With more ripe figs than we knew what to do with this summer, our last big harvest brought in three and a half pounds. We had already made fig jam once, so I decided to switch it up by using port instead of water. And, having such a large amount of figs made it worthwhile to can the jam in order to preserve it and be able to enjoy our figs all
winter. Note that this jam is thick, but not a jelly-like consistency since no pectin is used in the recipe. If you wanted your jam to be more on the solid side, you can always add some.
Ingredients:
- 3-3 1/2 lbs fresh green or purple figs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup port
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
Directions:
Slice each fig into four wedges, and then each wedge into either two or four pieces, depending on the size. You want to end up with a uniform dice of relatively small pieces.
In a bowl, combine the figs and sugar. Mix and let sit for 15 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the figs start to look syrupy.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the figs, port, lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer and cover. Turn heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove lid and turn heat back up to medium low, or until it is simmering rapidly. Let the mixture reduce, about another 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid sticking or burning to the bottom of the pot.
If you are planning to can the jam, now is the time to heat a large pot of boiling water and sterilize the jars for about 10 minutes.
When the jam is at your desired consistency, remove the cinnamon stick and spoon it into the jars, leaving about 1/4-1/2 inch of room at the top.
If you are not canning- let the jars sit at room temp and then refrigerate. If you are canning, be sure not to screw on the lids too tight, and then boil the full jars for another 10 minutes. Remove, and let them cool. No need to refrigerate. Enjoy the jam with toast, pancakes, biscuits, and more!
In our attempt to find a way to combine coconut milk and pork tenderloin we came across many recipes for milk-braised pork loin, which apparently is a pretty popular dish. It sounds strange, I know, but the result is very tender pork with a rich creamy sauce. The sauce in our version wasn't as thick as expected, most likely from the use of coconut milk instead of regular milk or cream. But it gave the dish a very unique flavor along with the cardamom pods and cinnamon. With a side of roasted Brussels sprouts and a baked potato, it was quite a tasty meal!
Ingredients:
- 1 pork tenderloin (1-1.5 lbs) or two small tenderloins
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1/3 cup milk
- 4 cloves garlic, halved
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon cardamom pods
- 4 sage leaves
Directions:
Pat the pork dry and season well with salt and pepper. Spread the mustard over the exterior.
In a dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high and sear the pork on all sides until it is well browned. Our tenderloin was so large we had to cut it in half and do this in two batches.
Next, pour both milks into the dutch oven along with the garlic, cinnamon, cardamom and sage. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until your thermometer reaches 140 degrees F, rotating the pork every 5 minutes.
Remove the pork to a plate and tent with foil while you reduce the sauce. Bring the sauce to a medium boil, stirring often.
After 10-15 minutes, remove the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and sage. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until all the garlic is smooth. Taste the sauce for salt and serve over the sliced pork. The sauce was delicious on top of the baked potato too.
In this batch of granola I switched it up by adding some chopped crystallized ginger along with some other wintery spices to give it a seasonal flavor. I have to say... it came out pretty delicious. It's great as a breakfast or healthy dessert.
Ingredients:
5 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup bran
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F. Mix the oats, nuts and wheat germ in a large bowl.
In a smaller bowl, combine the butter, oil, honey, sugar, vanilla, and spices.
Microwave for 20 seconds (so that butter is melted) and stir the mixture well. Pour it over the dry ingredients and mix with your hands or a large spoon until the oats and nuts are evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto a large sheet pan (or two). You could also use a casserole dish but it will take longer to bake since it won't be as spread out.
Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes to ensure even cooking. When the granola is a golden-brown color, remove it from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
Add the dried ginger and cranberries and store in a sealed container.
This delicious fall combination of flavors is a perfect dessert to welcome in the cooler weather. I love all things pumpkin, and this is a new way to enjoy it. The fresh maple whipped cream adds the perfect touch and it's so easy to make. You can leave out the bourbon in this recipe for an equally tasty non-alcoholic treat. Thank you Serious Eats for this recipe!
Ingredients: (makes two decent-sized milkshakes)
1 cup unfiltered apple cider
1/4 cup bourbon
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
4 cups vanilla ice cream
For the whipped cream
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Directions:
To start, reduce the apple cider in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Reduce it by a little more than half, stirring occasionally. I chilled it in an ice bath because I didn't do this step in advance, but it could be done up to several days ahead of time and kept in the fridge. This makes the cider flavor stronger without having to water down the milkshake.
To make the whipped cream, chill a bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour the cream into the bowl and beat with an electronic mixer or whisk until soft peaks form. Add the maple syrup and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks.
For the milkshake, combine the condensed cider, bourbon, ice cream, cinnamon, ginger, syrup, and pumpkin in a blender.
Blend until smooth, and serve with the maple whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon. Enjoy this fall treat!
The spice blend in this recipe really packs in the flavor, and is complemented by the light and creamy coconut milk and fresh basil. You can make it as spicy as you like by altering the amount of jalapeno pepper that goes in the recipe. Served over rice, this is a delicious and satisfying meal! I found this recipe on Simply Recipes and only made a couple slight changes with the amount of spices used. This was also a great way to use up some of the fresh basil from our garden before the cold sets in!
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thigh or breast, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced (we left the seeds in but it was pretty spicy)
- olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 1 14-oz can coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
- salt and pepper
Directions:
Mix all of the spices (first 8 ingredients) together in a bowl. Add the chicken and stir until all of the pieces are evenly coated. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes at room temp, or in the fridge for an hour or two.
In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat and add the onion and jalapeno peppers. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and let them cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Remove this mixture and place it into a medium bowl so you can use the same pan for the chicken.
You will likely have to do the chicken in two batches to make sure it doesn't get over-crowded in the pan. Heat another tablespoon of oil over medium-high and place the chicken into the skillet. Brown for a few minutes on each side, and until the chicken is fully cooked through. Remove to the bowl with onions, and then continue with the remaining chicken.
Meanwhile, open the coconut milk and mix a couple tablespoons with the corn starch in a small bowl until it has dissolved. Once all of the chicken is cooked and removed from the pan, add the coconut milk along with the corn starch mixture. Cook over medium heat and stir until thick and bubbly. Add the Worcestershire, basil, and ginger.
Stir to combine and then add the chicken and onion mixture. Mix well so all of the chicken is coated in the sauce.
Serve over hot rice, and enjoy!
