Hot Apple Cider II

This is last season's version: Hot Spiced Apple Cider 
 (I left out the coconut oil and sugar/cream of tartar this time....just didn't need it to taste "right" this time.)

This season the cider source is a little different and so are the flavors.
Here's this year's version:

Hot Apple Cider II
Apple Cider, about 1.5-2 quarts
OJ frozen concentrate, about .25-.5 cups
Mulling spice, handful
Sea Salt, pinch or 2
Gelatin, 8 TBS
Homemade Vanilla, short dribble

Add all the ingredients in order, leaving the vanilla until the very end. Make sure you sprinkle the gelatin slowly over the surface while the cider is still cool.  It may take a few passes for it to absorb the liquid.  Stir gently, declumping if necessary, and then add a medium low heat. Heat for an hour or so or until the whole house smells of sweet and spices, then the vanilla and it's ready to strain and serve.

Leftovers can be reheated or left chilled for a wonderful dessert (add some heavy cream to the mix before chilling or add whipped to the top) or a packable, light meal Spiced Apple "Custard" or Jello.

See Ya In The Gumbo

Hash with Apple Cider Reduction Glaze

Ingredients

2-4 TBS Coconut Oil

Potatoes, diced

Ham, precooked and diced

2 TBS Sea Salt

2 cups Apple Cider

Gelatin

Black Pepper (optional)

Heat the coconut oil in the pan, I used the leftover oil saved from cooking the ham the previous day.  Dice the cleaned or peeled potatoes and start them cooking.  Use enough to fill the pan, yet leave room for the amount of ham desired.  I used a 60/40 ratio of potatoes to ham to start with, as the potatoes cook down.    Add salt.  Dice the ham and add to potatoes when the potatoes are mostly cooked through. Add pepper, if desired.  I had some leftover Spiced Apple Cider made with apricot and orange juice, so used that with extra gelatin added.  Pour the Apple Cider/gelatin mix to the Hash and let bubble gently on medium or lower for about 10-15 minutes. You can stir if you want, but I didn't...just set the timer and did other things.  

Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

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See ya in the Gumbo

Melt in Your Mouth Monday

Ahhh....Breakfast!

Home Smoked Turkey Drumstick with Warmed Orange Cranberry Sauce

The leftover cranberry sauce was already in pyrex, so I took the legs sent home with me in a doggy bag and put them in a small pyrex tray and put everything in the toaster oven.  The default setting on my oven is 30 minutes at 300*, perfect for reheating just about anything.

The turkey was purchased from a local grower who raises them on pasture with non GMO feed.   This was a "runt" at 11 lbs.  My friend likes to brine her birds and her husband smokes them using a blend of real woods.  I think hickory and pecan were part of this years batch.  Good stuff...especially the dark meat!


Friday Potluck
Friday Food

Orange Cranberry Gelatin (updated)

This is what I intended to make: No Stir Cranberry Sauce

• At about 6 PM last night, I discovered that my apple juice concentrate was from 2007 and it smelled/tasted horrible.
• I substituted frozen grape juice, mixed all the ingredients together (including adding a stick of cinnamon and star anise, in addition to cloves) and waited for the cooker to come up to pressure.  It smelled SOOOO good putting it in the pot, I was really looking forward to it.
• About 15 minutes later, I SMELLED the steam releasing from the pressure cooker.  Not good, it was burnt! It's been so long since I used the cooker, I think the burner was too high AND the gelatin was too sticky.
• After waiting for the cooker to cool, we cleaned and scrubbed (baking soda works GREAT, BTW!) and started over.
• Second can of grape juice concentrate was stinky too, cardboard container instead of plastic like the first.
• The chickens ate well last night........

This is what I actually made:  Orange Cranberry Gelatin

Looks more like strawberries than cranberries, doesn't it?

It tastes wonderful.  The only thing I don't like about it is the muddy red color it has compared to the vibrant, bright red I get with apple juice concentrate.  The star anise and cloves didn't smell right with the OJ, so I left them out.

Ingredients:
2 - 10 oz bags cranberries
1 can OJ frozen concentrate
1 cinnamon stick

1.5 cups beef gelatin
1 cup cane sugar
1 TBS COT
2 large pinches of salt
1 cup Apple Cider
or
1/2 -1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar####

Heat first 2 ingredients on medium heat in a pressure cooker until OJ is melted.  Blend remaining dry ingredients together, then sprinkle on top of wet ingredients.  I added some apple cider to the top because it didn't seem "wet" enough. DON'T MIX.  Put lid of cooker and bring up to 15 lbs pressure, then remove from heat. Let cool naturally.

When safe to open, remove lid and much cranberries with a ricer/potato masher (circular press with small square holes).***  Remove cinnamon stick and chill until set.  Can be made ahead and served at room temperature or gently warmed.  Serve with Turkey or Ham!


#### This year I didn't have any apple juice/cider, so I experimented. I LOVED the ACV in the cranberries, perked it right up, gave it some personality, like a chutney. I may have added a little extra sugar, I don't remember.


***If you have issues that make small seeds a problem, go ahead and strain out the berries instead of crushing them.  You will get all of the flavor without the future discomfort.

Simple Lives Thursday
Full Plate Thursday 
Ingredient Spotlight: Cranberries

Spiced Apple Cider "Custard" (non dairy, GF)

Q. What happens to a hot drink with gelatin in it when it cools down?

A. It wiggles and jiggles!

Yesterday's Hot Cider became a wonderful, creamy textured jello that leaned to the custard or pudding mouth feel.  The spice was a little strong when cool, but it was still a wonderful surprise.  I think the solids in the juices make the difference.

Simply Delish

Hot Spiced Apple Cider

Nothing says fall to me, like apple cider...and nothing warms the bones on a crisp day like Hot Spiced Apple Cider.

Here's my version:

3 parts Apple Cider
1 part Mango Juice (Cranberry, Grape, Orange work too)
1 TBS gelatin per serving
Mulling Spice-cinnamon chips, orange rind, whole allspice, whole cloves, cinnamon oil, orange oil
Large pinch of Salt
Sugar/Cream of tartar to taste
Dash of vanilla
A small dollop of coconut oil

This maybe heated in a glass or stainless steel pot on the stove, wood stove or in a slow cooker.

1. Add the ingredients in order
2. When the gelatin is completely soaked, turn on heat.
3. Use low heat with a lid and forget about it for awhile OR
4. Use high heat and stir slowly, but consistently.
5. Gelatin is dissolved when coconut oil is completely melted.
6. Simmer for at least 15 minutes, strain and serve.

Friday Food

Brats with Fried Apples GF

A friend of mine and I went Orchard hopping the other day.  I picked up some Jonathan's, Golden Delicious and fresh cider at one place, some wonderful Suncrisps at another and really liked the Braeburns at another, but forgot to actually buy some.

Brats and Fried Apples
Brats (defrosted in a bowl of cool water)
Suncrisp Apples
Coconut Oil
Gelatin
Sugar/Cream of tartar mix
Salt
Apple Cider

The apples were peeled, cored and sliced on the apple peeler, then cut in half to make them bit sized.  They were cooked in some coconut oil until tender, then I mixed the dry ingredient together and sprinkled over cooked apples.  The apples weren't very juicy, so I added some apple cider to thin.  When the gelatin mix was thoroughly blended, I turned the burner off and started on the brats.

In a separate pan with a generous portion of coconut oil for frying, I cooked the brats until golden brown on both sides...about 15 minutes.

See ya in the Gumbo!
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