How to Make Fresh Cranberry Juice

A recipe straight from the bog that produces a jewel red refreshing beverage. One of only three fruits native to American, cranberry juice is bitter and needs to be sweetened to produce a mild tart beverage.  Cranberries have been touted for years for their health benefits.

• 1 12-ounce package cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 4 cups water
• sugar to taste

Wash and drain cranberries.
Place in saucepan.
Pour water over cranberries.
Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
The cranberries will pop.
Remove from heat and let sit 20 minutes.
Strain juice through several layers of cheesecloth.
Reserve pulp for another use.
Combine cranberry juice with sugar to taste.
Heat juice for 5 minutes do not boil.
Chill and serve.

Tip:
Cranberries are only available a few months of the year, but they freeze well.
The juice can also be canned.

Microwave Cheese Sauce

A outstanding, easy, microwave recipe to serve over soft tacos along with your other toppings.

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup grated Colby cheese

Mix all ingredients together in a microwave safe bowl until smooth.
Microwave on high 2 minute, stir.
Microwave an additional 1 minute, stir.
Add grated cheese, stirring to melt cheese.
Return to microwave and cook an additional 1 minute.

Tips:

An immersion blender works wonderful for stirring this sauce.  A first-rate way for creating a smooth velvet cheese sauce.
Other cheese maybe substituted for Colby.  Good choices are cheddar, Monterey Jack or try one flavored with jalapenos for extra heat.

Frankoma Pottery

While living in Oklahoma, I purchased a set of Frankoma pottery from their gift shop in Sapulpa.  The pattern is Ranch with a White Sand glaze. The dinnerware is made from clay dug from Sugar Loaf Hill near Sapulpa, Oklahoma. The red-brick colored Sapulpa firing clay gives the pottery a unique look of older terra cotta.  John Frank, a professor at the University of Oklahoma in the 1930's, developed glazes that let the color of the clay partially show through.  Frankoma has enjoyed increased publicity from exposure on various television shows, by Martha Stewart's personal collection, and in antique stores throughout the United States. The pottery is still affordable and is both visually pleasing and functional.  Frankoma Pottery, after being in operation since 1933, closed and shut down its operation in 2004.  The molds and name were bought and now they sell limited pieces on the Internet.   
  

Southern Breeze

Sweltering summer heat made bearable by a Southern Breeze.

• 1 0.22-ounce packet Kool-Aid Blue Raspberry Lemonade
• 1 cup of sugar
• 6 cups water
• 1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade
• 1 46-ounce can pineapple juice
• 1 2-liter bottle ginger ale, chilled

Mix Kool-Aid powder with sugar and water.
Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
Mix frozen lemonade and pineapple juice together.
Chill until ready to use.
Just before serving pour ginger ale into pineapple juice mixture.
Pour over Kool-Aid ice cubes.
Serve.

Tip:

To make individual servings mix 1/3 cup pineapple juice mixture with 1/2 cup ginger ale.
Pour over Kool-Aid ice cubes.



Shared at Saucy Saturdays Link Party

Sweet Lemonade

A perfect summer drink to enjoy anytime.

• 2 cups simple syrup
• 1 3/4 cups fresh lemon juice
• 3 cups water
• lemon slices or wedges for garnish

Stir first 3 ingredients together.
Serve over ice.
Garnish with lemon slices.


Recipe for Simple Syrup

Simple Syrup

2 cups sugar
1 cup water

Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat, simmer, stirring often until sugar dissolves.
Cool.

Plum Jelly

Yellow local plums make a beautiful golden jelly.

• 5 pounds plums, washed and sorted
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 6 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon butter
• 1 1.75- ounce package powder pectin or 6 tablespoons

Pit plum and chop.

Add chopped plums and 1 1/2 cups water into a large saucepot. 

Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium-low, stirring often.
Pour prepared fruit into jelly bag or strain though several layers of cheesecloth.
Let fruit drip for several hours.
Don't force juice though jelly bag.
Measure juice, add up to 1/2 water if needed to make 5 1/2 cups.
Add 5 1/2 cups plum juice to large saucepot.
Add powdered pectin.
Stirring bring to a boil
Add butter.

Butter will help prevent foaming.
Add sugar all at one time. 

Bring to full rolling boil, a boil that cannot be stirred down.

Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat.

Skim off foam with a metal spoon.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.

Clean rims of jars and cap with 2-part lids.

Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

Remove from canner and cool. 

Makes nine 1/2 pint jars.


Tip:
After making juice run plum pulp though a food mill to make plum puree.
Mix puree and sugar to taste together in a medium sauce pot.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook 2 minutes.
Cool.
Store in refrigerator.
Freeze for longer storage.
Great for adding to fruit smoothies and muffins.

Tomato Fiesta Salsa

Preserve summer's tomatoes with this Tomato Fiesta Salsa.

• 6 pounds tomatoes, peeled cored and chopped
• 2 cups banana peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped jalapeno peppers
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
• 1 teaspoon canning salt
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Mix all ingredients together in a large saucepot.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 10-minutes.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.

Clean rims of jars and cap with 2-part lids.

Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Remove from canner and cool. 

Makes 5 pint jars.

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