Freezer Jam

This is not an advertisement for Ball caning products, but it could be.

I love making freezer jam. I love the plastic 8 oz containers with the screw tops that Ball makes. I love that they are the perfect size. I love that the bottom clicks into the top of the lid so that they stack perfectly. I love that they are easy to wash and reuse (I use them for all kinds of things after the jam is gone).

I prefer jam made with Sure-Jell pectin rather than Ball instant pectin. It tastes better. And why wouldn't it? It has TONS more sugar. So, because it uses less sugar and because it doesn't require any preparation (you just dump the powdered pectin in with your sugar), I use Ball pectin. It also works with Splenda which is a nice alternative for diabetics. I love that I can make 5-8oz containers of jam in about 20 minutes. How easy is that?

Last fall I bought some fresh/frozen blackberries from Oregon (they are actually from a farm on the same road that my high school and church are on). I put the berries in freezer bags and tonight it was so easy to pull out one of those bags (I'd already defrosted it in the fridge) and just moosh the berries right in the bag, pour them into my measuring cup and then add them to the sugar/pectin mixture, stir for 3 minutes, then ladle them into my handy containers, let them sit 30 minutes and pop them into the freezer.

It REALLY is that easy! The taste of fresh berries* to last throughout the year!

*I like my jam to be fairly chunky, with pieces of berry in it. If you want a smoother texture, you'll have to work a little harder at mixing and straining. Raspberries are so seedy that I usually strain half and leave half chunky so that when mixed I get my desired chunkiness without all those seeds. Strawberries are less juicy and so they require a little more mooshing. I like to use my blender for strawberries and then I lightly chop a few so that I get the chunky-factor. I've never done fruit jams (just berry ones) but this summer I'm going to experiment. I'll keep you posted.

Food Friday: Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Orange Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 (1 lb) pork tenderloin, trimmed
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t ground black pepper
• 1 C coarsely chopped orange sections (about 2 oranges) or you could use a can of mandarin oranges
• 1/2 C diced red onion
• 1/4 C diced green bell pepper
• 1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 T fresh lime juice
• 1 t minced garlic

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Sprinkle pork evenly with 1/4 t salt and 1/4 t black pepper.
4. Add pork to pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
5. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 17 minutes*.
6. Let stand 5 minutes then cut across the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices.
7. Combine 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t black pepper, oranges and remaining ingredients.
8. Serve the salsa over the pork.

*You can cook the pork however you like it: grill it, slow cook it in a crockpot, or as directed here.

Food Friday: Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:

2 T minced cilantro (fresh is best)

2 1/2 T lime juice

1 1/2 T olive oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 t salt

1 C chopped tomato

2 T chopped onion

2 t lime juice (more)

1/4 t salt (more)

1/8 t ground black pepper

1 avocado, peeled and finely chopped

Directions:

1. Combine cilantro, 2 1/2 T lime juice and olive oil in a gallon sized Ziploc and knead to mix the ingredients together.
2. Add the chicken breast and let marinade for about 5 minutes.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and then discard the marinade.
4. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/4 t salt.
5. Cook the chicken (on your grill or in a pan or in the oven - however you like it best).
6. Prepare the salsa by combining tomato, onion, 2 t lime juice, 1/4 t salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl.
7. Add the avocado and stir gently.
8. Serve the salsa over the chicken and with rice as a side.

Food Friday: Greek Chicken with Capers and Feta

Got some capers lying around? Try this recipe!
Tired of the same old food? Try this recipe!
Don't want to heat up the house with your oven? Try this recipe!

Have I convinced you?

here we go then...

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 T flour
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 C thinly sliced onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 t of the bottled kind - you know I love that stuff!)
• 1 1/2 C chicken broth (use fat free to make this a low fat recipe)
• 1/3 C golden raisins
• 2 T lemon juice
• 2 T capers (because they were just sitting around anyway)
• 1/4 C crumbled feta cheese
• 4 thin lemon slices

Directions:

1. Flatten each chicken breast so it is about 1/4 inch thick.
2. Combine flour and oregano in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and mix.
3. Place the chicken breast in the bag and make sure each one is well-coated (do it one at a time).
4. Heat oil in a large skillet (medium-high heat).
5. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes on each side; remove from pan.
6. Add onion and garlic to the pan and saute 2 minutes.
7. Stir in broth, raisins, and lemon juice; cook 3 minutes.
8. Add the chicken back in and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
9. Remove chicken from the pan but keep it warm.
10. Add capers and feta cheese to the pan, stir with a whisk (plastic coated so you don't scratch your pan) until you have a creamy sauce.
11. Top each chicken breast with a generous amount of sauce and 1 lemon slice.
    

Food Friday - Sauteed Apple-Onion Chicken

It is still too hot to turn on the oven, turn on the stove instead. (And if you have one of those outdoor grills with a burner, use that and keep the heat outside!)

Ingredients:

• 2 T flour
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 t olive oil
• 3 C sliced onion (not chopped, you want long slices of onion)
• 2 1/2 C peeled and sliced apples (Granny Smith work well)
• 1 t Rosemary (dried)
• 1 C Apple Cider

Directions

1. Place flour, salt, and pepper in a gallon Ziploc and shake (after you've closed it of course!).
2. Add chicken, seal, shake until it is coated.
3. heat 1 t oil in a large nonstick skillet (medium heat).
4. Add chicken and saute until browned on each side.
5. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep it warm.
6. Heat another t of oil in the skillet.
7. Add onion and saute 5 minutes.
8. Add apple and rosemary and saute another 5 minutes.
9. Add the chicken back in and then put the cider in and bring to a boil.
10. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until the chicken is done.
    

Food Friday: Grilled Asian Chicken and Pineapple

Don't heat up your house tonight! Cook out on the grill instead.

Ingredients:

• 3 T honey
• 3 T soy sauce
• 3 T pineapple juice
• 2 t fresh lime juice (lemon juice can be substituted)
• 2 t peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 2 t vegetable oil
  
• 1 1/2 t curry powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 3 minced garlic cloves (or 2 t of the bottled kind)
• 1 lb skinned, boneless chicken breast (cubed)
• 1 C red bell pepper (cut into chunks about 1 inch squared)
• 1 1/2 C fresh pineapple (canned can be substituted) cut into cubes
• 4 C cooked rice

Directions:

1. Heat up your grill.
2. In a large Ziploc, combine the honey, soy sauce, juices, ginger, oil, curry, salt, and garlic.
3. Knead to mix the ingredients well.
4. Add chicken and bell pepper pieces.
5. Knead bag again to make sure the chicken and bell pepper are well coated (don't forget to seal your bag!).
6. Thread the chicken, bell pepper, and pineapple pieces alternately onto skewers (bamboo or metal will work fine).
7. Discard the marinade.
8. Place the skewers on the grill rack and cook 10 minutes (or until chicken is done). Turn occasionally.
9. Serve with hot rice.
   

Food Friday - America's Favorite Pork Chops

Okay, I got this recipe from Cooking Light and I just love how presumptuous the name is. I thought it would be a fitting recipe for this weekend.

4 top loin pork chops
3/4 C Italian dressing
1 t Worcestershire sauce

• Place all ingredients in Ziploc bag; seal; and palce in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or as long as overnight.
• Remove chops from bag; discard marinade.
• Grill over a medium-hot fire, turning once, until just done (about 8-15 mintues)

Calories 210

Food Friday - Wrapped Garlic Chicken

Today is the last day of YW Camp - yippee!

In honor of the camping tradition, here is a recipe you can use next time you go camping:

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 large sheets aluminum foil
1/2 t salt
1 C sliced mushrooms
1 can Cream of Roasted Garlic Condensed Soup
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

• Place 1 chicken breast in center of each sheet of foil.
  
• Lightly season with salt.
• Top each breast with equal portions of mushrooms, soup, and rosemary.
• Fold foil in half over chicken; seal all edges with double fold seals.
• Bake at 425 for 20 minutes (or until chicken is no longer pink in the center)
  

Although this recipe is for a conventional oven, It would work great on a grill or in a dutch oven or even right in the fire pit (think tin foil dinner!).

Food Friday - Skillet Chicken with Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 C thinly sliced onions
1/2 C finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes*
1 C Cream of Roasted Garlic Condensed Soup
1 C chicken broth
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

• In large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cook chicken until brown on both sides.
• Arrange onions and tomatoes over chicken.
• In small bowl, combine soup, chicken broth, salt, and pepper; mix well.
• Pour mixture over chicken.
• Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.

Calories: 230 (if you use fat free chicken broth) per serving.

Food Friday - Chicken with Red Pepper Sauce

2 slices of bacon
4 skinned, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 C chopped red onion
1/2 t ground coriander
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 C Salsa
1 Red Pepper, chopped
Fresh Cilantro, chopped

• Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp.
• Remove bacon from skillet; crumble and set aside.
• Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper.
• Add chicken to bacon drippings; saute 2 minutes on each side.
• Remove chicken from pan.
• Add onion, coriander, and garlic to pan; saute 3 minutes.
• Stir in salsa and bell pepper.
• Return chicken to the pan.
• Cover and cook over medium heat 12 minutes or until chicken is done.
• Sprinkle with crumbled bacon; garnish with cilantro.

Calories: approximately 190.