'Quick' Applesauce Cookies

Assemble your tools and ingredients:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg

2/3 cup applesauce

2 1/2 cups buttermilk baking mix

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup raisins

~

Heat oven to 350*

Mix butter, sugar and egg
Stir in applesauce

then remaining ingredients.

Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown

Remove immediately from cookie sheet.

Cool.

Frost if desired.

(These would be great using farm fresh eggs,

homemade butter,

your own grapes dried for the raisins,

homemade applesauce

and a homemade buttermilk baking mix! They just wouldn't

be as quick! :~P )

Cinnamon Rolls

I have a confession to make!

I gave in to temptation

and made Cinnamon Rolls!

My penance is

extra, extra miles to walk this week!

But I enjoy walking so it was a win/win

situation!

Here's my recipe~

~*~

4 & 1/2 teaspoons yeast

dissolved in

1/2 cup warm (105*-112*)

~*~

Stir together

1/2 cup cooled, scalded milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 farm fresh eggs

~*~

Add

yeast/water mixture

&

2 & 1/2 cups flour

Beat until smooth

~*~

Add

2 - 2 1/2 cups more flour

until dough is workable.

~*~

Knead on lightly floured board until

smooth and elastic ~ about 5 minutes

~*~

Place in a greased bowl, turn dough and cover.

Let rise in warm place ( I use my oven pre-warmed

to lowest setting and then turned off)

until double in size,

about 1 hour.

Punch down dough and shape into a rectangle

approx. 9X15

Spread with butter (I used about 1/4 cup),

your favorite sugar (I used turbinato)

sprinkle with cinnamon (I used lots!)

Raisins are optional (but not at my house! They just

aren't proper cinnamon rolls without raisins!)

Roll up widest side.

Slice into 12-15 slices.

Place in 9X13 greased baking dish

Let rise in warm place 1/2 - 1 hour

or near the top of dish.

Bake 375* for 25 minutes



Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 carton whipped cream cheese
1-2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Mix with mixer until smooth
and creamy.

YUMM!

:~P

Victorian Applesauce Cake

Because I made applesauce yesterday, I just had to make

this recipe from my Grandma's recipe box!

2 cups sifted flour

1 &1/2 cup sugar

1&1/2 teaspoon soda

1&1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, allspice

1/2 cup shortening (I use coconut oil instead of Crisco or butter)

1&1/2 cup applesauce

2 eggs

3/4 cup raisins

(recipe also calls for 3/4 cup of chopped dates. I didn't have any, and I don't care for them, so I used 3/4 cup dried currants instead.)

3/4 cup chopped nuts (I did not add because there are nuts in the topping. I prefer them there for a nice crunch that sets off the moist, tender cake!)

Sift flour (which has already been sifted once), sugar, soda, salt, cocoa & spices into a mixing bowl. Drop in shortening (or coconut oil). Add 2/3 of the applesauce and beat 150 strokes. (I'm not a Victorian, so I used my mixer! Beat until creamy.)

Scrape bowl often.

Add eggs and beat 250 strokes. (another minute or so)

Add remaining applesauce and beat 50 strokes.

(or until fully Incorporated with your mixer.)

Add dates, raisins and nuts.

Mix thoroughly.

Pour batter into a greased tube pan. (Again, I used coconut oil)

Sprinkle topping over batter.

(Topping = 1/2 cup chopped nuts [I used pecans] and 2 Tablespoons sugar)

Bake 350* for 1 hour to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Test with toothpick after one hour. Keep checking often. Don't over bake!

As with any spice cake, the flavor improves after a day ~

but who can wait!

Not me ~ this piece is still warm!
MMMmmmm! with a cold glass of milk!

;~P

Making Applesauce!

Today, I made up a couple of gallons of applesauce from our

Transparent Apples.

These are the first of our apples to ripen, here on the farm, and this is my

favorite way to eat them!

Start with washing, quartering and removing the

stems and cores from the apples.

Place your apples in a pan with a small amount of water

in the bottom, so apples don't scorch.

(Stock pot full of apples and about 1 inch of water. We like our sauce thin and

runny. If you like yours thicker, use less water, but watch carefully when cooking

so it doesn't scorch.)

Let apples simmer in the water and stir occasionally.
Cook until soft on medium/low heat.
This only takes about 15-20 minutes.

When soft, put apples and juice through a strainer/sieve.

Using the jelly strainer removes the skins and any

core/seeds that you missed.

(These apples don't make chunky sauce so we do it this way.

Another time I will make chunky sauce with different apples.)

When you have sieved all your apples and the sauce is still hot,

now is the time to sweeten, if you like.

The hot sauce dissolves the sugar.

I use organic sugar. Sometimes I leave it unsweetened if I

am going to use it in a recipe, but it is just too tart

for plain eating, for my taste, without being sweetened.

I add Cinnamon sometimes.

Cinnamon adds a darker color. (Applesauce will darken anyway

as it cools and is exposed to air ~ just like cut apples.)

Now you are ready to can or freeze your sauce.

I prefer to freeze mine because I have had trouble in the past, when

I can it, with the sauce unsealing half way through the year!

So, to make sure I don't loose any of this golden delight,

I freeze it in glass quart jars.

My favorite way to eat it, however, is hot from the pot!

And even sweeter when eaten from a vintage

Shenango Sauce Bowl on Auntie Emma's

vintage picnic table cloth! ;~P

(There's a bowl waiting for you, Michele!)

(Coming next time ~ Victorian Applesauce Cake)

Making Yogurt!

Since I have been purchasing Whole Raw Jersey Milk

from the Dungeness Valley Creamery,

I have wanted to try making my own yogurt.

Gentleman Farmer takes yogurt everyday

in his lunch for work and it gets to be

quite expensive.

I looked at several recipes, and wasn't sure how to

keep mine heated during the 'ripening' process.

The milk needs to be held at 116* for 4-8 hours,

depending on the particular recipe.

Some called for a yogurt maker, or a crock pot, or

your oven and even an ice chest pre-warmed with hot water.

I was about to try the one with the ice chest

and remembered that

my little food dehydrator recipe book

said you could make yogurt in it.

I plugged it in and put a thermometer in to see what

the constant temperature would be and

it held at 118*. I hoped it would be close enough

and gave it a try.

Here is what I did:

~

Gathered my ingredients/supplies.

6 1/2 pint wide mouth canning jars with lids

(washed in hot soapy water and rinsed well)

Candy thermometer

1 quart fresh raw whole milk

1/3 cup powdered milk (for thickening. Some

recipes call for gelatin, but I didn't want to use that.)

1/3 cup organic sugar

(Could have used 1/4 cup real maple syrup or honey)

1/2 teaspoon real vanilla

1/2 cup live culture plain yogurt

Combine milk and milk powder into a large saucepan.

Heat to 180* at medium heat, stirring continuously

so milk does not scorch.

Remove pan from stove and place in sink of cold water

to cool to 116*. This does not take long.

Stir and watch that thermometer!

When it has cooled to 116*,

add your yogurt culture and vanilla

and mix well.

My culture never stirred in completely.

Pour into warm jars and set in the dehydrator.

Put on the top and wait!
(I remembered later to set the lids on the jars.)


I checked it after 4 hours.
I appeared a bit runny/watery.
I stirred it with a spoon and gave it an apprehensive
taste ~ It was good! Tasted like custard!
It didn't have much 'tang' yet so I left it
another 1 1/2 hours.
Then I put it in the refrigerator overnight.
It needs to be refrigerated for at least 8 hours for best texture.

Gentleman Farmer had it for breakfast this morning with
a bowl of granola.
He gave me a kiss afterward and said,
"Thanks for the delicious breakfast!"
;~D
I will be making my own yogurt from now on!
~*~
You can use any type of milk; whole, raw, organic,
low fat, even powdered or canned.
Just be sure the yogurt that you use for
your culture has live bacteria.
~
It can be mixed with fruit, berries or jam
for a variety of flavors.
~
Please let me know if you make your own yogurt
or if you try making some!

Making Butter

Here is the gallon of raw whole milk I bought

from the Dungeness Valley Creamery.

(All Jersey Milk)

The cream is at the top 3 inches of the jar.

I spooned off the cream into a 1 quart canning jar,

placed on a lid, and let 'ripen' for a couple of hours.

(I would have just set it on the counter, but we went for a visit

to Farmer's Daughter #1 two hours away, so

it rode in the car with us.) The granddaughters love butter!

Their Momma says they lick the butter off their bread and ask for more!

I thought they might enjoy some fresh, homemade butter!

We shook the jar of cream for approximately 30 minutes.

(The Gentleman Farmer, grandaughters and I took turns)

After about 25 minutes, the cream started to thicken a bit

and collect alittle on the sides of the jar.

Keep shaking!

Then suddenly there was a golden lump forming in the

sea of cream!

I poured the 'buttermilk' into a separate jar, and put the

butter into a bowl of cold fresh water. I pressed the butter with

a large spoon to remove more of the buttermilk, changing the water

a couple of times until it was clear.

Then I put the butter into another bowl and added

sea salt to taste.

It was covered with waxed paper and put into the

refridgerator to be slathered onto the morning's

breakfast.

It made a little more than 1/2 cup of delicious, sweet cream butter!

Nanaimo Bars

Wanting to try something different from my usual chocolate chip, peanut butter or oatmeal raisin cookies for Gentleman Farmer's lunch (and a little snack for us both on Sunday evening) I ran across this recipe in my file (box full of copied recipes!) and decided to try it. Gentleman Farmer and I have been tossing around vacation ideas and the San Juan Islands have popped up a time or two. Naniamo is a Canadian Island near the San Juans and in my creative madness, thought these would be the cookie I would try! Is this making any sense to you? I didn't think so. But here is the recipe as I have found it in my stash, from the Food Network Kitchens.

+++++++

"There are a number of stories as to where this cookie came from. It's thought to be native to Nanaimo, British Columbia (hence the name), and it gained widespread popularity in the 1950's. Whatever its origins, we love it. We added the twist of peanut butter to make a simple, delicious, no-bake bar cookie that's super kid-friendly and freezes well."

~

Cookie:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

1 large egg, beaten

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds

(I didn't have almonds but used pecans instead. They were good!)

~

Peanut Butter Filling:

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

~

Chocolate Glaze:

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

~

Line and 8x8 inch baking pan or casserole with aluminum foil, with long flaps hanging over each edge. (Don't do what I did ~ I don't like foil to come into contact with my food, so I used a small sheet of waxed paper. It isn't strong enough to lift the cookie from the dish when frozen! Next time I will use parchment paper ~ it is stronger.)

For the cookie:

Put the butter in a heatproof medium bowl. ( I used my double boiler )

Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer over medium-low heat. Set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Once the butter is melted, add the sugar and cocoa, and stir to combine. Add the egg and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until warm to the touch and slightly thickened (it should be about the consistency of hot fudge), about 6 minutes.(Mine was ready almost instantly, but I did continue to cook for a minute or two to cook the egg as this is a no bake cookie.) Remove from heat and stir in graham crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan. Save the pan of water for melting the chocolate.)
For the filling:
Beat the butter, peanut butter and confectioners sugar together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light.

As you can see, I did not use a mixer but simply mixed it together with a spoon.

I should have sifted the sugar, as my organic powdered sugar is always lumpy,

but I am not adverse to biting into a lump of powdered sugar. :P

Spread over the cookie and freeze while you prepare the chocolate glaze.

For the glaze:

Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl, and set over the barely simmering water. (Again, I used my washed double boiler) Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. When cool but still runny, pour the chocolate layer over the chilled peanut butter layer and carefully smooth out with an offset spatula. Freeze 30 minutes.

To serve:

Remove from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.

(Mine took longer)

Pull out of the pan using the foil flaps and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1 inch squares with a sharp knife. Serve cool or at room temperature.

These are very rich and are more of a confection than a cookie.

They would be yummy served with ice cream.

(Everything is yummy served with ice cream!)

Store wrapped in the refrigerator or freezer.