The Life and Projects of An Avid Hobbyist

Monday, August 30, 2010

I Like my Currants Spicy!

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In my household growing up red currants were not a commonly used fruit.  I pulled out my great-Nana's cookbook and did some tinkering in the kitchen.  The end result was not a ribbon winner at the fair, but a tasty jelly nonetheless...enjoy! ~ksp

Currants

Spiced Currant Jelly
Ingredients
• 4 pounds fresh red currants
• 1 cup water
• 7 cups white sugar
• 4 fluid ounces liquid fruit pectin
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice

Directions
  1. Place the currants into a large pot, and crush.
  2. Pour in 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil.
  3. After boiling, simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Add spice mix and stir.
  5. Process juice through jelly cloth or cheese cloth, and measure out 5 cups of the juice.
  6. Bring juice to boil in large pot, and slowly stir in the sugar. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, and stir in the liquid pectin. Return to a full rolling boil, and allow to boil for 1 minute.
  7. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top.
  8. Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes. Adjust time for your elevation.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Baby Selven

As a college student at TU I made lots of life-long friends including Selven.  In the mid-nineties he was a business major and was number 27 on the football team.  He and I are fierce friends and in the 10 plus years since we've graduated, we still speak several times a week.  I call him my "brother from another mother"...he calls me "grasshopper*".

He and his girlfriend have a baby due in a couple of weeks and I am SO excited.  He's wanted to be a daddy for some time and his baby boy is almost here.  To celebrate this momentous birth I, grasshopper, am preparing a mostly green flying geese crib quilt for him.

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Strips salvaged from layer cakes purchased in Fl, June 2010
Selven's Squares
Squares all lined up.

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Squares sewn together.
I am a Quiltville fan and follow Bonnie's instructions on creating bonus 1/2 square triangles on what would otherwise be discarded fabric.

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Highly irregular 1/2 triangle squares.

I'll probably use these to make a lavender filled pillow for use in the baby's nursery.

I"ll keep you posted on progress. Baby Selven is due September 10, 2010...must hurry. ~ksp
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* That's a longer story.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Doing Much With Little

Picture Heavy Post

I won a first place ribbon in the NJ State Fair for my watermelon rind jam.  I have been fascinated for some time by coming up with gourmet/tasty fixins' with ingredients that would otherwise be discarded.  

After some experimenting, I now love watermelon rind as much as I love the red pulpy pieces. ~ksp
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Watermelon Rind Jam

Ingredients
• 2 lbs pound of fresh skinless watermelon rind (1 medium-sized fruit)
• Juice from 1 lemon or lime
• 2 cups sugar
• 1tbsp fresh ginger – grated
• 1tsp powdered ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Water


Melon

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Directions:
  1. Cut watermelon rind into 1 inch cubes.
  2. Add the watermelon rind and grated ginger to a pot, cover with water and boil until fork tender and translucent; stirring regularly.
  3. Drain out the water but keep 2 cups of this liquid for use to blend; let cool.
  4. Pulse in a blender or food processor adding little liquid only if necessary. Process until smooth (the consistency of thick applesauce.)
  5. Pour in a heavy pot.
  6. Add sugar, salt and lime juice. Bring juice to boil in large pot, and slowly stir in the sugar.
  7. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, and stir in the liquid pectin. Return to a full rolling boil, and allow to boil for 1 minute.
  8. Remove from heat and skim off foam from the top. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top.
  9. Process in a hot-water bath of simmering water for 10 minutes.  Adjust time for your elevation.~ksp


WatermelonRindJam

Being Neighborly

I live in a rather quirky little neighborhood in a quasi-suburban college town. Nothing demonstrated this more than my neighbor "Paul". He's a bit high-strung and frankly can be annoying...but hes my neighbor nonetheless.

My boxed "garden plot" is just outside of his bedroom windows, and although I've never actually heard him complain, I am often at the garden early in the morning and sometimes with a chatty assistant.  Thus, I thought it would be a good idea to throw some fresh produce his way.

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Organic Cornucopia O'Goodness
He loved it and later in the week complemented me on the "tastiness" if the peppers.

Winning neighbors, one cornucopia at a time. ~ksp

Monday, August 23, 2010

2010 Ribbon Count

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ETA: Left to right: watermelon rind jam, cracked pepper cranberry chutney and golden mint jalapeno jelly.

I won three ribbons in this year's fair.  I'll be sharing the recipe in future posts. ~ksp

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Random Sunday

I've got a lot to share with you but there is no central theme:

1.  I finished a quilt top for one of my guys.  He's had his first child and is very excited about it.  Here is an "in progress" shot of the top.  I used a Moda jelly roll purchased here in a colorway tag that is long lost.  It is crib sized and has a simple mitered border in cream.   All I have to do is schedule time here to get it all quilted.  I am waiting for several tops to be done and then I'll make a day of it.
Joslynn
A very pink simple jelly roll pattern
2. The NJ State Fair is over and I entered 4 delectables for judging.  I'll be sharing recipes shortly.
    2010 Fair Receipts
    Left to right: golden mint jelly, spice currant jelly, watermelon rind jam and cracked pepper cranberry chutney.
    3.  I got some of the last fiber that the Sanguine Gryffon was selling before discontinuing dyed roving.  Fiber Content: 65% merino 35% silk.  Colorway: Tea Estate.  These 8oz are marinating in the stash until this humidity goes away..it's been a way sticky summer.

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    8oz of fibre goodness
    4.  My much neglected garden is beginning to give up her gifts.  It seems this summer I could not adequately keep up with the watering  between the extreme heat and the near drought-like conditions. On a recent maintenance visit, I lost a tomato (I plan to fry it up green).  Also there are some thai hot peppers and habaneros and more rouge mint.  More stuff to get mixed into the daily cooking.

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    Small bounty


    Monday, August 2, 2010

    Sugar...The Final Frontier

    These are the voyages of a sugar addict. My mission...to boldly explore ways to cut my sugar intake down (trek anyone?).

    Sugar

    I consume way too much sugar. 

    Not surprisingly, it comes in so many forms.
    1. I drink a lot of fruit juice - there's a special place in my heart for cranberry juice, but I am not particular.  
    2. I drink soda (damn that Pepsi) less often, but when it suits me.  
    3. I have a sweet tooth that won't be stopped - oh, how I love all types of cookies, cakes, tarts etc.  I doesn't help that I am a decent baker too.
    4. Pasta anyone?
    5. Hidden sugars - condiments, coffees, fruit leathers...
    So, I'm not going to make a pledge or anything, but I am going to more closely monitor my eating and cutting sugar down.  I'll be reporting back my progress...wish me luck

    This week's challenge: Begin to ween myself off of sugar in my coffee.
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    In canning news, I searched high and low for hermetic jars and lucked up when I found some here and here.  I've been using them to develop a Sunshine Pickle recipe.

    What are sunshine pickles you ask? They are cucumbers that have been allowed to ferment in a brine in full sunlight for a period of days.

    Here are my first 2 jars,  a kirby cucumber in one and a mix (very) hot pepper in the other.  Can't wait to try them.

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