Small Batch Fredericksburg Peach and Southern Comfort Jam

Canning 101  Small Batch Fredericksburg Peach and Southern Comfort Jam



Dallas Morning News Taste Section 6/18/2014

It's time for Peaches in Texas. I love Peaches and any recipe that calls for Peaches. The traditional cobblers, pies, tarts, jams and jellies. I chose this recipe to post on the blog rom today's Taste section in the Dallas Morning News.
This recipe comes from blogger Amber Bracegirdle, bluebonnetsand brownies.com.
For many of my friends out of state and out of the country, I thought I'd begin this post with a bit of information about Fredericksburg, Texas and Southern Comfort.

Fredericksburg, the county seat of Gillespie County, is seventy miles west of Austin in the central part of the county. The town was one of a projected series of German settlements from the Texas coast to the land north of the Llano River, originally the ultimate destination of the German immigrants sent to Texas by the Adelsverein. In August 1845 John O. Meusebach left New Braunfels with a surveying party to select a site for a second settlement en route to the Fisher-Miller Land Grant. He eventually chose a tract of land sixty miles northwest of New Braunfels, where two streams met four miles above the Pedernales River; the streams were later named Barons Creek, in Meusebach's honor, and Town Creek. Meusebach was impressed by the abundance of water, stone, and timber and upon his return to New Braunfels arranged to buy 10,000 acres on credit. The first wagontrain of 120 settlers arrived from New Braunfels on May 8, 1846, after a sixteen-day journey, accompanied by an eight-man military escort provided by the Adelsverein. Surveyor Hermann Wilke laid out the town, which Meusebach named Fredericksburg after Prince Frederick of Prussia, an influential member of the Adelsverein. Each settler received one town lot and ten acres of farmland nearby. The town was laid out like the German villages along the Rhine, from which many of the colonists had come, with one long, wide main street roughly paralleling Town Creek. The earliest houses in Fredericksburg were built simply, of post oak logs stuck upright in the ground. These were soon replaced by Fachwerk houses, built of upright timbers with the spaces between filled with rocks and then plastered or whitewashed over. 

Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia. Old-time German residents often referred to Fredericksburg as Fritztown, a nickname that is still used in some businesses. The town is also notable as the home of Texas German, a dialect spoken by the first generations of German settlers who initially refused to learn English. Fredericksburg shares many cultural characteristics with New Braunfels, which had been established by Prince Carl of Solms - Braunfels the previous year. Fredericksburg is the birthplace of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz. It is the sister city of Montabaur, Germany. On October 14, 1970, the Fredericksburg Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas.


Southern Comfort is an American liqueur made from neutral spirits with fruit, spice and whiskey. The brand was originally created by bartender Martin Wilkes Heron in New Orleans in 1874, and is now owned by the Brown-Forman Corporation.

Small - Batch Fredericksburg Peach and Southern Comfort Jam:



1 1/2 pounds of fresh Texas peaches
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 TBS lemon juice
1/2 C water
1/4 C Southern Comfort
3 rounded TBS (about half a standard 3 - oz. packet) no-sugar needed pectin.
1 C granulated sugar

Wash, remove the pits and slice the peaches. No need to peel them.

In a large saucepan over medium high heat:
Peaches
Cinnamon
Lemon Juice
Water
Bring to a boil , boil for 20 minutes.
Place the mixture in a Food Processor and pulse several times until it is pureed.
Place the puree back into the saucepan on medium high heat.
Add the Southern Comfort and mix well to incorporate .
Whisk in the Pectin, stirring until completely dissolved.
Return to a boil.
Add Sugar all at one time and whisk continuously.
Return to a rolling boil that can't be stirred down and boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and skim off the foam.
Place the Jam in clean canning jars, with lids.
Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Otherwise, to keep longer, put the jars and the jam through a canning process in the video above.
This recipe makes approximately 3 - 8oz. jars.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cranberry Rice Stuffing

I was excited to see the cover story in the Dallas Morning News today, Take a Shortcut to Mexico, and then I read the recipes and nothing looked interesting to me. That's unusual for a Texas cook. We love Mexican cuisine and our own creations of Tex-Mex cuisine. However, I was hoping to find something to post. I finally found something that intrigued me,  not Mexican but it sounds like something I would make. I created an original recipe for a Cranberry Rice Stuffing that I serve as a side dish at Thanksgiving ( Wild Rice and Orange Herb Stuffing). It's on the blog. This is similar but a bit different.

Cranberry Rice Stuffing

1/4 C uncooked wild rice
1/2 C uncooked long grain white rice
1/2 C dried cranberries
2 ribs of celery, chopped
2 green onions, finely sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 C toasted, chopped pecans
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS apple cider vinegar
1 tsp grated orange or lemon zest
1/4 C cranberry juice
1 tsp honey
black pepper

Cook rices separately according to package directions.
Toss together and spread out on a cookie sheet pan to cool to room temperature.
Transfer to a bowl and add cranberries, celery, onion, bell pepper and pecans.

Make a dressing by combining oil, vinegar, zest, cranberry juice and sugar.
Pour over rice and toss well.
Cover and refrigerate at least an hour for flavors to blend.
Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Blueberry Buttermilk Pie

This is a recipe that my neighbor created. He's a Professional Pastry Chef. I have the story on the Blog posted in an article from The Dallas Morning News. A friend from College made it after reading the article but I realized I had never posted it by it's self. So here is the recipe for:

Randy's Blueberry Buttermilk Pie

Since making the pies, I've added some changes that worked.
Please note them when reading the recipe!

This recipe makes 2 pies

3 1/2 C sugar
1 C flour
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter ( softened)
6 eggs
2 C buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C fresh blueberries, lightly tossed in 2 TBS of flour ( divided), I added 2/3 C in each pie
2 uncooked pie crusts, frozen or homemade( thaw, if frozen ) I used Marie Callender's Frozen Deep Dish Pie Crust)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, bake in the middle of the oven

In a large bowl, mix together flour and sugar and set aside
Melt butter and pour over the flour-sugar mixture. Whisk until totally incorporated
( the entire batter can be done in a stand mixer)

Add eggs one at a time, allowing each addition to become incorporated before adding the next one
Add buttermilk and vanilla
Mix well and set aside

Sprinkle the bottom of each pie shell with 1/4 C of berries ( I used 2/3 C in each pie)
Evenly distribute the buttermilk filling into the pie shells
Push the berries down into the filling. (I did not push them down)

Bake for 25 minutes
Rotate and bake 10 - 20 minutes more, tops should be golden brown ( I baked them for 45 - 50 minutes without turning them)

Remove and place on a rack to cool
Refrigerate until ready to serve

Substitute other fruit if you like, or leave the fruit out all together

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

The recipe makes 2 pies, and there was some left over so.....

I made some in ramekins!

Hippy Muffins

Hippy Muffins.

These are such an Iconic Hippy Muffin. We made them in the 60's and 70's.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 24 C Muffin Tin with Paper Liners and sprayed with a Vegetable Cooking Spray.
This recipe make 21 Muffins.

3/4 C Granulated Sugar
2 1/4 C Flour
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 C Shredded Sweet Coconut
1/2 C Chopped Walnuts
1 C Grated Zucchini, ( I use a Box Grater on the largest holes) squeezed dry.
2 C Grated Carrots. Box Grater on the largest holes.
1/2 C Applesauce
1/2 C Maple Syrup
3 Eggs
1/2 C Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Vanilla

In a Large Mixing Bowl:
Sugar
Flour
Cinnamon
Baking Powder
Salt
Coconut
Walnuts
Mix well with a Wooden Spoon.

Fold in by hand, just until combined:
Zucchini
Carrot
Create a Well in the Center of the Bowl.

Add:
Applesauce
Maple Syrup
Eggs
Oil
Vanilla
Mix just until combined.

Divide evenly among the Cups using a Muffin Scoop/Cupcake Scoop.

Bake 25 - 35 Minutes.
A toothpick in the center should come out clean.

Remove Pan to a Rack to Cool fot 5 Minutes.
Transfer Muffins, in the Liners, to the Rack to Cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Blueberry Buttermilk Biscuits

I would say that my favorite Muffins are Blueberry, I also love Biscuits. It would be difficult to choose which would be more delicious for Breakfast. So, how about Blueberry Biscuits to resolve the issue?

Blueberry Biscuits.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
A Biscuit Cutter
A Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper.

2 C Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Granulated Sugar
4 TBS Cold Butter, cut into pieces.
3/4 C Buttermilk
1 Egg
1 C Fresh Blueberries

In a Large Mixing Bowl:
Flour
Baking Powder
Whisk well.

Cut in Butter with a Pastry Knife.

In a Medium Mixing Bowl:
Egg
Buttermilk
Whisk well.
Add to Dry Ingredients.
Mix just until combined with a Wooden Spoon.

Fold in Blueberries with a Wooden Spoon.

Transfer to a Flat Surface dusted with Flour.
Shape by hand into a 1/2" this disc.
Cut out Biscuits with the Biscuit Cutter.
Pat remaining dough together and continue cutting Biscuits.

Transfer to the Sheet Pan.
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.
The tops should be Golden Brown.

Serve Hot with Butter.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Homemade Corn Muffins from Rebecca Rather

I've often said that when asked, "what cookbooks could you not live without?", my answer is always Rebecca Rather.
I love everything she creates.
She has published 3 Cookbooks.

Another great Texas recipe from Rebecca Rather.

Corn Muffins:

3/4 C (1 1/2 sticks) Butter, melted

3 C Heavy Cream

3 large Eggs

3 1/2 C all purpose Flour

1 1/2 C coarse Cornmeal plus extra for topping

1 C Sugar

2 TBS Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 C Corn Kernels, fresh, frozen (thawed) or canned (drained).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Generously grease or spray 24 standard Muffin Cups or line them with muffin liners.

In a Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment, pour in the Butter, Cream, Eggs into the bowl of the Mixer.

Add Flour, Cornmeal, Sugar, Baking Powder and Salt on top.

Mix at Medium Speed just until the ingredients are combined and not lumpy.

Stir the Corn into the batter.

Use a Cookie Scoop and fill the Muffin Cups 2/3's full of Batter.

Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, until lightly brown. They should spring back when you touch the tops lightly with your fingertips.

Serve warm

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Vacation

The Hippy on the Kitchen is on vacation and I don't always have access to the internet to post new recipes. I'll be back sometime next week and I can get back to sharing some new recipes.

Until then:
Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!