GZ Tai-Tai

Strawberry Freezer Jam

We started off the canning season this year with Strawberry Freezer Jam. My favorite since I was a kid! If you want the taste of fresh picked strawberries in the middle of Winter you need only go to the freezer pull out a jar and spread this jam on toast, scones, bagels….or just have a spoonful and you are transported to a fresh early Summer day.

 

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2 C of prepared strawberries  about 2 pints unprepared berries. Prepare berries by washing, hulling, and crushing. I use a potato masher to crush the berries so that I will have some pieces of the fruit in the jam.

4 C granulated sugar

1 pouch of liquid pectin I use Certo liquid pectin.

2 Tbsp of lemon juice, fresh

Clean stem and crush berries. Measure out two cups of berries into a large bowl. Add the sugar, mix thoroughly. In a small bowl or measuring cup mix the lemon juice and the pouch of liquid pectin together, then add this pectin mixture to the strawberry and sugar mixture. Stir until sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy.

Fill clean freezer containers with the jam, clean the edges of containers and seal with lid. Let sit on counter for 30 minutes then freeze the jam for up to 1 year. When ready to use thaw in refrigerator.

Refrigerate remaining thawed jam after use.

Icy Fruit Blizzard

This is the dessert that we made for the class. I happened upon this recipe while looking for a different recipe in a Mexican cookbook Perfect Mexican
Imagine my surprise to find a dessert so healthy in a Mexican cookbook! I tried it on the family and it had potential especially if you process with more juice to get a finer, creamier texture.
I have never had to add sweetener of any kind as the sweetness of the fruit is all you need.
The class loved it! The ladies facing diabetes in their lives, were so happy to have a dessert they loved and their families would love too!

Icy Fruit Blizzard

1 medium pineapple, frozen

1 slice watermelon, frozen

8 oz frozen unsweetened mixed berries  I used strawberries

1 large peach or mango, frozen

1  banana, frozen

1/2  - 1 cup orange juice 

1 tsp Splenda, or other sugar substitute (optional)  I did not use any sweetener

Freeze all of the fruit on a cookie sheet for at least 2 hrs or until firm. I freeze overnight.

Place one type of fruit in food processor and blend until broken up in pieces.

 Add a little orange juice, and then add more fruit, process,and repeat with the rest of the fruit, until it forms a granular mixture.

Add sweetener if needed for sweetness.

Serve immediately.

Rote Grutze (Gruetze) Red Berry Pudding

 

When I tasted this it reminded me of Oregon, and all the wonderful berries we picked for jams, cakes and just to eat. When I was a kid picking berries, more ended up inside of me than in the bucket. When I took my kids to the farm, I was glad to see that they had the same strategy of picking berries that I did when I was a kid. I usually ended up buying some of the already picked berries to take home with us too.

 

Rote Grutze (Gruetze) Red Berry Pudding

1 kg mixed red berries and fruits cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries 

1 liter of mixed berry or fruit juice set aside 200 ml juice to mix with the cornstarch

1 lemon the juice of

60-70 gm sugar depends on the sweetness of the fruit

3 Tbsp. heaped, cornstarch approx 50-60 gm

 

If using a combination of fresh fruits and frozen berries:

Cook the fresh berries i.e.: blueberries and cherries with some of the berry juice. Just cover the berries with the juice.  Add juice of the lemon and some of the sugar. Cook the berries and cherries until tender.  Remove from the juice and set aside. Mix the Cornstarch and the 200ml juice that was set aside together and add to the juice in the pan, cook until it thickens.  Add the cooked berries and the frozen and stir until all is thickened.  Taste for sweetness if more sugar is needed add and cook a minute more to dissolve the sugar.  

The Red Berry Pudding can be served warm or cold with cream or vanilla sauce poured over the top.

 If only using frozen berries and fruits:

Cook the mixed berry juice with the lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch until the liquid thickens. Then add the frozen berries and combine with the thickened juice to form the pudding.

 

 

Apricot Pastries

You can substitute peach slices if you cannot find apricots. No photo.

Apricot Pastries

Puff Pastry - ready rolled sheets

1 can apricot halves

1 jar apricot jam

almonds, chopped or sliced

milk  - for brushing on pastry

Cut the puff pastry, already rolled sheets, into 9 squares.

Onto each square place an apricot half, cut side up.

Into the apricot half, place ½ tsp apricot jam. Not too much, as it melts and burns

Sprinkle with the almonds.

Pinch the diagonal corners together in the centre. Brush with milk and cook in oven 180C for 20min or golden brown.

When cool dust with icing sugar.

Cinco de Mayo Guacamole

I made this from what I had on hand at the moment. It was very nice with the tacos last night and will be nice on my bread for lunch.

5 avocados
12 green onions chopped the white part and some of the greens.
salt to taste
2 lemons the juice to your taste