Salad Social

This Missouri Farm Chick is doing something a little different today.  I'm sending you an invite to join "The Salad Social" at TidyMom, sponsored by The International Olive Council's Add Some Life campaign.  So join us as we celebrate salads.  






I posted one of my favorite salads, Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing, about a year ago.  Yes, it's Spring, but what could be better than cooling off with a winter salad.  You will love it!  

Classic Strawberry Freezer Jam

There are no surprises here!  My family, especially my grandchildren, love my Strawberry Jam. I've made jams and jellies for years.  My mom taught me how to make the cooked version of strawberry and blackberry jams, but over the years I have changed over to making the freezer jam recipes. Unfortunately, we lost our strawberry patch of three years to frost and deer.  We had to rely on getting our strawberries from local Amish and a berry patch down the road this year.  We have replanted our berries and put a fence around it to keep the deer out.  Now, we pray we don't have a late frost ever again.  Wishing that in Missouri is pretty bold!  


I make my Strawberry Freezer Jam the CERTO® WAY!  Get the recipe here!

Start with fresh strawberries.  I can't stress the word FRESH enough.  This jam is best when you use ripe, fresh off the vine strawberries.  Check your local farmer's market, Amish, neighbors, local farms.  I obtained the strawberries for this batch of jam at a local berry patch... Wilsdorf Berry Patch.  You can pick your own or have the owner, Debbie pick for you. Check out their website here.  I already have my order in for blackberries.  

what you need

2

cups prepared fruit (buy about 1 qt. fully ripe strawberries)

4

cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

1

pouch CERTO Fruit Pectin

2

Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

make it

RINSE clean plastic (I use jars) containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.

STEM and crush strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 2 cups prepared fruit into large bowl. Stir in sugar. Let stand 10 min., stirring occasionally.

MIX pectin and lemon juice in small bowl. Add to strawberry mixture; stir 3 min. or until sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)

FILL all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator.

Source:  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/certo-strawberry-freezer-jam-60268.aspx

Grilled Chicken, Corn and Jack Quesadillas

My husband just got a new, shiny gas grill and hasn't stopped grilling since.  That's fine with me, because that means healthier eating and less clean-up in the kitchen.  I was tired of the hamburgers and hot dogs so I told Steve I was going to venture outside the box and do something a little different. After looking through several of my cookbooks and putting some ideas I saw together...this is what I came up with!  These grilled quesadillas will make a fun and simple lunch or appetizer for a Mexican themed dinner

Grilled Chicken, Corn and Jack Quesadillas

(printable copy)

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless chicken breasts

1 1/2 tablespoons fajita seasoning

3 large ears of corn, husks and silk removed

4 (large) flour tortillas

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1/2 cup mild or medium salsa

2 green onions, thinly sliced

sour cream, optional

DIRECTIONS

1.  Prepare outdoor grill at medium-high heat.

2.  Season both sides of each chicken breast with a generous amount of fajita seasoning (see note below).

3.  Grill chicken on both sides until tender and juicy.  Move to plate to cool.  Slice in small strips.

  

4.  Place corn on hot grill rack.  Cover grill and cook corn, turning frequently, until brown in spots, 10-15 minutes.

5.  Transfer corn to plate and set aside until cool enough to handle.  When cool, with sharp knife, cut kernels from cobs.

6.  Place tortillas on work surface.  Evenly divide chicken, pepper jack cheese, salsa, green onions and corn on half of each tortilla.  Fold tortilla over filling to make 4 quesadillas. 

7.  Place quesadillas on hot grill rack. Grill, turning once, until browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes.  Cut in halves or fourths.

Missouri Farm Chick Notes:  You can get fajita seasoning mix in envelopes, where the gravy mixes are found in a grocery store.  What I use is a fajita mix I found in a jar at World Market.  It's their brand.  If you can get your hands on it...you'll love it!  

Optional:  Top quesadillas with sour cream.  

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo With a Cupcake

My husband and I dined at our favorite, local Mexican restaurant last night....Santa Fe.  We enjoyed all the Mexican flavors and visited with one of our favorite waiters about how he celebrates Cinco de Mayo and about our upcoming trip to Mexico.  We learned that our waiter lived near Riviera Maya before coming to Missouri.  Since this is where we are going, our conversation quickly turned to getting his advice for our upcoming trip.  He gave us some pointers about what to see (and not to see) when in Mexico and suggested, like so many, that we bring home some vanilla.  I told him that was already on my list.  So, I came home after all that wonderful conversation to revisit one of my favorite Margarita's....and it's a cupcake.  Happy Cinco de Mayo day!  

Click her to revisit ........ MARGARITA CUPCAKES  

Chocolate S'mores Cupcakes

Recently, I was asked to make some cupcakes for a school event and I did what I often do and that is to look at my Pinterest boards, traditional recipes tucked away and then at my old-fashioned bookmarks on my computer for some new ideas.  For the first batch, I decided to stick with a successful tried-and-tested cupcake recipe and design.  For the second choice, I decided to branch out and try something new.  That's pretty typical of me...play it safe and then take a risk.  For my 'take a risk and make something new" cupcakes... I made these Glorious Treats's Chocolate S'mores Cupcakes.  One change....I had to use my favorite marshmallow creme frosting.  Both cupcake recipes were a huge success!  

Chocolate S'mores Cupcakes

(Printable Copy)

(makes 24-27 standard sized cupcakes)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 whole eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS

...Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

...Line muffin tins with paper liners. 

...In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour,cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

...Add milk eggs, oil and vanilla. 

...Beat on medium speed for one minute.

...Stir in boiling water.  

...The batter will be very thin.

...Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.

...Bake cupcakes for approximately 22-24 minutes.  

...Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Marshmallow Frosting

Follow this link to my Pinterest Recipe Board.  This is the best frosting I have found to date.  Source:  Please Pass the Pie