Columbus Foodie

I knew for sure that I wanted to participate in the Putting Up blogging event as soon as I saw the announcement, because last year is the year I learned to do home canning. But I wasn’t sure what I could make - it’s just the beginning of the growing season here, and strawberries aren’t even in season yet. And since my main priority in canning is keeping it local, I decided to drag out an oldie but goodie that I made late last summer.

This Apple Pie Jam tastes just like what it sounds like - apple pie filling. Rather than using it as jam on toast (which I’m sure would be tasty as well), I’ve been heating it up and using it as a sauce for pancakes, a glaze for pork chops, etc. Keep an eye out to see how I use it for this month’s Recipe Remix.

Best Apple Pie Jam
recipe courtesy Recipezaar

4 cups tart apples, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
4 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 (1 3/4 oz) box dry pectin
1 tsp. butter

Measure apples in a measuring cup, and then add in the same measuring cup water to fill up to the 4 cup line (with the apples in it). Put into a heavy saucepan. Add pectin, butter, spices and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.

Add sugars and bring back to a full rolling boil, and boil for 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim off any foam.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4″ headspace. Put on lids, and process in water bath 10 minutes.

One of my favorite things in the world is hard-boiled eggs. Not only is it a nutritional powerhouse (5 grams of protein and 70 calories per egg), but it’s one of those few foods that are so versatile that there are a million ways to prepare it, each of them delicious.

Marye from Baking Delights is hosting a foodie event called What to Do with Leftover…Eggs, in which one has to come up with a recipe to use up those leftovers.

I tend to buy eggs 3 or 4 dozen at a time, and since I get my eggs from 2Silos, the eggs tend to pile up in my fridge. While I’m more than happy to use old eggs (they peel much better), even I have a drop dead date when it comes to eggs. So that meant I had to boil up a couple of dozen eggs and find uses for them. No problem. And since we were grilling that night, I thought we’d make a few “small bites”.

The first recipe was inspired by something Alana made last month for the Slow Food Columbus UE Wine Dinner - she had made a truffled duck egg salad on brioche, and I modified it a bit. Instead of brioche, I served mine on a toasted French bread round, along with some thinly sliced radish and microgreens. The egg salad is super simple, just diced eggs, a bit of mayo, and Truffle & Salt to taste. Excuse the poor lighting in this picture, the sun was going down rather quickly.

The second one was more my mom’s cup of tea than mine, which is why she got the majority of the leftovers. I used a Martha Stewart recipe, and it’s not that the recipe sucked, mind you - it’s just that the smoked salmon was too “front and center”, and obliterated the subtlety of the other ingredients. Next time around, I’d probably cut the amount of smoked salmon to 2-3 ounces, tops.

Smoked-Salmon Deviled Eggs
recipe adapted slightly from Martha Stewart

12 medium eggs
6 oz. sliced smoked salmon
1/3 c. mayonnaise
3 tbsp. sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Prepare hard-boiled eggs using your usual method. Allow eggs to cool. Peel eggs; halve lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks, set whites aside. Using the back of a spoon, push yolks through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl.

Process 5 1/2 ounces smoked salmon and the mayonnaise in a food processor until smooth. Add to yolks; stir in sour cream and dill. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut remaining 1/2 ounce smoked salmon into 1/4-inch squares. Pipe salmon mixture into eggs and garnish with salmon squares and dill sprigs. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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So be sure to check Marye’s site for the roundup of egg recipes - I can’t wait to see what other people come up with!