Home Made Vegan Pudding July 7, 2009

A friend and I were talking recently and the subject of pudding came up. She mentioned how much she liked it, and so I asked her if she ever made it. “It’s too hard, isn’t it?” she asked me. So, I invited her over and we had a pudding making party. She was impressed with how easy-and how good it was.

Here’s the recipe:

2 cups vanilla soy milk

1/2 cup raw sugar

2 Tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon vanilla.

Mix the cornstarch with a small amount of the milk in a small jar with a lid. Shake vigorously until cornstarch is dissolved.   This is a very important step. If you do not, the corn starch will clump up, ruining all of your eating enjoyment.  Add sugar and stir. Pour into pan and heat on medium high stirring  often. Cook until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Here are  some photos of the steps involved. It really is amazingly simple.

The Ingredients.

Mixing the cornstarch with a bit of milk.

Pouring in the mixed cornstarch

Stirring the pudding on the stove as it thickens.

The finished pudding. Yum.

My friend thought of making green tea pudding, so I tried that. I mixed half of the milk with half cold green tea. That was very yummy, too.
For adults, I like to pour about a tablespoon of Kahlua or other flavored liquor on top of the pudding. It runs down into the pudding as you eat, flavoring it all through. It makes a sophisticated desert for a dinner party.

Let me know if you have any questions about the recipe, or what you think if you do try it.

Ripe Cherries June 15, 2009

It’s Cherry Day!

This morning I decided it was time for Cherry Day; an annual event around here.  The vacant lot behind my house has some old and productive Queen Ann’s cherry trees  planted on the edge of my place. They hang over my yard.  So I consider the cherries in my yard mine.  I like cherries, and I like to put up the food that grows on and around my place.

My son and I picked about 3 1/4 pounds of  the small tasty cherries.  We would have had  more, except I ate a lot of them.  I had to keep my strength up. It took us about an hour. Picking cherries on a warm and sunny June  summer Sunday morning is  pretty great.

I’m not, however the only one around that likes cherries. So do the squirrels and the birds, particularly the ravens. They both chew me out when I go into the back yard for any reason during cherry season, even for completely innocent errands like hanging out the laundry. I’m sure I can understand both the squirrels and the ravens. They both tell me the same thing. “Stay away Human! Those are for me!”

These trees are old and probably 30 ft tall. Most of the cherries grow towards the top, tantalizingly out of reach-at least of me, being without feathers or claws. So, I gather what I can from the ground with my ladder. The tops of the trees were filled with a squirrel family feasting and above them was a large raven eating his fill. There is enough for all.

Making jam, especially from free fruit around your place is one of the ways to live easier on the planet. No trucking involved! I find the jars at garage sales, and reuse them over and over.

I was recently given a cherry pitter which I now consider one of the top inventions of all times. Okay maybe not that great, but it saves hours of tedious work, so I love it. If you are going to use fresh cherries, it’s worth finding one.

Once I pitted them, I had the jam made in less than an hour. I just follow the directions on the pectin box.

I got 2 and 1/2 pints of cherry jam for about 2 hours work. That jam will be a special treat next winter, and in the meantime I’ll admire the jars on my pantry shelf.

Here are some photos:

The full Cherry tree.

The fruits of our labor.

A much smaller bowl after pitting them.

The finished jam.

January Thoughts January 11, 2009

Wow. It’s already the second week of the new year.  The middle of winter.  The time of cold and snuggling in with a good book.  To enjoy the fruits of my labor.

I opened my first jar of canned tomatoes from my pantry and made some vegan cream of tomato soup, and some corn bread last night.

When I pick up that jar and look at the fat red rounds of tomato’s packed into it, I remember summer. The bright heat and long days. The feel and smell of a fresh picked tomato. It’s a bit of summer packed in glass.

Last summer I bought 3 lugs of tomato’s ( 1 lug of tomatoes is about 30 pounds.) from an organic farm a few miles down the road. My son and I spent a few afternoons putting them up. It was hot work, but now I have a winter’s worth of local organic tomatoes that cost very little, lining a shelf in my pantry. Such a nice sight.  I use them to make soup, of course and different sauces, like enchilada and marinara. I add them to beans soups, and whatever else I think of. Does anyone else have any great recipes they use for canned tomatoes?

I even have a few herbs growing in my window this year. Some chives, basil and some thyme. It’s nice to clip fresh herbs to add to my meals.

I’m reading a book that was a Christmas gift from my son. A fantasy called Queen of Dragons by Shana Abe. It’s a great escape.

I’m also looking at gardening catalogs that are appearing in my mailbox. Oh yes, that’s right. Winter will come to an end.  But right now, I’m enjoying this quiet time. This time to make simmer soups on the stove and read a good book.

Thanksgiving November 30, 2008

I had a nice, quiet holiday. It was just my yougest and I, and he is picky. He had his traditional cheese pizza.

I considered going out to eat, but thought it would be better to stay home and prepare my own meal.  It’s easier on the environment as well as on my own resources.

I decided to have a feast for one. I usually eat pretty healthily, but this is a holiday dedicated to feasting. I felt that to celebrate properly I would need to throw aside my usual restraint for the day. I take my holidays seriously. Never let it be said that I don’t do my part.

I made my favorites. Stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. For desert-cheesecake. My oh my. I did slice half a cucumber to throw a salve to my conscience.  I made some yeast bread, as well.  I opened a jar of my homemade blackberry jam to go on the bread. There is nothing quite like bread still warm from the oven, spread with jam you have made. Yum, yum, yum.

My stuffing was pretty simple. I just sauteed some garlic, onions, celery and mushrooms, and added the traditional spices of sage (gotta have lots of that), rosemary, thyme and oregano.  All of these herbs were from my garden, that I picked and dried last summer. When the vegetables were done, I combined them with half of loaf of bread crumbs I had dried out a few days before, and some walnuts. I stirred it up with some mushroom broth and baked it about half an hour.

By now the house is starting to smell really good.

I put the peeled and cut up potatoes on to cook, while I started the gravy. When they were tender, I mashed them, added salt, pepper and a large amount of butter (It’s a holiday!) and left them covered to keep warm.

I hardly ever make gravy, because when I do, I stand over the pan and “sample” the gravy till I have to make myself walk away. So, since it’s since a rare treat, I made a lot. I started with a combination of olive oil and butter on low in a cast iron skillet. I used about half oil and half butter for a total of a quarter cup. When the butter is melted, I slowly add flour, a bit at a time, whisking it in, until the butter mix can’t absorb anymore-maybe an 1/2 cup of flour. Brown the flour on low for a few minutes, then add about a half a cup of liquid slowly, whisking after each bit. I used some mushroom broth. Any kind of broth or milk can be used. Let it simmer on low for a bit to thicken up. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I love leftovers, so I made extra.   I am looking forward to having some for lunch today. I did share some of my cheesecake with a few friends that stopped by, but I still have two pieces left. I only make one cheesecake a year, so I am eating it slowly and really enjoying it. This year I wanted an pure, unadulterated one, so I didn’t add any topping. Nothing but cheesecake, baby.

I set the table with a nice tablecloth and nice china. I poured myself a mimosa. I gave thanks for my blessings. I then enjoyed my meal.

It was a peaceful quiet day. I ate a little too much. An excellent holiday.

Cheesecake and yeast bread.

APPLESAUCE! November 20, 2008

I make applesauce every autumn for a couple of reasons. One is because I have two apples trees, and I am driven to find a use for them. Another reason is my picky son loves my homemade apple sauce. I have tried to make enough to last him till the next apple season-I once made 55 quarts-but it’s never enough. Making applesauce is one of the most time consuming canning jobs I do, but it is so worth it.

In case you are interested, here’s how I do it.

Set aside an afternoon. It takes about 4 to 5 hours from start to finish.

Cleanliness is very important throughout the entire process. Make sure your work surface and all your tools are sterilized.

To make about 7 quarts you will need a large pot. It should hold 8-10 quarts, quart canning jars and lids, a funnel, a sharp knife, a ladle and hot water bather, and assorted spoons and potholders.

Pick and wash the apples. Cut them into small pieces, cutting out any bruises and worms (I’m an organic gardener-that means the occasional worm.) Add enough water to the pan to prevent the apples sticking to the bottom and burning. An inch or two should suffice. Fill up the pan and place on stove burner about on medium. They will take about an hour to cook till tender. Fill the hot water bather about 3/4 full. This is a large dark blue pan that you will put the filled jars in to process. It forces the air out of the jars, and seals them. I sterilize my jars, rings and lids in the oven to save room on the range. I put about an inch of water in a casserole pan and invert the canning jars in it. Another pan holds the lids and rings. Place these in the oven at 300 degrees now.

Stir the apples frequently, making sure the apples do not stick. When they are soft, out then through a food mill (If you like smooth applesauce, like my son. Otherwise skip this step.) Fill up the jars, wiping the rim, and then putting on the lids. Put each jar in the bather as soon as they are filled. Once you are done, then bring to a full roiling boil for 30 minutes. It’s quite important to do this to ensure that the applesauce is safe to eat.

When the 30 minutes are up, make sure that your doors and windows are closed to prevent a breeze hitting the hot jars, and pull them out. Place on a towel and let cool. If you are successful, then soon you will hear a ping sound as the jars seal. I love that sound. If any do not seal, then refrigerate and eat soon.

Now, stand back and admire the results of all of your hard work!

Ready to go in the pantry.

.