Apple Enchiladas

 It's still winter.

I know February is the shortest month.  I know it in my mind.  In my psyche, however, it seems to drag on and on.   We've had snow, polar vortexes, snow, sleet, snow, school closures, super cold temperatures, and snow. 

Hockey rink - Ridgefield style

This is just on my deck.  I hope it holds up

*sigh*

My mail box.

One of the snow mountains (there are more than 6) at the grocery store.

I really should remember this when I get super excited for the first snowfall.

It is pretty, though.  I do like winter - just not at the end of February.  Maybe it is because all the seed catalogs start coming and I begin to dream of gardens and flowers.

I actually ordered more chicks in February.  They are living in my basement.  I know.  Good times.

Emily with her red hair

My 14 year old had cabin fever and dyed her hair red.  It turned out pretty good!  Maybe February isn't so bad.

Anyhow, a while back I was craving something sweet for after dinner, but didn't want to go to the store for needed ingredients (see the first paragraph for the reasons.)  I did have tortillas and home canned apple pie filling.  

Hmmm.

I remember seeing a picture of apple enchiladas on Pinterest.  

Lovely.

This is what I did.  The really did turn out quite nice - easy and fast, too.  I think you could use any kind of pie filling that you want.  I just happened to have apple.

Apple Pie Enchiladas

1 quart (or so) of apple pie filling

12 (or so) flour tortillas

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick spray.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of apple pie filling down the center of each tortilla.  I use a medium size ice cream scoop.

Roll up the tortilla, folding in the edge and place seam side down in the prepared baking pan.  Do as many as your pan will hold.

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugars, cinnamon and water.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour the sauce over the enchiladas.  Let the enchiladas stand for 30-45 minutes.  I don't know if this is super important, but I did it.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

I served mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some of the caramel sauce drizzled on top.

Pumpkin Bread

During the autumn, I was obsessed with all things pumpkin.  I loved the color.  I loved the smell.  Lovely.

My youngest picking out pumpkins.

I had baked a few pumpkins, pureed them, and put them in bags to freeze for later.

It's later.

Today is a really cold day.  It was below zero this morning.  It warmed up to 1 degree by 10 am.

  My youngest kiddo did the throw boiling water in the air and see it turn to steam thing.  I know it is all over the internet, but it is really cool.  We learned about the Mpemba effect, molecular bonds, covalent bonds, the reasoning behind the different boiling points, and the density of water at different temperatures.  Did you know that water is less dense the colder it gets?  Yep.  We also touched on molecular chains of water inside narrow capillaries.  Very cool.

Anyhow, it is cold.  The radiator pipes for the main floor of our house froze. Upstairs and basement has heat, but the main floor doesn't. Good thing we have a wood burning stove.  I was craving baked goods (it would also help to heat the kitchen).

Oh yeah!  My pumpkin puree.  Time for pumpkin bread.  Just the smell makes me feel warmer.

Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice *

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree OR 2 cups pureed pumpkin

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spice.

To the flour mixture, add all of the remaining ingredients.

Mix it up.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

My kiddos like this with cream cheese or Nutella.  I know.

If you don't have any pumpkin pie spice, here is how I make mine.  It makes about 5 Tablespoons.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

3 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

Mix it up.

Egg and Chili Casserole

Happy New Year!!

I can't believe it is 2014.  Wow.  I remember in January 1970, I was 9, figuring out how old I would be in 2000.  40!!!!  It sounded SOOOO old.  Here it is 2014-even older!

I'm the one in the middle. I think I was 9 or 10 here.

Wow.

Anyhow, on New Year's morning, we were invited to a very nice brunch at the home of dear friends.  (Thanks Aldo and Joni - it was lovely.)  This is the egg dish that I made.  Many asked for the recipe.  Every time I have made it people have asked for the recipe.

It's that good.

The recipe is not my own, however.  It was given to me many years ago from my sister, Mary.  She always has the best recipes.  Love you, my sister.

This is kinda like chili rellenos in casserole form.  I like it with salsa.

Egg and Chili Casserole

1/2 cup melted butter

8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated

2 cups cottage cheese

10 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 (4 ounce) cans diced green chilis

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick spray, or butter generously.

Mix all of the ingredients together. I used my Kitchen-aid, but it is easy enough by hand. 

Smooth egg mixture in prepared pan.

Bake for 45 - 50 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Serve with salsa, if desired.

Tuna Patty

My mom used to make tuna patties all the time.  That and ham loaf.  Don't ask about the ham loaf.  It was just wrong.  However, I was craving tuna patties.

I had never made them before.  I don't know why.  Just hadn't.  My kiddos had never had them.  I knew I didn't want to do them like my mom - didn't have her recipe anyhow.  My sister called when I was making them and I asked if she ever made them.  She said "No! I always hated them and ham loaf."  

Yep.

These tuna patties taste nothing like my mom's, though.  They were really good!  Who knew?!  My kiddos loved them.  My husband loved them.  My dogs wanted them, but didn't get them.  They are always hopeful, though.

I served the tuna patties with mac 'n cheese - just in case no one liked them.  You can find that recipe here  http://ahawker.blogspot.com/2012/08/macaroni-and-cheese.html  (It was really penne 'n cheese. Whatever.)

Here is my recipe for tuna patties.  Don't be afraid.  They were really good.  This made enough for my family - feel free to cut it in half.

Tuna Patties

4 (7 ounce) cans tuna in water, drained

1/2 cup onion (about 1/2 onion), diced fine

1 Tablespoon mustard (I would have used Dijon, but didn't have any. I used plain old yellow mustard)

3 large eggs, beaten

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs, divided

Olive oil, for sautéing

Place the tuna, onions, mustard, eggs, lemon juice, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs in a bowl and mix it up.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs on a plate.

Take a scoop of tuna and put it in the bread crumbs, pressing slightly to flatten a little.  Turn the patty over to cover the other side.

Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a sauté pan (just a fancy way of saying frying pan).  Add the patties and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

Enjoy.

Holiday Jam

 The holidays are upon us.  Ready or not.

I got an email from a local store who sells some of my jams and jellies requesting a couple dozen more jars.  This is great news.  Except, I wasn't sure I had more of those requested (mostly berry jams.)  Or, at least, not if my family was going to have them, too.

So, I did what any good canner would do - I made more.

I usually only can what is in season.  What is in season in November in New England?  Not much.

Hmmm.

Cranberries.  Oh yeah!  And I had some strawberries around, too (not in season, but a good price for some reason), and citrus.  Citrus is in season.

Got it.

This is the result.  I'm calling in Holiday Jam because I had seen that online and it was shorter than Cranberry Strawberry Clementine Lemon Jam.

Holiday Jam

this made 14 half pint jars, plus a little for the fridge

6 cups fresh cranberries (2 - 12 ounce packages)

6 cups mashed strawberries (about 3 pounds - you could use frozen, too)

4 clementine oranges, zest and juice

1 lemon, zest and juice

7 1/2 cup sugar

5 Tablespoons low-sugar pectin

pat of butter (optional)

Prepare your jars and water bath canner.

Place cranberries in a large pot.  Mash or rough puree your strawberries and add to the pot.

Zest and juice your citrus and add to the pot.

Put 1/2 cup of sugar to a small bowl and mix in all of the pectin.  Add the pectin sugar mixture to the fruit and stir it up.

Over medium high heat, heat fruit until it is boiling and the cranberries have started to split.  Add butter, if using, to cut down on the foam.

Add the remaining sugar all at once to the boiling fruit.  Bring back to a rolling boil, stirring frequently. I squished most of the cranberries against the side of the pot with my spoon while I was stirring.  It was fun - kinda like popping bubble wrap. Boil at a rolling boil for exactly 1 minute.

Remove from heat.  Skim off the foam and call the kiddos to taste it.  They'll like it.

Ladle the hot jam into your hot jars.  Wipe rims.  Place lids and rings on jars and tighten to fingertip tight.  Boiling water bath all of your filled jars for 10 minutes.

Remove jars to a towel draped counter and wait for the pings of power.

These would make great Christmas presents.

Just saying.

Ginger Chicken (or Pork or Tofu)

Wow.  It is November already.  Weird.  Next week is Thanksgiving and Hanukkah.  

Too soon.

I have been busy - just like all of you.  Homeschooling is going well.  It is nice to be able to do things without signing a million papers and paying a bus fee.  For example, last week we were able to drive to New London, CT to help build a memorial playground for our sweet friend Emilie Parker.  She was one of the young victims of the Sandy Hook shooting last December.

Alissa and Robbie Parker, friends of ours.

It felt good.

When you home school you can do things like that.  Last month we went to the Jewish History Museum in NYC.  A couple of weeks ago we went to the CT Science Center.  We went to a revolutionary war reenactment. We read, we paint, we try to speak French together, my kiddo tries to teach me algebra.  Good times.

Emily inside the "Temple" piece.

My first painting in 30 years.  Em's is not done yet.

The Redcoats are coming!

It helps to have fast meals to fall back on.

This is one of them.

I can't believe that I hadn't posted it before.  It is one of those easy, versatile meals where you adjust the ingredients to whatever you have on hand. 

Ginger Chicken or Pork or Tofu

cooked rice

6 boned chicken breasts or thighs OR pork chops OR tofu - diced

1/2 cup flour OR cornstarch

1 Tablespoon oil

1/2 cup fruit juice (my favorite for this is orange, but I have used apple or grape or pineapple)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced OR 1/2 teaspoon dried, ground ginger

1 Tablespoon garlic, minced OR 1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic

whatever veggies you have, diced or sliced - I used 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 2 carrots and 1/3 head of cabbage this time.  Other veggies that are good are green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, or anything you like

Shake whatever protein you are using in a large ziplock bag with the flour or cornstarch.

Add oil to a large skillet.  

Brown flour covered meat and veggies in oil.

Mix the juice, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a bowl.

  

Add to the skillet with everything else.  Cook until the meat is done and veggies are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Serve over rice.