Tomato Soup From Scratch

This recipe is from my mother-in-law, possibly as far back as the late '90's. I don't remember. I haven't made it in many years, but I'm in a wintery, soupy, cozy mood, so I made a half-batch. I'll write this as the full recipe. For reference, a half-batch made 12 500mL (2 cup or 1 pint) jars.

Ingredients

2 pails of tomato chunks

1 head celery

3 large onions

3 green peppers

3 jalapenos (with or without seeds, depending on preference)

2 cloves garlic (individual cloves. Not two heads of garlic!)

3 bay leaves

3 Tbsp dried parsley (or 1 cup fresh)

2 Tbsp dried basil (or 3/4 cup fresh, loosely packed)

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp black pepper

1 cup butter

1 can tomato soup

1 small can tomato paste

1/8 cup ketchup

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup flour* 

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup salt

Directions

Prep veggies and roughly chop. Add into a very large pot with the herbs and spices. Boil for 45 minutes, stirring periodically. Remove the bay leaves, then use an immersion blender to zap the soup. The soup can be poured through a strainer at this point if a smoother end result is prefered.

Combine the next set of ingredients in a separate pot, add to main pot once it's combined.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add into the soup pot while running the immersion blender to ensure there are no cornstarch blobs.

Bring till almost boiling and then ladle into prepared jars.

Notes

When I did the half-batch, I used the full cup of cornstarch without any of the flour. I really like the texture and thickness of how this turned out.

Gluten-free: This recipe would be so easily GF, if you omit the flour and ensure the commercial tomato soup is also GF.

Store-bought tomato soup is concentrated and intended to be diluted with water or milk. This recipe is ready-to-serve.

Mennonite New Year's Cookies, Fritters, Portzelky

This recipe is adapted from, and inspired by edieseveryday.com

Note! This version of the recipe requires TWO blocks of time for rising.

Ingredients

5 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1 3/4 cups warm milk
7 cups flour, divided

2 tsp baking powder, optional
1/2 cup sugar (minus the 5 tsp)
1/2 cup melted lard or butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 cups raisins, coated with some flour to keep them from falling to the bottom of the dough (or chopped apples or omit fruit all together)

enough lard for frying, about 8 cups

Toppings
Sprinkle with powdered sugar when fritters are hot
Dip fritter into powdered sugar while eating
Toss hot apple fritters with a combination of powdered sugar and cinnamon
Dip into Roger's Syrup

Instructions
For a full batch, using a large bowl, mix sugar and yeast into the two cups warm water. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Stir to combine.

Mix in 2 cups flour to make a sponge. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel and allow to rise in a warm area until light and bubbly. Once the dough has doubled, stir in the other ingredients and approximately 5 cups flour to make a stiff batter. Let rise until doubled and fry in deep, hot fat.

You will need two tablespoons to form and handle the dough, as well as a slotted spoon to remove the fritters from the hot oil. Quickly dip the two tablespoons into the oil and form small balls of the dough with the oiled tablespoons, carefully scraping and dropping the dough into the hot oil. The fritters will sink to the bottom of the pan and then pop right back up. You should be able to fry at least six at a time, but don't crowd the pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides, carefully flipping when required. Drain on a tray lined with paper towels.

Serve warm.

Chocolate Date Bites

This is an adaptation of a recipe I found on Instagram by @littleloucooks

The recipe is written as bars but I prefer to use my mini muffin pan, lined with mini cups. It's a two-bite sweet, which is plenty for my taste buds. Also, it is originally written as using a blender. I recommend a food processor. Strongly.

230g pitted dates - or 2 cups

125g mixed seeds - or 1 cup (sunflower/pumpkin)

75g oats - or 1 cup

40g desiccated coconut - or 1/2 cup

2 tablespoons Cocoa powder

Top with:

150g chocolate -

1 tablespoon coconut butter or butter

Step 1:Line 2 (2lb) loaf tins with parchment liners or paper. Or line an 8 inch square tin.

Step 2: To make the bars: Add the dates to a bowl and cover with boiling water to soften.

Meanwhile blend the oats, seeds, coconut, cocoa powder in a blender. Blend it fine or leave it coarse for more texture if you prefer.

Drain the dates and add them to the blender.

Blend until it looks like a thick paste. If it looks dry add a dash of hot water and blend again.

Step 3: Divide between two loaf tins. Push down. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in the microwave or in a bowl over simmering water. Then divide between the loaf tins. Set in the fridge for 1 hour then cut into bars. Make them bite size if you like!

Keep in the fridge for 1 week.Or freeze for 3 months.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Buns

This is a variation on my regular cinnamon bun recipe. 

*Start by saving leftover potatoes, cooking one small potato, and/or save the water potatoes are cooked in.

Ingredients for buns
2 cups warm milk (or warm, not hot, potato water)
2 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup sugar

6-7 cups flour

1 cup mashed potato

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup molasses

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp salt

Ingredients for filling

2 cups brown sugar

4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, melted

Ingredients for icing

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 Tbsp heavy cream

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Combine milk (or potato water), yeast, and sugar, allow to proof. About 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, mix with dough hook for 6 to 10 minutes, until dough comes together to form a ball. Add more flour as needed, 1/2 cup at a time. The dough shouldn't be sticky when it's done.

Allow to rise in a warm spot for 60 to 90 minutes, until it has doubled in size.

I roll out half of the dough at once. Brush the dough with melted butter and cover with half of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll dough along the long side. Cut with a sharp knife, at 1 1/2" intervals. Place 12 pieces into greased 9x13 pan. 

Place pans in a warm spot to rise. This may be as quick as 30 minutes. They will rise a lot more as they're baked.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

When buns are mostly cool, top with icing. 

Notes:

These buns freeze well.

I use homemade brown sugar, combining 1 cup white sugar with 1 Tbsp molasses. 

Red Pepper and Jalapeno Jelly

This recipe is an adaptation from the one found at allrecipes.com. One of the best parts of that website is going through the reviews and reading tips and suggestions from folks who have made that particular recipe. 

I spent a ton of time reading about canning safely, because there's no point in making all this effort only to have it not turn out or have the jars seal! Definitely read the entire article for this recipe and watch the attached video.

While pepper jelly with cream cheese or goat cheese on crackers is the obivous use, it can be used as a dipping sauce, as part of a marinade, in a grilled cheese sandwhich.... the possibilities are endless.

I made a (roughly) double batch, although some suggest not ever doubling up a canning recipe.

Ingredients

5 cups finely chopped red bell peppers
1 ¼ cups finely chopped green bell peppers
1 cup finely chopped jalapeno peppers, leaving seeds in about a quarter cup worth of peppers
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3 (1.75 ounce) package powdered pectin
8 cups white sugar

Directions

Sterilize 12 8-ounce (125mL) canning jars and lids according to the manufacturer's instructions. Heat water in a hot water canner.

Place bell peppers and jalapeño peppers in a large saucepan over high heat; stir in vinegar and fruit pectin. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar; bring back to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Allow to boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and skim any foam off the top.

Quickly ladle jelly into sterile jars, filling to within 1/4-inch of the tops. Cover with flat lids and screw on rings tightly.

Place jars in the rack and slowly lower jars into the canner. The water should cover the jars completely and should be hot but not boiling. Bring water to a boil; cover the canner and process for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The best chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. This recipe is from The Mennonite Treasury (page 173 in the edition I have).

Ingredients

1 cup shortening
2/3 cup white sugar (1/3 is plenty)

2/3 cup brown sugar (1/3 is plenty)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1½ cups flour

1 tsp salt (if you reduce sugar, reduce salt!)

1 tsp baking soda

1 pkg chocolate chips (2/3 cup is a good amount)

2 cups oats
1/3 cup nuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Cream shortening, add sugars gradually. Add eggs and beat well. Add vanilla.

Sift flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture.

Add nuts, chocolate chips, and oats last.

Drop by teaspoonsful on greased cookie sheets and bake in 350 degree oven for 12 minutes.

Notes

I've made many variations of this recipe. You could replace some of the flour with bran. You could use a multigrain flour. You could use chopped up chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips.

Leftover Chocolate, Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is based on the chocolate chip cookies my sister and I have made since we were kids. It's a great way to use up leftover chocolate. I made a double batch, so that's how I'll write it.

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups quick-cooking oats

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 cup of chocolate (chocolate bars chopped up, M&M's, Smarties, etc)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter until it's nearly white. Add sugars, beat it more. Add banana, beat it more. Add eggs, beat it more.

Add vanilla. 

Add in dry ingredients. Mix to combine.

Drop by teaspoonful on greased baking sheet (or use parchment). Bake for 12 minutes.

Notes

You can use butter, shortening, margarine, whatever you prefer. I wouldn't swap out more than half of it when adding in banana or apple.

This dough freezes well. Fill a container with cookie dough balls, take out as many as you want to bake at one time. If baking from frozen, you may need to add 2 minutes to the baking time.