Mincemeat Time Again

We are having a beautiful cool fall day with bright sunshine.  I have hopes of working outside this afternoon.

My sis and I were both out of my mincemeat so three days ago I made up a new batch.  It just makes about 2.5 quarts which is enough for both of us.  Mostly we use it in cookies or turnovers.  I love making it.  I got a shock though when I got out Mom's old Kitchen Aid grinder that fits my new mixer.  I had forgotten that it cracked in half last year.  All was not lost.  I used  my trusty old (and I do mean old) Cuisinart processor and got everything blended nicely.  This year I just used a fruit cake mix in place of candied orange peel.  I also ground a whole orange with skin for that citrus flavor.  I think it is better than last year.....maybe just because it is fresh.  I added about 1/2 cup of brandy and let it ripen at room temperature before bagging and freezing.

I just had to test it this morning.  Part of the motivation was I needed to make pie crusts ahead for Thanksgiving.  I use Nathan's Never-Fail recipe that makes 6 crusts.  I used one for turnovers.

They are fairly low in calories for a dessert, around 90 at my 4 inch size. 
Max will be pleased when he gets back from errands.  Mincemeat is not his favorite but by now he will fall on them with glee!

It seems we have been so busy with errands for the last several days we haven't got much else accomplished.  I hope that stops...I still have to shop for a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

Yard

The new red mum is actually a bronze color.

 This is probably the last dahlia to survive the frosts. 

 

Fall Flowers and other Mundane things

October10 -17, 2013

We are enjoying  beautiful fall so far.  We have been getting little  rains, 1/2, 1/4 and l inch  which gives everything a lush green look.  We still aren't at peak fall color but some things are beginning to get their fall look.

Gardening

This has turned out to be my favorite little  grouping.  The center  would be the Grus an Aachen rose and the salvia farinacea which is perennial for me.  The others were planted because there was space.....that is almost the extent of my design technique.  Of course, I knew the Laura Bush petunias would look good with blue and pink.  The broad leaves are self seedling of nicotiana sylvestris.



This is the rose up close,

 


I hope the petunias self seed. 

Limelight hydrangea is turning,



I never plant anything that has to be dug up and replanted every spring.  If I plant it once, it stays planted.  I bought these at a Lowes or Wal Mart one year and have left them in the ground for maybe three or four years now.  This was their best year yet.  They have really blossomed (pun intended) in this cool weather.

Since this photo doesn't do them justice  I took some closeups.

and the back is as pretty as the front,
and the side,


Endless Summer is still not  my favorite hydrangea.....much over praised but at least it does now bloom a long time.



I still haven't dug my sweet potatoes but will very soon.

Food

I finally bottled up the mincemeat,  I ended  up with about half what I guessed but it should be plenty since it is just for me and my Sis.

The House is Smelling Good! - Cooking

I haven't milked the last few mornings because Willow now has two babies to  nurse.  Once in a while I have to strip out a quarter but didn't this morning.

The calf is about a month younger and is a Jersey/Angus cross bull calf.



The good smell is coming from the mincemeat slowly cooking down.  It has cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in it and aroma is wonderful.  I used my exact same recipe from 2009 and 2010.  I did use more apples because they were so small.  I made my own candied orange and lemon peel.  I will add just a touch of brandy just before it is finished cooking down.

DIY Mincemeat

Glenda first made in December 2009

Second in November 2010

Third Time October 2012

2 lbs apples (8-10)

l lb dark raisins

½ lb golden raisins

¾ to l cup candied cherries

1 cup grated candied orange peel (I used food processor to grate)

2 cups peaches (used some darkened ones from frig been left too long)

2 oranges peeled – just pulp (no whites or seeds)

l cup sugar

¾ cup raw sugar (because I had it)

1 cup reduced cider (boiled down)

½ to 1 cup apple cider (hard or whatever)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

I ran all through the grinder attachment. Cooked down.

Let ripen at room temp for several days ; then stored in fridge.

2010-I froze; like it better just in fridge. The freezing caused it to

get slimy. Next year will just keep in jars in cool place.

‹Note: I made my own candied orange peel because I couldn't find any in the stores

Hard cider could be replaced with some brandy but I had let some cider get bad.

Reduced cider could be substituted with frozen undiluted apple juice.

See what I mean, I just taste along until I get what I want.

It lasts forever in the fridge without canning. Mine is the 2010 version from the fridge.

I think I have about a gallon; this should keep me and my Sis stocked for two years....maybe.  We love the little mincemeat pies/turnovers.  Our husbands aren't so crazy about them.

The pot is now resting in the kitchen ripening before I jar it up.  I can't resist eating a bite now and then.



Thursday, October 10, 2013

Around 6 AM I put on a pot of pinto beans to  cook.  They were done by the time
I went out to oversee the  nursing process. Willow gets impatient once in  a while and butts the new baby so we don't leave  them unattended yet.  They emptied her nicely so I just turned her out to pasture and came  back to the house.

I had an extra dozen eggs that my Sis brought down to me when she visited.  I wanted to use them up since our girls are now giving us 3-5 daily.  I made an angel food cake,  then used the 12 yolks to bake a Lemony Sponge Cake.  The oven is still hot, so I used  my last frozen pie crust (thawed) to make several of the little turnovers.  I am trying to use up the old mincemeat.  By now it is near lunch time and I took advantage of the hot oven to make a skillet of cornbread.  Whew done baking for some time ............until it is bread time  again.



Sorry about the premature publishing, Kris.  I guess the house smelled good two days.