Mama’s Double-Lemon Marmalade
Makes about 5 half-pints.
4 cups fresh lemon balm, leaves and stems (about 1¾ ounces)
4½ cups boiling water
6 to 8 large lemons (about 3 pounds)
5½ cups sugar
Place the lemon balm in a large bowl. Add the boiling water. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain well, reserving the liquid. Using a knife, peel lemons, removing yellow portion and about ¼-inch thickness of the white pith of the peel. Cut the peel into very thin strips, about 1½ inches long. Measure 3 cups of peel. Set aside. Remove and discard any remaining white portion of the peel from the lemons. Section the lemons, reserving the fruit and juice; discard membrane and seeds. Chop the lemon segments. Measure 1½ cups lemon and juice; set aside.
Combine the thin strips of peel and 4 cups water in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling. Boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain; discard liquid. Add 4 more cups of fresh water, and cook and drain the peel once more.
Combine the drained peel, chopped lemon and juice, and 3½ cups of the reserved liquid in the same saucepan. Heat to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Measure 5½ cups of the mixture. Pour the mixture into an 8- or 10-quart Dutch oven. Add the sugar. Heat and stir till the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Boil hard, uncovered, stirring to prevent sticking, for about 25 minutes or till the mixture sheets off a metal spoon or reaches 220°F on a jelly thermometer.
Ladle the marmalade into hot, sterilized, half-pint canning jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims; adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water begins to boil). Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
Mama’s Cranberry-Pepper Jelly
Makes about 5 half-pints.
2 to 4 jalapeño peppers, halved and seeded
1½ cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup vinegar
5 cups sugar
3 ounces liquid fruit pectin
5 small fresh hot red peppers
Combine the jalapeño peppers, cranberry juice cocktail, and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to remove all of the liquid. Measure 2 cups liquid. Discard the pulp.
In a 4-quart Dutch oven or kettle combine the 2 cups strained liquid and the sugar. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the pectin and hot red peppers. Return to a full rolling boil; boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
Immediately ladle jelly into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Put 1 hot red pepper in each of the 5 jars. Wipe the jar rims and adjust lids. Process jars in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water begins to boil). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Jelly may require 2 to 3 days to set.
Mama’s Gingered Peach Preserves
Best with fresh Georgia peaches.
Makes 7 half-pints.
5 pounds firm-ripe peaches
6 cups sugar
2 tablespoons snipped candied ginger
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Wash the peaches. Peel, pit, and chop the peaches. To peel peaches with ease, immerse them, a few at a time, in boiling water for 20 to 30 seconds or till skins crack. Then quickly plunge them into cold water; use a small sharp knife to peel off the skin. Measure 11 cups chopped peaches.
In a very large bowl combine the peaches, sugar, ginger, and lemon juice. Cover with waxed paper. Let stand overnight, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.
Transfer the mixture to a 6- or 8-quart Dutch oven or kettle. Bring the mixture to boiling, stirring frequently. Boil gently, uncovered, about 1 hour or till the syrup sheets off a metal spoon or reaches 220°F on a jelly thermometer. Quickly skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
Immediately ladle the mixture into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water begins to boil). Remove jars from canner, cool on racks.
Mama’s Prune Conserve
Makes 6 (8-ounce) jars.
1½ pounds prunes
1½ pounds raisins
1½ pounds dried currants
4½ cups hot strong tea
3 to 5 whole cloves
Juice of 1 lemon
2¼ cups packed dark brown sugar
1 cup whole blanched almonds
7 tablespoons brandy
Pit the prunes and chop them coarsely. Crack a few of the pits with a hammer and take out the kernels. Discard the rest.
Put the kernels into a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 1 minute, then drain, and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain again, then rub off the skins with your fingers.
Put the chopped prunes and peeled kernels into a nonmetallic bowl with the raisins and currants. Pour the hot tea over the fruits. Cover and leave to stand overnight.
Pour the contents of the bowl into a preserving pan. Stir in all the remaining ingredients, except the almonds and brandy, and put the pan over low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 12 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat. Test for a light set. Stir in the whole almonds and brandy.
Pour the conserve into warmed sterilized jars, to within 1/8 inch of the tops. Seal and label the jars.
Mama’s Old-Fashioned Grape Jelly
Makes 5 half-pints.
6 pounds Concord grapes
¾ cup water
3¾ cups sugar
Wash and stem the grapes. Crush the grapes in a 6- or 8-quart Dutch oven or kettle. Add the water. Bring to boiling over high heat; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes or till the grapes are very soft.
Using a jelly bag or a colander lined with several thicknesses of 100 percent cotton cheesecloth, strain the mixture. (This will take about 4½ hours.) You should have about 7 cups of juice. Chill the juice for 12 to 14 hours. Strain again through jelly bag or cheesecloth.
Place the juice in the Dutch oven or kettle. Add the sugar; stir to dissolve. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard, uncovered, till the syrup sheets off a metal spoon or reaches 220°F on a jelly thermometer. This will take about 20 minutes. Quickly skim off the foam with a metal spoon.
Immediately ladle the jelly into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process jars in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water begins to boil). Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
Mama’s Peach Jam
Makes 6 half-pints.
4 pounds peaches
1 package (1¾ or 2 ounces) powdered fruit pectin for lower sugar recipes
3¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Wash the peaches. Peel (see how to do this easily in Mama’s Gingered Peach Preserves), pit, and finely chop peaches. Measure 5 cups.
Combine the pectin and ¼ cup of the sugar. In an 8- or 10-quart Dutch oven or kettle combine the chopped peaches, pectin mixture, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining 3 cups sugar. Return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon.
Immediately ladle the jam into hot, clean, half-pint canning jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims and adjust lids. Process the jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water begins to boil). Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
Mama’s Sweet Cherry Jam
Makes 4 (8-ounce) jars.
3 pounds fully ripe dark sweet cherries
1 (1¾ ounces) package regular powdered fruit pectin
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
¼ cup lemon juice
5 cups sugar
Sort, wash, stem, pit, and chop the cherries. Measure 4 cups of chopped cherries.
In a 6- or 8-quart Dutch oven or kettle combine the cherries, pectin, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Bring to boiling over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
Immediately ladle jam into hot, sterilized jars and process in boiling-water canner as usual.
Mama’s Apple Butter
Tastes good on any kind of bread.
Makes 4 pints or 8 half-pints.
4½ pounds tart cooking apples (about 14 medium apples)
4 cups apple cider or apple juice
2 cups sugar
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Wash, core, and quarter apples.
In an 8- or 10-quart Dutch oven or kettle combine apples and cider or juice. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or till apples are very tender, stirring occasionally.
Pass the apples and liquid through a food mill or sieve. Measure 9½ cups mixture. Return the mixture to the Dutch oven. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, over very low heat, about 1½ hours or till very thick, stirring often to prevent sticking.
Ladle the apple butter into hot, sterilized pint or half-pint canning jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims and adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes for pints or 5 minutes for half-pints (start timing when water begins to boil). Remove the jars from canner; cool on racks.
Mama’s Pickled Cherries
Makes 5 half-pints.
7 cups cherries
2½ cups sugar
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Rinse and drain the cherries; remove stems and pits. Place the cherries in a 2½-quart casserole dish.
Combine the sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves in a medium saucepan; stir to dissolve sugar. Heat to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Pour over the cherries.
Cover the cherry mixture, let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Drain the liquid into a saucepan; heat to boiling and pour over cherries again. Cover and let stand for 12 to 24 hours. Drain again into saucepan and heat liquid to boiling.
Using a slotted spoon, fill hot, clean half-pint canning jars with cherries, leaving ½-inch headspace. Add the hot liquid to cherries, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles, wipe the jar rims, and adjust lids. Process the jars in boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove the jars from canner; cool. (Spices settle upon standing; stir before serving.)
Mama’s Lemon Curd
A nice holiday treat for family and company.
Makes 3 (6-ounce) jars.
6 to 8 large, juicy lemons
1 cup unsalted butter
2½ cups superfine sugar
5 eggs
Grate the zest from the lemons on the finest side of the grater. Squeeze the juice and strain it into a large measuring cup. You will need 1¼ cups of lemon juice.
Cut the butter into small pieces. Place the pieces of butter into a glass bowl, along with the sugar, lemon zest, and juice; set over a pan of gently simmering water. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water, nor should the water boil rapidly. Stir the mixture until the butter has melted and the sugar has completely dissolved.
Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl, but do not whisk them. Strain the eggs through a fine sieve into the lemon mixture. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly. This will take 20 to 25 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil or it will curdle.
As soon as the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, remove the bowl from the pan of water.
Pour into warmed sterilized jars. Place a wax paper round, waxed side down, on top. Smooth over to remove any air pockets. Leave to cool.
Cover with dampened plastic wrap circles. Label and store in the refrigerator.
Stewed Tomatoes
Makes 3 quarts.
8 pounds ripe firm tomatoes
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
Wash the tomatoes. Cut the cores out of the tomatoes. Put the tomatoes into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave 15 to 20 seconds or until the skins start to split. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl of cold water. Remove from the water one at a time and peel away the skins, using a sharp knife. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Measure 17 cups.
Place the tomatoes in an 8- to 10-quart Dutch oven or kettle. Add the celery, onion, green pepper, sugar, and salt to the kettle. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
Ladle the hot stewed tomatoes into hot, clean quart or pint canning jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims; adjust lids. Place in a pressure cooker, and process at 10 pounds of pressure for 20 minutes for quarts or 15 minutes for pints. Allow pressure to come down naturally. Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
Peach Pie Filling
Makes 6 quarts, enough for six pies.
8 pounds fully ripe, firm peaches
7 cups sugar
2 cups plain gelatin, such as ClearJel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4½ cups water
1¾ cups lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
Wash and peel the peaches (see Mama’s Gingered Peach Preserves recipe for how to do this). Cut the fruit into ½-inch sections. To prevent darkening, place fruit in ascorbic acid solution; drain well. Measure 24 cups fruit. Set aside.
Bring about 6 cups of water to boiling in an 8-quart Dutch oven or kettle. Add 6 cups of peach slices; return to boiling. Boil for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer peaches to a large bowl; cover. Repeat with the remaining fruit, 6 cups at a time. Drain water from Dutch oven or kettle.
Combine the sugar, gelatin, cinnamon, and nutmeg in same kettle. Stir in the 4½ cups water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, till mixture thickens and begins to boil. Add the lemon juice; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the almond extract. Immediately add the fruit, stirring gently to coat. Heat for 3 minutes.
Spoon the hot fruit mixture into hot, clean quart jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles, wipe the jar rims, and adjust lids. Process the filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 30 minutes. Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
Dill Pickles
You can’t buy any better pickles.
Makes 6 pints.
2¼ pounds pickling cucumbers
3¾ cups water
3¾ cups cider vinegar
6 tablespoons pickling salt
12 to 18 heads fresh dill
1 tablespoon mustard seed
Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly. Remove the stems and cut off a slice from each end. Make a brine by combining the water, vinegar, and salt. Pour the brine into a large pot, and boil 20 minutes. Drain.
Pack cucumbers loosely into hot, clean pint jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Add 4 teaspoons dill seed and ½ teaspoon mustard seed to each jar. Pour hot brine over cucumbers, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles, wipe the jar rims, and adjust lids. Process in boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars. Let stand 1 week before using.
Pickled Beets
Make plenty for Thanksgiving and serve with stuffing.
Makes 6 (8-ounce) jars.
3 pounds small whole beets
2 cups vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon whole allspice
6 whole cloves
3 inches stick cinnamon
Wash beets, leaving the roots and 1 inch of tops. Place in a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven or kettle; add water to cover. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, till tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and discard cooking liquid. Cool beets slightly; trim off roots and stems. Slip off the skins.
In the same Dutch oven combine the vinegar, water, and sugar. Place the allspice, cloves, and cinnamon in the center of a 7-inch square of 100 percent cotton cheesecloth; tie into a bag and place in Dutch oven. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
Pack the beets in hot, clean half-pint canning jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Carefully add the boiling pickling liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace. Discard the spice bag.
Wipe the jar rims; adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 30 minutes. Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
Cherry Brandy
Don’t drink too much of this or you’ll think you’re dying and you’ll be scared you won’t!
Makes 3 cups.
1 pound cherries
½ cup sugar
2 drops almond extract
2½ cups brandy
Remove all the cherry stalks. Prick each cherry all over with a sterilized needle or wooden toothpick.
Layer the cherries with the sugar in a large sterilized jar to within 1 inch of the top. Add the almond extract to the jar.
Pour in the brandy to cover the cherries by ½ inch. Seal the jar and shake well. Keep in a cool dark place for at least 3 months before using to allow the flavors to develop. Shake the jar from time to time.
Line a funnel with a double layer of cheesecloth and strain the brandy through it into a sterilized bottle. Seal the bottle and label. The brandy is now ready to use.
Pickled Prunes
Makes 4 (6-ounce) jars.
2 pounds dried plums (prunes)
1 tablespoon salt
2 1/3 cups white wine vinegar
12 black peppercorns
12 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
Put the dried plums into a pan of boiling water. Immediately remove from the heat and leave to stand for 2 minutes. Drain and peel the prunes. Cut them in half lengthwise, remove and discard the pits.
Layer the prunes with the salt in two sterilized jars to within 1 inch of the tops.
Put all of the remaining ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then pour the mixture over the prunes to cover them by ½ inch, making sure there are no air pockets between the prunes.
Seal the jars and label. Keep in a cool dark place for two weeks before using to allow the flavors to develop.
Spiced Apple Rings
Make plenty and serve on New Year’s for good luck.
Makes 7 pints (56 servings).
8 pounds tart apples
10 (3-inch) pieces stick cinnamon
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1½-inch piece gingerroot, sliced
6 cups packed brown sugar
6 cups water
1 cup cider vinegar
Wash the apples. Peel and core 1 apple; cut crosswise into ½-inch rings. If desired, place rings in ascorbic acid color-keeper solution to reduce discoloration; drain. Repeat with remaining apples.
Tie the cinnamon pieces, whole cloves, and gingerroot in a square of 100 percent cotton cheesecloth to make a spice bag; set aside. In an 8-quart Dutch oven or kettle, combine the brown sugar, water, and vinegar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; add the spice bag. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Drain the apple slices and add to hot liquid; return to boiling. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or till the apples are tender. Remove the spice bag. With a slotted spoon, pack the apple rings in hot, clean pint canning jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Add the hot liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles, wipe the jar rims, and adjust lids. Process the filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
Winter Fruit Compote
Serve with Spiced Apple Rings if you want plenty of good luck in the New Year.
Makes about 4 cups.
2 cups dates
3 pears
5 apples
½ cup cooked butternut squash
1 cup pineapple juice
Soak dates, pears, apples, and squash in pineapple juice for several hours or soften over low heat.
Purée fruits in blender or food processor. Cook over low heat until thick, stirring frequently.
Ladle into jars and seal. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Tomato Chutney
This goes well with chunks of crusty fresh bread.
Makes 8 (4-ounce) jars.
3 pounds ripe tomatoes
1½ pounds small onions
2 pounds cooking apples
2 cups white wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 cup raisins
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cut the cores out of the tomatoes. Put the tomatoes into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave 15 to 20 seconds or until the skins start to split. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl of cold water. Remove from the water one at a time and peel away the skins, using a sharp knife. Roughly chop the tomatoes.
Peel and thinly slice the onions. Peel, core, and chop the apples. Put the tomatoes, onions, and apples into a preserving pan. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, stirring. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring often, for 40 to 45 minutes or until the fruit and vegetables are soft and the chutney has reduced and thickened. Test by drawing the back of the spoon across the bottom of the pan. There should be no runny liquid visible.
Spoon the chutney into warmed sterilized jars, to within 1/8 inch of the tops. Stir, if necessary, to remove any air pockets. Seal the jars and label. Keep in a cool dark place for 2 months before using to allow the flavors to develop.
Cranberry Orange Relish
Real tasty with sandwiches, cottage cheese, and meatloaf.
Makes 1½ cups.
1 pound cranberries
1 cup sugar
2 oranges
Chop the cranberries and put them into a nonmetallic bowl with the sugar. Stir to mix thoroughly.
Slice the unpeeled oranges and remove the seeds. Finely chop the orange slices and add them to the bowl of cranberries and sugar.
Spoon the relish into sterilized jars. Seal, label, and refrigerate immediately. The relish should be chilled for several hours before serving. It will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator.
Pears in Wine
Makes 4 cups.
2 cups water or grape juice
2 cups red wine
1 cup sugar
1 star anise
1 stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
4 cloves
8 to 10 pears
Combine the water or grape juice, wine, sugar, and spices. Dissolve sugar over low heat. Cool, then strain to remove spices.
Peel and core the pears, then cut in half. Pack in jars without bruising fruit. Cover with syrup. Seal and process for 10 minutes in a pressure cooker or 30 minutes in boiling water.
Blueberry Marmalade
Makes 3 to 4 pints.
1 medium orange
1 lemon
2/3 cup water
4 cups blueberries
5 cups sugar
1 (2-ounce) package liquid pectin
Grate the peels of the orange and lemon. Combine the peel and water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Mash the blueberries and add to peel mixture.
Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in the sugar and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the pectin and bring to a rolling boil again. Boil hard 1 minute.
Remove from heat and skim. Ladle into hot jars and seal.
Mama’s Tomato-Basil Jam
This is especially good on sausage biscuits.
Makes 5 half-pints.
2½ pounds ripe tomatoes
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh-snipped basil
3 cups sugar
1 (2-ounce) package powdered fruit pectin
Wash the tomatoes. Remove the peels (see how to do this in the Stewed Tomatoes recipe), stem ends, cores, and seeds. Chop the tomatoes finely. Measure 3½ cups. Place the chopped tomatoes in a 6- or 8-quart Dutch oven or kettle. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Measure 3½ cups; return to the Dutch oven.
Add the lemon juice and basil. Combine ¼ cup of sugar with the pectin; stir into tomato mixture. Heat to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining sugar. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon.
Immediately ladle jam into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims and adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water begins to boil.) Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
Hot Cross Buns
Makes 1½ dozen.
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons yeast
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs
5 cups flour
1 1/3 cup currants or raisins
1 egg white
Glaze
1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1½ teaspoons finely chopped lemon zest
½ teaspoon lemon extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Heat the milk in a small saucepan to very warm, but not hot. Pour the warm milk in the bowl of mixer and sprinkle yeast over. Mix to dissolve and let sit for 5 minutes.
With mixer at low speed, add the sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and eggs. Gradually add the flour. Dough will be wet and sticky. Continue kneading until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough “rest” for 30 to 45 minutes.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, for about 3 more minutes. Add the currants or raisins and knead until well mixed. Dough will still be sticky. Shape dough in a ball, place in a buttered dish, cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the refrigerator.
Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Shape each portion into a ball and place on a baking sheet, about ½-inch apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 400°F.
When the buns have risen, take a sharp knife and slash buns with a cross. Brush with the egg white and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake until golden brown (about 15 minutes more).
Transfer to a wire rack. Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, lemon extract, and milk, and spoon the glaze over buns in a cross pattern. Serve warm.
Chicken Curry
Makes 8 servings.
2 pounds chicken, cut in cubes
2 cups plain yogurt
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
¼ cup clarified butter
4 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 ounces noodles, cooked and drained
Fresh mint or cilantro for garnish
Marinate the chicken in yogurt for 1 hour at room temperature. Drain and pat dry. Save the marinade.
Cook the onion, garlic, and ginger in clarified butter for 1 minute. Sprinkle with curry powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add chicken and stir to coat it well with spices. Add water, and season to taste.
Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Gradually add more water if necessary. Add noodles and stir gently.
Add yogurt marinade just before serving and heat through without boiling. Sprinkle with mint or cilantro.
Blue-Ribbon Watermelon Pickles
Makes 6 half-pints.
4½ pounds watermelon rind
6 cups water
½ cup pickling salt
3½ cups sugar
1½ cups white vinegar
1½ cups water
15 inches stick cinnamon, broken
1½ teaspoons whole cloves
Cut the skin and pink flesh from the watermelon rind (the white portion); discard skin. Cut the rind into 1-inch squares. Measure 9 cups; place in large bowl. Combine the 6 cups of water and pickling salt; pour over rind (add more water if necessary to cover). Cover bowl and let stand overnight.
Pour the rind into a colander set in a sink; rinse under cold running water. Place the rind in a 4-quart Dutch oven or kettle. Cover with cold water. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes or till tender. Drain.
In a 6- to 8- quart Dutch oven or kettle combine the sugar, vinegar, water, stick cinnamon, and cloves. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Strain and return liquid to kettle. Add the watermelon rind. Return to boiling. Cover and boil gently over medium-high heat till rind is clear, 25 to 30 minutes.
Pack rind and syrup into hot, clean, half-pint canning jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles, wipe the jar rims, and adjust lids. Process the filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
Best Egg Salad Ever
Makes 8 sandwiches.
8 (10-minute) hard boiled eggs
½ cup sweet red onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup fresh basil (cut into strips)
Chill the boiled eggs, then peel off the shells. Mix all ingredients together.
Serve on thick-sliced homemade bread.
Mama’s Favorite Pecan Pie
Serves 6 to 8.
1 9-inch pie shell
6 tablespoons butter
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
¾ cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla (yes, 1 tablespoon)
2 cups pecans, toasted, cooled, and chopped into small pieces
Preheat oven to 425°F. Place unbaked pie crust in freezer until ready to bake. Then line pie crust with aluminum foil and pie weights. Bake pie shell until set, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake 2 to 3 minutes longer until crust is just beginning to brown on the edges.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in saucepan. Remove from heat; mix in the sugars and salt with a wire whisk until butter is absorbed. Beat in the eggs, then the corn syrup and vanilla. Strain the mixture to make sure it is perfectly smooth.
Place the mixture in a double boiler to heat. Cook and stir constantly with wire whisk until mixture is shiny and hot to the touch. Remove from heat and stir in pecans.
As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, decrease oven temperature to 275°F. Pour the pecan mixture into hot pie crust. Bake at 275°F until center feels set, yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes.
Transfer the pie to wire rack and let cool completely, at least 4 hours.
Carrot-Parsnip Compote
This is for Willa Mae’s Soufflé Pie. You need to make the compote up first before you can make the pie.
Makes 6 (8-ounce) jars.
2 pounds carrots
1 pound parsnips
2 cups orange juice
2 cups maple syrup
Cook the carrots and parsnips in orange juice until very tender. Purée in blender.
Combine with the maple syrup and cook over moderate heat until thick.
Ladle into hot, sterilized jars and seal. Store in refrigerator and use within two months or freeze for up to 1 year.
Willa Mae’s Soufflé Pie
Makes 6 to 8 portions.
3 eggs, separated
1½ cups carrot-parsnip compote
2 9-inch pie shells
Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat the egg yolks until fluffy. Add the compote. Whip the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture.
Pour into pie shells and bake for 1¼ hours or until cake tester comes out clean.
Three-Bean Combo
You can use canned beans for this recipe and it’s still real good.
Makes 7 pints.
2 pounds green beans
2 pounds wax beans
1½ pounds Italian beans
Salt to taste
Wash the green and wax beans; drain. Trim the ends, and break or cut into 1-inch pieces. Measure 12 cups of beans. Wash and drain the Italian beans. Measure 4 cups. Place all of the beans in an 8- or 10-quart Dutch oven or kettle.
Add enough boiling water to cover beans; return to boiling. Boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, pack hot beans into hot, clean pint canning jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt to each jar. Add boiling water, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles, wipe the jar rims, and adjust lids.
Process filled jars in a pressure canner—10 pounds of pressure for weighted canners or 11 pounds for dial-gauge canners—for 20 minutes. Allow pressure to come down naturally. Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.
Spaghetti Sauce
Makes 4 pints.
1½ firm, ripe tomatoes
¾ cup water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
3 cloves garlic
¼ cup snipped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon fennel seed, crushed
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Wash the tomatoes. Remove the cores; cut into quarters.
Place the tomatoes in a 9- or 10- quart Dutch oven or kettle. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill; return tomatoes to Dutch oven. Discard seeds and pulp.
Combine the water, onion, green pepper, and mushrooms in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, till the onion and pepper are soft. Add to the tomato mixture. Stir in the garlic, parsley, brown sugar, fennel seed, salt, basil, oregano, marjoram, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours, or until reduced by half, stirring frequently.
Ladle the hot sauce into hot, clean quart or pint canning jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims; adjust lids. Process jars at 10-pounds pressure for 25 minutes for quarts or 20 minutes for pints. Allow the pressure to come down naturally. Remove the jars from canner; cool on racks.
Hot Pickled Sweet Peppers
These peppers are hotter than a Georgia sidewalk in August.
Makes 6 pints or 12 half-pints.
4½ pounds green, red, and yellow sweet peppers
1½ pounds jalapeño peppers
6½ cups cider vinegar
1 1/3 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons pickling salt
3 whole cloves garlic
Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut the sweet peppers into quarters, removing stems, seeds, and membranes. Place, cut side down, on a foil-lined extra-large baking sheet. Bake in 450°F oven for 20 minutes or till skin is bubbly and dark. Place the peppers in a clean brown paper bag; seal and let stand for 10 minutes or till cool enough to handle. Peel the skin off gently using a paring knife. Set aside.
Remove the stems and seeds from jalapeño peppers. Slice into rings.
Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and garlic in a saucepan. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove garlic. Place sweet and hot peppers in hot, clean pint or half-pint canning jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Pour hot liquid over peppers, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe the jar rims; adjust lids. Process the jars in boiling-water canner 15 minutes (start timing when water boils). Remove from canner; cool.
Willa Mae’s Strawberry Muffins
Be careful. These are so scrumptious you can get fat just looking at them.
Makes 1½ dozen.
½ cup butter, room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
Granulated sugar for topping
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 12 muffin cups. Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric handheld mixer on high setting; beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in vanilla.
Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture with a wooden spoon. Gradually stir in the lemon peel and buttermilk until dry ingredients are just moistened; do not over-mix.
Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each muffin cup about 2/3 full. Spoon the sliced strawberries evenly onto the center of each muffin and sprinkle each with a little granulated sugar.
Bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes. Gently turn muffins onto the rack. Best when served warm.
Snowball Cookies
Makes 1 dozen.
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups crushed corn flakes
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 200°F.
Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gradually add the sugar. Fold in the vanilla, crushed corn flakes, and pecans.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 200°F (very low heat) for 1 hour.
Verna’s Fried Refrigerator Donuts
Makes 1½ dozen.
½ cup shortening
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup scalded milk, cooled
2 packages dry yeast
4 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Confectioners’ sugar for coating donuts
Cream the shortening and sugar together; add the eggs and beat well. Add the cooled milk and yeast. Add the flour and salt and mix well.
Put in refrigerator overnight.
Portion off the dough into round biscuits. Poke a hole in the center, stretching hole slightly. Drop the biscuits into hot grease and fry until light brown. Turn to brown other side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Put 1 or 2 donuts at a time in a paper bag with confectioners’ sugar. Shake and enjoy.
Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls
These are heaven.
Makes 1½ dozen.
1 cup milk
½ cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ packages dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
1 egg, beaten
4 to 5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Melted butter
Brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Frosting
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Scald the milk; add shortening. Add the sugar and salt and cool to tepid. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the dissolved yeast and beaten egg. Add 4 cups of flour, one at a time, beating by hand after each addition. Dough should be soft yet firm enough to handle.
Knead on a floured board until elastic and smooth. Avoid too much flour. Turn dough into well-oiled bowl. Let rise for 1½ hours.
Press the dough down and divide into workable-sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough out into a rectangle, and cover with melted butter. Layer with a generous thick layer of brown sugar. Sprinkle on cinnamon as desired. Roll up jellyroll fashion.
Using scissors or a piece of string, cut off slices 1 to 1½ inches thick. Place slices in an 8- or 9-inch round greased cake pan. Place one slice in the middle and other slices round it. Press rolls down to even out and fill pan. Let rise until the rolls fill the pan generously, about another hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake in 350°F oven for 14 to 20 minutes. If rolls get too brown, cover with a piece of foil until the end of baking. Do not over-bake rolls.
Macaroni and Cheese (To Die For)
This is the best comfort food south of the grits line.
Serves 8.
8 ounces macaroni
1¼ cups plus 1 2/3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon flour
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons dry mustard
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1½ cups half-and-half
1½ cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Salt to taste
Boil macaroni in salted water till tender (approximately 8 to 9 minutes).
Combine 1¼ cups of grated cheese with the flour, salt, dry mustard, pepper, and sour cream. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whip the eggs. Add the half-and-half. Carefully blend in the heavy cream and the Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.
Gently fold the flour and cheese mixture into the whipped egg mixture. Add the macaroni and mix gently.
Place in an 8½ x 11-inch glass baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and nutmeg. Bake in 350°F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Place under grill for a minute or two till cheese crust is golden brown.
Southern Okra and Tomatoes
Fry some potatoes up and have yourself a meal.
Serves 4.
1 cup okra, cut in ½-inch slices
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped green pepper
3 tablespoons bacon fat
4 quartered and peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sauté the okra, onion, and green pepper in bacon fat over low heat.
Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Cook until tender, stirring as little as possible.
Serve with fried chicken and home-fried potatoes.
Old-Fashioned Pole Beans
Makes 6 (8-ounce) jars.
3 pounds pole beans, fresh
5 cups water
1 ham hock, about ½ pound
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Remove strings from the beans and snap beans into 2-inch pieces. Wash beans.
Place water and ham hock in a Dutch oven; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour. Add beans, salt, and pepper; cook 30 minutes or until tender. Delicious!