leek and potato soup base

This is the first year that I have grown leeks and I have not cooked with them before so they are a new experience for me.  I was seeing lots of recipes for soup but most of them included dairy which is not recommended for canning.  So I was glad to find this recipe for a soup base that will get cream and some other additions when I use the base to make soup.  This one is leeks and potatoes in a stock.  The leeks and potatoes are prepped and layered in the hot jars and the hot stock is added to the raw vegetables.  They then are sealed and pressure canned for 60 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure.  I did my soup base in pints thinking that would make a nice amt of soup for one or there would be the flexibility of opening more than one jar if needed.  I used potatoes from the garden as well as the leeks and homemade chicken stock.  I am excited to make soup from this recipe.

Canned leek and potato soup base

6 medium potatoes, red or white
5 pounds leeks
chicken or beef stock

Prepare the potatoes by peeling and cutting into 1/2 inch dice and then place in cold water to prevent discoloration until time to fill the jars.  Prepare the leeks by soaking in cold water until they are clean and then slice across the leek into 1/4 inch slices and keep in cold water.  File a sterilized hot pint jar with a layer of leeks at the bottom, then a layer of the potatoes and top with another layer of leeks.  Fill to a 1" headspace with hot chicken or beef broth or stock.  Use a spatula to remove any air bubbles and then refill with additional stock or broth to return to the correct 1" headspace.  Add a lid and ring and process in a pressure canner for 60 minutes at 11 pounds pressure. 

source here

zucchini jam

One of the recipes I found this summer when looking for zucchini recipes is this one for zucchini jam.  It has few ingredients and it uses jello in place of a pectin product.  Since zucchini is not strongly flavored the Jam benefits from the jello for both color and flavor.  I have made a couple of batches and both of them have set up well.  The first time that I made this jam I had not been specific enough with my grocery list and ended up with a small box of jello in place of the larger one that was called for so I used one small box of  apricot and for the other box I substitute a lime flavor and the jam was green in color and citrusy in flavor but still pretty good.  I am thinking that you could substitute a variety of flavors or combinations of flavors and all would be interesting.  I used my oversized zucchinis, peeled and seeded and grated, and it turned out great.  This year I had more than the usual amt of surprise finds and after freezing a bunch for baking it was nice to have another use for them.

Zucchini Jam

6 cups peeled, seeded and grated zucchini
6 cups sugar
6 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup lemon juice,
1 6 oz or 2 3oz packages dry apricot jello


Combine zucchini and sugar in large kettle or stockpot and bring to a boil.  Boil six minutes. Add the drained pineapple and lemon juice and boil another six minutes.  Stir in the jello and when mixed well pour into sterilized jars and seal.  I processed my jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Source: here.

leek and potato quiche

I have an old 2 in 1 cookbook with recipes for quiche on one side and when you flip it over there are recipes for souffles.  It is pretty beat up. I have had it for years.  It is even missing one of the covers.  It was copyrighted in 1972.  There are no photos, just drawings and the pages for the souffles are different colored than the pages for the quiches.  It is a small book, just 5x8 inches and about 85-90 pages of quiches and a similar number of pages for souffles.  It is my go-to book for either souffles or quiches and today I made this leek and potato quiche from this book.  

I like how the book is set up.  On the quiche side it starts out with some information about quiches and the different types of rings/pans.  Next are recipes for three different crusts followed by recipes for two different custards.  The rest of the section is recipes for different quiches using combinations of ingredients.  The way the book is designed encourages experimentation and ingredient substitutions.  

  This time I used the classic quiche pastry although I have also used the rich quiche pastry and I like both.  I used custard A which is described as richer and firmer.  This quiche is built by making the crust and lining the pan.  I used a one piece stoneware pan this time and once the crust is in the pan it is brushed with a little unbeaten egg white and then pricked with a fork.  The cooked vegetables are added to the unbaked crust and then the custard is poured over and the quiche is baked.  I was very pleased at how it turned out.  I grew leeks for the first time this year so I am learning how to use them.  I really like their mild onion flavor.  Next time making this recipe I think that I will increase the vegetables and the custard.  My pan is a little bigger than recipe called for and I think a little thicker filling would make for a more substantial portion and probably it could be cut into more pieces.

Leek and Potato Quiche

Classic Quiche Pastry

1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
pinch salt
3 Tbsp firm butter
3 Tbsp vegetable shortening
2-5 Tbsp ice cold milk

Cut the butter and shortening into the flour/salt mixture until fine and mealy.  I used my food processor but a pastry blender or fingers would work as well.  Start mixing the dough gently as you add the milk 1 Tbsp at a time until you can just gather it into a firm yet crumbly ball.  Less milk will result in a flakier pastry.  Roll the dough into a circle.  The directions suggest rolling it between 2 sheets of wax paper but I use a cloth covered pastry board which works fine.  Line the pan. Prick all over the bottom and sides with a fork and then brush the surface with a bit of unbeaten egg white.

Vegetables

2 pounds boiling potatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium onion (I used leeks in 1/4 inch slices)
6 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet.  Add the leek and potato slices.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat until onions are soft and potatoes are browned and getting crispy.  Place the vegetables in the crust.

Custard

1 cup whipping cream
4 egg yolks
pinch each of salt, cayenne, nutmeg

Blend together and pour the custard over the vegetables in the crust  Bake in preheated 375°  oven for 40-45 minutes or until filling is cooked. 

traci's veggie pizza

A couple weeks ago I had a opportunity to sample Traci's veggie pizza and it was wonderful.  So I quick grabbed a picture before I had finished it off and vowed to ask for the recipe.  The flavors are great and the fact that it is colorful adds to the appeal.  I think that it could be used as an appetizer as well as an entree.  

Traci's veggie pizza

Crust: 1 can crescent rolls spread in a 9x13 pan and baked for 8-10 minutes at 325° and cooled.

Beat together:
 1/2 cup miracle whip
1 8 oz cream cheese
1-2 tsp dry Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix or to taste
 1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp dill seed or weed
1/4 tsp black pepper

Spread this mixture over the crescent roll crust.  Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and various chopped veggies in a thin layer.  Avoid watery veggies like tomato to keep the crust from getting soggy.  Cut into squares and serve. 

Thank you, Traci, for sharing.  It was a great treat and I am glad to have the recipe.  I am looking at the beautiful red and green colors and wondering if these could be cut with simple Christmas cookie cutters into trees or bells or stars to serve at holiday time, perhaps cutting them after the cream cheese mixture is spread on the crust but before the toppings are added.  Interesting possibilities. 

zucchini bisque

I found this recipe online with a little comment saying that it was a good one and it was.  It was also easy to do and pretty quick to make.  I am using my overly large zucchinis for this, making the soup up to the point where the cream is added and putting it in the freezer.  When I pull it out to serve I will add the cream during the reheating.   I used my homemade canned broth  which was very tasty. 

zucchini  bisque

1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup light cream

In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter. Add zucchini and chicken
broth. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes: add seasonings. Puree on
low in a blender. Return to pan: stir in cream and heat through.
Yield: 4-5 servings (6 cups)

Please be careful when blending hot soup.  I used my immersion (stick) blender and blended the soup right in the pan.  If you are using a conventional blender only blend half a blender jar full at a time.

original recipe here.

zucchini brownies

I saw this recipe on the web and they looked too good not to try since I had a zucchini fresh from the garden sitting on my counter.  I have paired zucchini and chocolate before in this bread recipe and that turns out moist and flavorful every time so I had high expectations.

The brownies turned out great.  Moist and fudgy with a pour over frosting that goes on as they come out of the oven and a few minutes later they can be served while still warm.  They are easy to do.  The best part is that you would never know there is zucchini in here.   I mixed them up in the saucepan that I used to melt the chocolate chips.  I used my batter whisk, no stand mixer or hand mixer needed. 

oil, chips and cocoa

melted and smooth

eggs, sugar, vanilla and zucchini

combined and ready for the dry ingredients

flour, baking soda and salt are added

poured into prepared pan

Frosting starts with butter, milk, chips and vanilla

when melted and smooth in goes the powdered sugar

the glaze goes on the cooked brownies

you would never know there was zucchini in here

Zucchini brownies

for the brownies
1/2 cup light tasting olive oil or canola oil
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup grated rung out zucchini or yellow summer squash
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour

for the glaze
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line a 9x13 cake pan with parchment and grease parchment and sides of pan or spray with cooking spray. 

For brownies: in medium saucepan melt the oil, chips and cocoa together over low-medium heat.  Once melted remove from heat and add the sugar, eggs, vanilla and zucchini.  Stir in the dry ingredients and pour into prepared pan.  Spread evenly and bake for 15-20 minutes.  While brownies are baking make the glaze.

For the glaze: melt the butter, cocoa powder, chocolate chips and milk together and simmer gently one minute.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla and then the powdered sugar.  Whisk until smooth glaze forms. 

Once brownies are removed from the oven pour the hot glaze over the brownies immediately and smooth out evenly over the brownies.  Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes then cut and serve warm.

Source for original recipe here.

marinated watermelon and tomato salad

My sister shared some salad with me.  She found the recipe in a magazine called Real Simple.  It was on the cover and caught the eye of her daughter.  It tasted great so I asked for the recipe and vowed to take a picture of it and blog about it before I had finished it off.  This salad has some ingredients that I would never have thought to try together.  Watermelon and tomato.  Who would have thought? 

The colors were beautiful.  The red of the watermelon and the yellow/orange of the cherry tomato is such a happy color combination.  I just needed to decide how to do a picture of it that does it justice.

Nikole's handcrafted pottery bowl on tan?

Small white dish on green?

Glass salad plate on blue?

stack of glass plates on wood?

Look at those colors!

marinated watermelon and tomato salad

10 cups watermelon, cubed
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped or cherry tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
1/2 cup basil, freshly torn
2 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine the watermelon and the lime juice and allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Add the remainder of the ingredients and serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.