Apple Pie Jam

Apple Pie Jam
   

•               9 large sweet-tart apples, cored, peeled and sliced  (I did not peel them, just cut them pretty finely)

•               1 tablespoon lemon juice

•               1 cup brown sugar

•               1 1.75-ounce package lower sugar pectin

•               1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•               1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (I did not use this)

•               1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

•               1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

•               1 cup apple cider

•               1/2 teaspoon butter

In a large saucepan, toss the prepared apples with the lemon juice. Sprinkle the apples with the brown sugar, pectin, spices and lemon zest. Add the butter to the pan and pour the apple cider over the spiced apples. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it comes to a full, rolling boil.

Cook the apple pie jam, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the jam from the heat and spoon it into sterile jars. Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

This apple pie jam recipe makes approximately 9 half-pints. (or, you might say--one wide-mouthed quart plus a little)

This stuff is pretty good, but depending on your waist measurement, you might not want to eat a lot of it...

 

Overnight Cinnamon Buns

Overnight Cinnamon Buns

For the dough: 

• 2 Tbs. (2 package) active dry yeast 
• 1  cup warm water (105°F) 
• 9  cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed 
• 8 eggs 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 tsp. kosher salt 
• 1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
•   
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 Tbs. ground cinnamon 
•   

For the glaze:  

• 2 cup confectioners’ sugar 
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted 
• 4 Tbs. milk 
•   

Directions:

To make the dough, in the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water, allow to sit for a few minutes to begin blooming, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in 1 cup of the flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot, about 30 minutes.

Add the eggs, granulated sugar, salt and the remaining 8 cups flour to the yeast mixture. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead on medium speed until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the room-temperature butter which you have cut into chunks and continue to knead, adding a little flour to reduce stickiness if needed, until the dough is smooth, 10 to 12 minutes. (Next time I will add the butter at the same time I put in the eggs, etc, and see what happens.  Not all the butter made it into my dough, getting caught under the lid of my Bosch mixer cover...You may figure out a better way yourself...) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled, about 2 hours.

Butter a half-sheet pan. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Roll out into a 30-inch by-10-inch rectangle. (If this is not do-able on your kitchen surface, divide dough into two pieces and roll each into a 15-inch by 10-inch  piece then proceed.) Brush the rectangle with half of the melted butter, leaving a 2-inch-wide strip uncovered on one long side. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the butter. Starting at the long side covered with sugar, roll up the rectangle snugly and pinch the seam together. With the seam facing down, cut into 24 equal pieces. Place the pieces, cut side up, in the prepared dish. Brush the rolls with the remaining butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator overnight. (You may need to plan ahead for this part as your refrigerator may need emptying/cleaning!)

The next morning, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let rise until half again as high, about 1 hour. Preheat an oven to 350°F. 

Bake the rolls until golden brown, about 30 minutes. (Mine took 35 minutes at heat plus 2 more minutes with the heat off.  There are few things more disappointing than an uncooked cinnamon bun for which your mouth has watered for hours!) Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

While the rolls are baking, make the vanilla glaze: In a small bowl, sift together the confectioners’ sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, milk and vanilla, then stir into the sugar mixture to form a smooth paste. Spread the glaze over the warm rolls and serve immediately. Makes 10 large rolls.

Adapted by me who found  this recipe online where it was adapted by Williams-Sonoma Family Meals, by Maria Helm Sinskey (Oxmoor House, 2008).

Overnight Cinnamon Buns--successful!  Only one brief episode of "breakfast bell"!

Millet Loaf

Millet Loaf as I made it!

Serves 8

1/2 cup cashews
1 cup water
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups cooked millet
1/2 quick or old-fashioned oatmeal
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon sausage seasoning
2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Put the water and cashews in a blender jar and blend until completely smooth...a couple of minutes.  Put all the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl and pour on the cashew/water slurry and mix well.  Pack into a greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes.  Take out of pan and serve immediately or cool and serve later.  You can use a gravy on top.  I used a slice on some whole wheat bread with mayonnaise as a sandwich. 

Next time I will use lettuce and tomatoes and maybe even an onion slice.  ALSO: next time I will lightly sautee the onion before mixing it into the other ingredients.  I liked it as it was but non-onion-lovers might be less happy with the "bite" of the onion if you cook this as listed.

These can be formed into patties and browned in a greased skillet instead of cooked in a loaf pan.  Can also be cooked in a casserole dish, maybe with catsup on top?

Since these have not yet been big sellers at our house, the next time I eat a slice, I will slice it rather thickly and brown it is a skillet with a little butter or olive oil or both!