Apple Thyme Butter

If you could taste the seasons, Autumn would be this Apple Thyme Butter on a warm, flaky biscuit.

Apple Thyme Butter

Apples are so versatile, I almost take them for granted. For this month's "Tigress Can Jam" challenge the wonderful and talented Cosmic Cowgirl chose a Pome to be the star of November's canning/jamming rodeo. I could have used Quinces, or even Pears, but the Honey Crisp Apples were being sampled at the Farmer's Market and one nibble had me wanting to take them home.I've made apple jam, apple jelly, apple preserves, apple rings and apple cheese, but never apple butter. Of course, there is no real butter in apple butter (just like there is no cheese in apple cheese), it's more about the consistency. Apple butter is made from apple puree that has been cooked down, most of the liquid is evaporated and you're left with this...well..fruit butter. There's no better way to describe it.Then, of course, I had to give it my spin - my take - my "if this doesn't work I sure have wasted a lot of apples" challenge for myself. I'm more than thrilled to report; it worked. The addition of fresh thyme and a pinch of dried thyme created a warm earthy and savory balance to the natural and added sugars needed to preserve the apples.Now, when would you use Apple Thyme Butter, you ask? Here are just a few ways I have been [obsessively] using this sinfully flavorful and spreadable gold:

* Spread on (or as an ingredient for) Oat muffins
* Turkey Sandwich, with Arugula and Apple Thyme Butter - (It tastes like a hand-held Thanksgiving lunch)
* Served as a glaze on Pork
* Mixed into Mashed Potatoes while still warm
* Licked off a spoon while spreading more on a biscuit (yeah, I did)

RECIPE: APPLE THYME BUTTER (adapted from too many books to mention, just to make sure I had the ratios for acid/fruit and sugar correct)

3 lb Apples (peeled, cored and loose chopped)
1 cup water
2 cups 100% Apple juice (unsweetened)
1 large lemon (juice to equal 1/4 cup) and zest
5-6 branches, or more, of fresh thyme
2 cups sugar
1 tsp Dried Thyme leaves
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

1) In a large pot, add apples, apple juice, water, lemon juice and fresh clean branches of thyme.
Bring this to a boil, then quickly reduce to lowest simmer for about 45 minutes until apples are breaking down and tender.2) Set pot aside to cool a little. Then press apple mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl to catch the puree.
3) Measure 4 cups of puree and return that to the pot. Add 1/2 cup sugar per 1 cup of puree (so, 2 cups of sugar) to the apple puree. Also add the dried thyme leaves, cinnamon and cloves.

4) Bring back to a boil and quickly reduce to the lowest simmer. Cook, stirring very often and be careful not to burn the puree as it reduces, for 1 - 1 1/2 hours (depending on the size of your pot).
5) When the Apple Butter is a good thick consistency and the sugars have caramelized and turned it into a deep dark golden hue - carefully pour into sterilized jars, seal and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. (If not preserving: pour into clean containers, cool and refrigerate covered, or freeze for later use.)
Now, that I've posted this, I'm going to try Apple Thyme Butter in a Butternut Squash Casserole. You just know that will be good. If you make this and try it, or have other ideas for it - leave them in a comment. Thanks for stopping by.

Jalapeno Kiwi Kissin' Jam

Jam is not just for breakfast, my friends. This makes a tasty accompaniment to meats, vegetables and knocks the socks off a fresh corn madeleine. The jalapeno gives you a tiny kick, the kiwi gives you a tang, and the sugar makes ya lick your lips - or someone else's.

Jalapeno Kiwi Kissin' Jam

I still have several tempting kiwi left from the sweet folks at Zespri (did I tell you that I'm a semi-finalist in the "win a trip to New Zealand" and you can be too? Yayyyy!)

So, along with the kiwi I added this month's produce for TigressCanJam - Peppers! O-and-howdy, I love peppers and how they can turn something really plain into a kick-ass taste bonanza.

A big thank-you to Kaela of Local Kitchen for choosing peppers for us to can or jam with this month.

This really couldn't be any easier - and once you get your equipment (jars, tops, pots, water, etc) all set up, it'll take a couple hours and you'll be staring at jars of zesty green, sweet, tangy homemade jam. You KNOW you want to try this.
RECIPE: Jalapeno Kiwi Kissin' Jam
(inspired by Blue Ribbon Preserves- Amendt)
1 1/2 lb. (peeled, cored, chopped and slightly mashed) Kiwi fruit
6 med. Jalapeno peppers, topped and chopped (remove seeds if you want less heat)
16 oz.(about 3 1/2 cups) organic cane sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 oz. liquid natural pectin

In a large pot, combine first 5 ingredients, (all except pectin) and stir.

Let sit covered for at least 30 minutes to dissolve sugar.
Heat on low, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Increase heat to med/high and bring to rolling boil for 5-10 minutes, stirring often.
Remove from heat and add the pectin, stir to dissolve.
Return to heat and bring to rolling boil, stirring, for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and let sit for about 3 minutes so fruit will not float to top. Pour into sterilized jars, seal and water process for 10 minutes.
Remove jars, sit in dry place on rack, undisturbed for 24 hours to achieve good seal.

*Serving suggestions*

1) Add a tablespoon of jam to chicken, lamb or pork
2) Serve on cream cheese topped crackers for quick snacks
3) Serve a dollop with sour cream on corn bread or muffins
4) Serve a dollop on tomato, squash or corn soup
5) Add a dollop on top of warm polenta

Cowboy Tomato Jam

Cowboy Tomato Jam

Ahhh, tomatoes. Is there a vegetable/fruit that tastes more like summer than a vine ripened tomato? On my Grandparent's farm, we kids would pick a tomato, lick the outside, then dip it into a palm full of Morton Salt. Then we'd take a slurpy bite out of the sun-heated tomato as if we were eating an apple. You would never want to do that to a winterized grocery store chain tomato, but there is nothing sweeter than a farm grown, garden grown, patio grown summer variety.
It's hard to believe, the tomato used to be thought of as poison many centuries ago. Then, it was grown as only ornamental garden decor, and finally - some brave people realized they were passing up a great BLT sandwich. I re-created that sandwich with Smokey Tea Tomato jam last summer right here.

When tomatoes were first brought to Italy, it's thought they were probably the yellow ones as the Italians and Spanish named it Pomi d'oro (now known as Pomodoro) meaning "apple of yellow/gold). The French (not too surprising) called them Pommes d'amour (apples of love) because they thought the tomatoes were aphrodisiacs. But, don't the French think air is aphrodisiac, too? Love that about the French!
So, this month's canning challenge for Tigress Can/Jam was the glorious TOMATO; chosen by Julia of What Julia Ate.
Here's my adaptation of a recipe from the Minimalist for Tomato Jam:

COWBOY TOMATO JAM:

1 lb. Garden fresh tomatoes (peeled, cored and chopped)
12 oz. sugar
1 lime (juice and zest)
1 Tbls. fresh ginger zested
1 whole Jalapeno (minced)
1 tsp each: cumin, black pepper and cinnamon
1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a deep saucepan. Cook on low until the sugar dissolves, stirring often.
Bring to a boil on Med., continue to stir, for several minutes.
Increase heat and boil until temp reaches 220F or check for jam set with a chilled plate (a dollop should have a little rise to it, and leave a space when you drag your finger through it).

Fill sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace for food expansion. Seal immediately, and hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove, carefully, and leave for 12-24 hours without moving. Label and store in a cool, dry place.

If you are new to canning, be sure to read over the correct process. Otherwise, you can make this jam, pour into containers, leave to cool, then refrigerate for consuming. Yipee, Cowboys and Cowgirls - this jam has a little bite back!

Cucumber Pickles; Dill with it. **Double Post** Watermelon Rind Pickles

Here's a big surprise: I couldn't make up my mind. There were so many gorgeous cucurbits at the Farmer's Market, that...what? Cucurbits. You know. Cucurbits. Yeah, I had to be told what they were, too. Cucurbits are the vine grown cucumbers, squashes, melons and such. They make amazing jams...and pickles!

Cucumber Dills w/Cumin,Pepper & Mustard Seeds Watermelon Rind Pickles w/ Garam Masala & Jalapeno

At the beginning of the year I joined a group started by Tigress Can Jam/Pickle. She has an amazing site that is packed with her bright personality and intelligent recipes. Each month, our group participates in canning and what we can (the product) is chosen by a host. This month it was chosen by Laundry Etc.

Each one of us have the choice of how we handle the product: jam, pickles, relish, chutneys, etc.. as long as we follow certain guidelines which include the US recommended hot water bath canning process. Like most things, once you get the hang of it - following the process is a cinch.
I'm in charge of making many jars of pickles for my daughter's upcoming wedding, so "cucurbits" in the form of cucumbers were very timely and I'm half-way through the batch size I need for the wedding.

And, watermelon? Well, I'm a southern girl who grew up eating watermelon outside where you could drip it all over you and save the seeds for a spitting contest. True to the South, nothing goes to waste so pickling the rind was a given.
I actually had never pickled rind myself, so once I figured out that watermelon is one of those...Cucurbits, I had to give it a try.
I used several recipes to help me with the safety and correct ratio for vinegar, etc. then changed up the spices and flavoring to suit my whimsy.

Now YOU know what a cucurbit means, too (or maybe you were already vine-savvy). Sometime today, throw that word around a little and see how many people give ya that blank stare. Then send them to my post and I'll help them get out of that pickle.

Cucumber Dills w/Cumin, Pepper & Mustard Seeds
(adapted from "Jam it, Pickle It, Cure It" by Karen Solomon)

3 lbs. Pickling Cucumbers (washed, dried, sliced into wedges)

In a non-reactive saucepan, heat 2 cups Vinegar with 6 cups water and 6 tsps. salt to boiling.

Pack your sterilized jars with the Cucumber wedges and an even distribution of these spices:
9 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 cinnamon stick (broken into pieces as needed)
6 Tbls Mixed Mustard seeds
6 Tbls. Dill seeds
8 Tbls. Black Peppercorns
2 Tbls. Cumin seeds
6 tsps. salt

Leave 1 inch head space.
Pour the hot vinegar mix into the jars covering the wedges fully and leaving 1/2 inch head space. Process in a hot-water bath for 10 minutes. Remove, cool and store in a cool dry place.


Watermelon Rind Pickles w/Garam Masala & Jalapeno
(inspired by "Jellies, Jams & Chutneys" by Thane Prince and Whole Foods Recipes)


The Rind of 1 med. watermelon (remove the green with a peeler, scrape off all pink, cut into small cubes) *You should have 1lb. of cubed rinds

For the Brine - Mix the following in a glass bowl with lid:
4 Tb salt
24 oz. Water
Place the rind cubes into the brine, cover and leave in refrigerator for 2 days.
After 2 days: Drain the rind, rinse with cold water several times and drain.
Hold to the side.

In a deep saucepan, add and bring to a boil:
4 cups of water
2 cups Cider Vinegar
9 oz. brown sugar
4" cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala ground spice mix
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
1/2 lemon zest
1 tsp chopped Jalapeno Pepper

Once this is boiling, add the rind into the saucepan and stir to mix.
Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until the rind is tender and translucent.

Remove from stove and pack your sterilized jars with the rinds, then pour in the pickling liquid to cover.
Keep at least 1/4 inch space available at the top of each jar.
Seal properly and place in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Remove and cool on rack without moving for 12 hours.
Keep in a dry, cool area.
If you aren't comfortable with canning: fill your glass containers, cool, cover and keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Blackberry, Blueberry, Port Wine Jam - Sing it!

The path to my grandmother's house was through the woods. And, no matter how many times I was told as a kid to go straight through without stopping - I got distracted. A 2 minute walk turned into a 20 minute journey. Can you blame me? The path was lined with walls of wild blackberries.

BLACKBERRY, BLUEBERRY, PORT WINE JAM

This month's TigressCanJam ingredient was any product considered an "-erry". That meant strawberries, loganberries, blueberries, cranberries...get it? "-erries". Fun, right? It was almost TOO open for my easily distracted and multi-loving personality. I let the Farmer's Market decide for me, and when the "childhood memory" met with a great price, these black beauties won. But then, I got home to find my little Blueberry bush had turned into a it's own dark jeweled beauty and I couldn't resist having some blueberries join the jamming.
The Port seemed a natural mix and a way to sophisticate the flavors; I was hoping to actually create a jam for breakfast bread, but also a nice marinade or sauce addition to main entrees. I tried it on a nice lean Pork Tenderloin roast with mushrooms. It was the perfect addition to bring a little tang to the umami that was already there.
The recipe is a little from childhood memory (after a while, even Grandma recognized a good berry picker when she saw one), and a little experimentation. It's very simple and I've had great response to this jam as a biscuit topper and as an enhancer. Jam on!

RECIPE: Blackberry, Blueberry, Port Wine Jam
24 oz. Fresh Blackberries (crushed)
8 oz. Fresh Blueberries
1lb 6 oz. organic sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup Port (Warriors is a good balance)

Add the crushed black berries, the blueberries and the sugar to a large, deep pot. Heat on low, stirring often, until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the lemon juice and bring the heat up to Med/High, stirring to blend.
Cook until the berry mixture reaches 220F. Carefully add the Port, stir and reheat to 222F (or check the jam set on a pre-chilled plate in the freezer. If a dollop of jam doesn't run on the pre-chilled plate, the set is good.)

Remove from the heat and let rest for 3-5 minutes so the berries can mix with the syrup. If any obvious hard blackberry cores rise to the top, remove them for a smoother jam.

Pour hot jam into sterilized jars, seal properly and finish with a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
If you don't want to can this jam, just follow the recipe and pour into refrigerator containers, let cool and keep air tight in refrigerator (for 2 weeks).

Jammin' Jam: Strawberry, Black Pepper and Fresh Mint

I can honestly say that I have never bitten into a lovely, warm scone topped with sweet, plump jammy fruit and thought to myself, "What this is missing is some ground black pepper." So, when I was reading through Mes Confitures by Christine Ferber ( a most beloved maker of jams and jellies, second only in my mind to June Taylor) and read about a jam made with strawberries, fresh mint and black pepper - well, I had to give it some thought.

Jammin' Jam of Strawberry, Black Pepper & Fresh Mint

Ladies and Gents, it works! Not only does it work, it has a remarkable balance that keeps the sugar (that can sometimes be too much, especially for non-jam loving folks), in the background. Suddenly, the fruit is first, then a hint of mint rises up and never do you think, "oh wow, pepper in my mouth." It just seems to make the sugar be a little more generous with the spotlight.

This month's Tigress Can Jam ingredient was any kind of herb that we fancied using. I actually still have a nice Mint plant doing well even after the wet winter here, so I definitely wanted to use that. Then, the Farmer's Market starting showing off the first of the season's strawberries for us fortunate Californians, so it was easy to see where my combo was headed. I, frankly, would never have thought to use pepper on my own - maybe balsamic vinegar or vanilla or perhaps a tea blend, but never ground pepper.
Since the strawberries are also a little tangy this early in the year, the pepper really played nicely with the acids and herbal notes. The recipe is a breeze, although in my adaptation I have cut a whole day off of the macerating (and I still do it overnight once).
Christine just loves to take a few days to do her amazing creations, and I didn't have the patience to be so French. Until I have the pleasure of tasting her jar of this bliss, I'll be satisfied with loving mine. I highly recommend giving this a whirl; It's easy and has a big wow factor. RECIPE: Strawberry, Ground Pepper & Fresh Mint Jam
(adapted from Mes Confitures)

2lbs Strawberries, (weigh after washed, hulled & sliced in half )
1 1/2 lb sugar (this is about 3 1/2 cups)
1 lemon zest and juice
8 fresh mint leaves, hand shredded
8 black peppercorns, freshly ground

In a ceramic bowl, add the strawberries, lemon zest and juice, and sugar. Fold together just to mix and cover with parchment paper and let macerate overnight in the refrigerator.

Next day, bring the preparation to a simmer in a preserving pot or large saucepan. Stir gently to dissolve all sugar for about 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve and hold the fruit separately while you return the syrup to the pan and bring to a boil, cooking on high til concentrated at 221F on a candy thermometer.

Add the fruit back into the pot with the mint and ground pepper. Return to boil for about 5 minutes, stirring gently. Check the set.

Fill sterilized jars, immediately, and close with lids. Boil in a hot waterbath, covering the jars by 1 inch of water, for 10 minutes. See "How To Preserve" for any questions about water baths. Remove carefully to a rack to cool and seal. Do not move jars for 24 hours to secure the seal.

*Optionally, you can fill jars and keep in refrigerator for 3 weeks without a water bath*
Getcha Pepper on, peeps!

Red Onion & Pineapple Relish - I can, you can, we all can!

I was never one to relish Relish. However, it's the little things that can make an ordinary dish something amazing and a little bit of this spicy/sweet/tangy relish does exactly that. Imagine a spoon of this beside your scrambled eggs, or dabbed beside a chicken breast. Saute a simple piece of fish, then add a dollop of this and now you've got layers of flavor on flavor.

Red Onion & Pineapple Relish

The ways to use this relish are unending: on a baked potato, mixed in with cooked carrots, add zing to pork tenderloin or can you even imagine how great it would taste on a hamburger? If you don't usually "can" stuff, then just make this and put it in a cute container (or just a bowl), wrap it up and keep it in the refrigerator. It's good for a couple weeks.

This month the item for the TigressCanJam event is Alliums: onions, ramps, leeks, garlic, etc. I still have a bag of Farmer's Market onions and 2 giant stalks of fennel because I had planned on using them for my "can-can-canning" this month. Then, I came across a recipe that mixed a pungent ruby red onion with one of my favorite fruits, sweet juicy pineapple, and I was in love.

This is a fragrant couple of hours in the kitchen, folks, but when it's done you'll have a hard time not eating little spoonfuls of it all by itself (not that I did that or anything.)

Quote from ME: "This works, yeah, this definitely works. I better "can" this before there's none left."
I hope you make this, and then come back and tell me your ideas of other ways to use it, ok?
Red Onion & Pineapple Relish
(adapted from Jellies, Jams & Chutneys - Thane Prince)

1/2 Pineapple, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 Med. Red Onions, chopped
3 small red chiles, chopped fine (can be seeded, but the kick is nice)
2 garlic cloves chopped fine
1 Tbls. fresh thyme leaves
5 oz. sugar
1 cup white wine vinegar
dash of salt

Put all ingredients into a large pot (not aluminum), and bring to boil. Stir often to dissolve sugar. Simmer the relish over med. heat for about 20 minutes until it's thickened. Ladle the relish into hot sterilized jars, cover and precede to water bath canning for 10 minutes.
(Or ladle into clean bowl/containers - cover and keep in refrigerator for 2 weeks).