white of the cornstarch disappears ladle, the mixture over the apples leaving 1/2" of headspace.
Gently remove air bubbles and add lids and rings.
Process in waterbath for 20 min, +10 minutes if over 6000 ft in elevation.
Remove and let cool 24 hrs, then check for seal.  Any that do not seal need to be refrigerated and used right away.

Add 1 qt jar of filling to your favorite crust, bake and now you have apple pie.


Click here to go to google documents and print the recipe card.

Printable Recipe Cards

I am working on making it so you can click on a link to go and print the recipe through google documents.  It will take me a bit before I get the right template for easy printing of recipes but I wanted to let everyone know it is happening:)  Please be patient as we work through this process.  We are also going to be updating the look of both On the Table and the main Hermity Farmer-Women page soon as well.  I will try not to have any disruptions for everyone but as we all know computers are finicky creatures, lol.
~Christine~

Fry-Poached Eggs

I have recently started preparing our eggs in this old way that the Old Farmer's mother used to fix them.  She called it "fry-poaching" and I have never heard that term applied in the way she used it.  I think she made it up. To me it seems as if we are really steaming the eggs.
:-)
It works best if you use a lidded pan that is just big enough for the amount of eggs you will be cooking.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
4 eggs
1/4 cup water
salt & pepper to taste

Melt the butter in the frying pan over medium-high heat.  Crack the eggs into the pan when butter is hot and melted -- be careful not to burn the butter.   Sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Let them cook on the bottom for just a moment (about long enough to get your salt and pepper and sprinkle them -- not longer than a minute or so).  Pour the water around them in the pan and put the lid on tight.  Depending on the size of your eggs and the degree of doneness that you want, let them steam from 2-4 minutes (about the time it takes to butter a couple of pieces of toast).  If you are doing a larger pan full, you will have to steam them longer.  This takes a little guesstimation and trial by error, so try not to take the lid off  too much to look at them.  I use a small well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with an old enamelware lid that fits tightly down over the eggs.
To Print this recipe click here!
This will take you to google documents where you can easily print the recipe.

Zucchini Custard Pie

Oh my goddess, we have found the perfect way to use excess garden zucchini!  We are baking, pureeing and freezing it for pie filling (recipe below).
To prepare zucchini:
Take one large zucchini and prick it full of holes,
Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for an hour and a half.
Cool in refrigerator about an hour.
Slice zucchini lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out seeds.
Scoop flesh into a blender or food processor.  Add:
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
Puree until very smooth.  I found that it works best to do about 1.5 cups at a time, perfect for the recipe.
At this point you can freeze your puree for later use, or move right on to pie making:
Zucchini Custard Pie 

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

1 1/2 cups zucchini, prepared as above

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/2 cups half & half

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Add melted butter to zucchini puree. Mix together sugar, flour and salt in small bowl; add to zucchini, along with eggs, half & half and vanilla. Beat well.

Pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake 20 minutes at 425 degrees and 10 minutes longer at 350 degrees, test for doneness by inserting a knife -- if knife comes out clean, pie is done.  As with all custards, it might appear a little bit jiggly.  Let it set for 30 minutes to firm up before eating.


Click here to go to Google Documents for a printable recipe card.

Macaroni and Cheese Bliss

I just made this macaroni and cheese.  It is to die for -- and probably would kill you if you ate it every day.

Ingredients:
8 oz. dry elbow macaroni
2 quarts boiling water
1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese
pinch garlic powder
pinch cayenne (optional, don't overdo this or the grandchildren won't like it. haha)

Boil the macaroni in salted water until really tender -- none of this al dente B.S.  I am talking comfort food here.   Drain the macaroni.
Return pan to low heat (if you don't have a gas stovetop, it will behoove you to put this on a different burner turned to low).
Add the butter, and gently toss into macaroni until it melts (if you use a stick, cut it up first).
Add the flour, and gently toss until macaroni is coated.
Mix sour cream and cream, pour into macaroni.
Add cheese, garlic and the potential cayenne, stir gently until cheese melts.
That's it.  Easy.  And soooo creamy delicious.  And do you really need a photo?  It looks like macaroni and cheese, right?

Click here to go to google docs for the printable recipe card.