Hot Dog Relish

We love homemade  hot dog relish.
My Mom in law has often made it for us and now she makes it with me. 

It is also great on roast beef and hamburgers.

We used the large grater on the food processor for the onions and the cucumbers and the cauliflower. We finely diced the peppers.

Hot Dog Relish

• 6 pints fine cut cucumbers
• 2 pints finely chopped cauliflower
• 2 pints chopped onion
• 2 finely chopped red peppers
• 2 finely chopped green peppers

1. In a large bowl  put the vegetables and cover with 1/4 cup salt. 
2. Stir together and let sit for 3 hours.
3. In the meantime, prepare your jars and lids by sterilizing them.
4. After 3 hours drain the veggies in a colander in the sink. 
5. Put the veggies back in the bowl and add the following ingredients.

• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 4 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 2 pints of white vinegar

1. Put it all in a large heavy bottomed pot.
2. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1/2 hour. You need to stay fairly close to stir quite often. After all this slicing and dicing you don't want to burn your relish.
3. Put it into hot jars and put on lids to seal.
4. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.  I have found that this site has clear  instructions on safe canning methods.

Makes about 15 cups

Coconut Flour Brownies - Gluten-free

Have you ever wished that dessert was healthy ?

Well, I have a recipe that is so healthy it is guilt free !! AND it is Gluten-free as well.

My granddaughter already asked me .... "Nanna, for my birthday cake I want your brownies."

My husband who doesn't even like brownies... will ask for another piece of these brownies.

They are made with lots of eggs... healthy protein !! I'm glad the 'dietary powers' have declared that their earlier warnings against eating eggs have been reconsidered !

And the secret ingredient is coconut flour which has virtually no carbs and is loaded with health benefits. It is a fairly recent addition to healthy alternatives available, so if it is new to you just google 'coconut flour' and read all about it !

Brownies Made with Coconut Flour

1/3 cup coconut oil (or butter)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

6 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sifted coconut flour

1 cup nuts chopped

In a saucepan at low heat, melt butter and blend in cocoa powder.

Remove from heat and let cool .

In a bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla .

Stir in cocoa mixture.

Add well sifted coconut flour and whisk the batter well until there are no lumps.

Fold in the nuts.

Pour batter into a greased 8" or 9" square baking pan.

Bake at 350' for 30-35 minutes.

Since this brownie is soo healthy , make sure you don't leave off icing it with chocolate icing !

****NOTE... Coconut flour very quickly absorbs so the batter may look thin at first ! 1/4 cup of coconut flour is equal to 1 cup of regular flour.

(credits... recipe taken from Cooking with Coconut Flour by Bruce Fife, N.D.)

Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie is so simple.

You can use a frozen purchased crust or make your own.

Dorothy's Pie Crust

• 5 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pound cold lard
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
•  cold water

1. In a large bowl or your kitchen machine, measure flour, brown sugar, salt and the baking powder. 
2. Cut in the lard which you've already cut into cubes with a sharp knife. If you have a large food processor you can do it in there. Pulse until it looks like oatmeal.
3. Without a food processor, use a pastry cutter and cut until it looks like oatmeal or use the paddle of the free stand mixer to slowly mix until all the bits of lard are mostly the size of oatmeal.
4. Put the egg into the measuring cup add the vinegar and then add enough water to make 1 cup.
5. Slowly pour in the egg/water/vinegar mixture and stir with a fork just until all the bits are combined and moistened.
6. Dump out onto a counter. . and pull together to form a ball.
7. Divide into 5 pieces. Shape them into discs and wrap them separately in plastic wrap.
8. Refrigerate them or freeze them until you need them. Let them thaw in the refrigerator.

To Bake a pie shell

1. Heat your oven to 400. Roll your dough out to fit a 9-inch pie plate.
2. Ease it in without stretching and to bake it empty, line with aluminum foil pressing it against the edges and bake it for 10 minutes.
3.  Remove the foil and bake until brown. Cool

Chocolate Cream Filling

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups of whole milk (you can use 2% but it won't be quite as rich)
• 3 beaten egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine

1. In a large glass bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt.
2. Slowly add the milk and the egg yolks.
3. Add the chopped chocolate.
4. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stir and repeat until it is hot and bubbling. About 10 minutes total.
5. Add the vanilla and butter and stir until smooth. Pour into the cooled pie shell and Chill.

Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Apple Pie

My favorite local produce store had a huge bin of apples on sale yesterday. The sign SOFT, Perfect for pies and applesauce. I had not planned on making 6 pies for the freezer, but sometimes plans change! I bought 24 apples and then I ran over to the super market and bought 8" aluminum pie plates and headed for home. I usually stick to my favorite pie crust recipe. I use the recipe on the Tender flake shortening box. It was enough for 6 8" double crust pies and I formed a ball out of the remaining pastry dough and froze it for another day when I need a quick crust for a pie. Pie dough freezes very well. Just wrap it in Saran and put into a freezer zip lock bag.
Apple pie filling for 6 dough crust pies:

• 24 medium sized apples, peeled and chopped 
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/3 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup melted honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

1. Peel and chop apples into a large bowl.
2. Stir flour and sugar into apples to coat.
3. Melt butter and honey together. Stir in cinnamon.
4. Pour butter mixture over apples and stir to coat.
5. Make your favourite pie dough recipe. Line 5-6 pie plates with bottom crust.
6. Divide apple mixture between pies.
7. Top each pie with top crust. 
8. Flute edges and make several slits on top of crust. 
9. Brush crust tops with cream and sprinkle with raw sugar. (optional)
10. Bake pies in 425ºF oven for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 and bake another 40 minutes.

To Freeze: You can freeze the baked pies once cooled or, freeze unbaked. When ready to bake put frozen pie in 450 oven for 15 minutes and reduce to 350 and continue to bake for 1 hour. Insert a knife into pie slits to make sure apples are soft. It is better to bake the frozen pie a little longer to make sure it is baked through.
I have donated pies from this recipe to many MCC sales. It's fun to be able to contribute to such a good cause.

Blueberry Oat Muffins

Simply a delicious breakfast muffin.


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c rolled oats
• 1 1/4 c buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten with fork
• 1/4 cup oil or melted butter
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries

Method:

1. Combine oats and buttermilk in small bowl. Add beaten egg and oil. Set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients, stirring to blend well.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring until just moistened, then fold in blueberries.
4. Fill greased or paper lined muffin tins.
5. Bake at 400° F 25 - 30 min. Yield: 12 large or 18 medium.