Crab Apple Jelly

One of the fun things we're doing in the 'hood is treating the neighborhood like our own CSA farm. This was Colleen's idea and I think it's brilliant. We tap my trees for maple syrup, we planted a strawberry patch we get to share and we picked apples from two neighbors' trees - Fireside, which I made into cider and Crap Apples, which I made into jelly. It is about a two or three day process. First, rinse the apples, then put them in water and bring them to a boil. Some recipes say boil 10 minutes, but I go an hour. Then, mash the apples down. Strain them to get the juice. I then follow the instructions enclosed in the pectin box. My friend Peg showed me how to fill the sterilized jars, place a boiled lid on, screw it on, turn the jar upside down for an hour and voila - you've canned your jelly. Works for me!

Gluten Free Beef and Broccoli (Colin's favorite)

My nephew Colin stayed with us this summer and this is what he requested most.

1 pound beef steak, sliced thinly

1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce, Kikkomen now makes one

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/4 cup cold water

1 head, broccoli florets

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

2 teaspoons sesame oil 

Combine soy sauce, sugar, corn starch, and water in a small bowl and set aside.  

Cut steak against the grain into thin strips about 1/4 inch thick. 

Heat a large skillet to medium high.  

Put the olive oil and steak in the skillet and cook both sides until brown, about 4-5 minutes.  

Steam broccoli in the microwave or in a steamer while steak is cooking.  

When the steak is brown, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  

Pour the soy sauce mixture over the meat and cook until it begins to thicken.  

Stir in the sesame oil. This is the secret to make it taste like it came from a fabulous restaurant.

Remove from heat, stir in the steamed broccoli and serve over rice. 

Back to the What's For Dinner conundrum

Having finally found a few go-to meals, everything will be changing up. Tried making gluten-free bread today. Kind of soupy and weird, to be honest.

G-Free

As part of going gluten free, we had to get a new toaster. The instruction manual actually has a section called "Inserting the food into the bread slots".

Celiac

Found out this week that Small Fry has celiac. Looks like we will be going gluten free! Easier said than done, but still, doable. Already cleared out the pantry. Next, the freezer.

Funny thing is, any open cereal, Fiber One and Shredded Wheat, specifically, was brought out to the chickens. They haven't touched it and neither have the squirrels. Naturally gluten free, I guess.

Slow Cooker Pork with Dried Fruit and Squash

As you know, because I am a fried cook, I want to get out of chopping whenever I can. Chopping vegetables is something I dread. Washing and merchandising the fruit so that it actually gets eaten is really arduous to me as well. Why am I the only one in the house who can wash the grapes?

Byerly's now sells cut up butternut squash, so my plan was to use that for this recipe. However, I was at Target, and decided since the recipe sounded so good, I would actually cut up a squash. I know.

This turned out so well, my husband says it's better than a restaurant meal. I served it with sweet potato and regular waffle cut fries.

Slow Cooker Pork with Dried Fruit and Squash

3-pound boneless pork loin roast
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and grated
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup pitted dried plums (AKA prunes before their identity crisis and name change)
1 1 1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed

Combine brown sugar, ginger, salt, cinnamon and pepper and rub evenly over pork.

Place in slow cooker along with apricots, plums and squash.

Cook on high for one hour. Then reduce to low for 7 to 8 hours.

Use the fancy plates for this one.

Maple Syruping

It took 12 years for me to realize that I have two maple trees in my back yard and I could tap them. They're big enough for two taps each. I've been boiling the sap down inside in small batches. The house is so humid my hair is getting curly.

Here's a before and after: