More From Top Chef

Other recipes we've been working on at Top Chef are panzanella (Italian bread salad) and hummus! This salad recipe is a great way to get kids to eat their veggies; everybody wants to dive right into the salad that they made with their own two hands!


Hummus becomes extra magical when Auritte explains the ritual consumption in her homeland of Israel. Wipe it up with pita or spread it on a whole wheat dinner roll.


We make hummus at home from dried garbanzo beans, but canned is easier for the kids, and you might find out the same. This simple recipe has great results.


Hummus is a middle-eastern dip made with chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), seasonings, and tahini (sesame seed butter). The dip is often served with raw vegetables, spread on pita bread, or schmeared on a sandwich.

Drizzling in the olive oil helps us to understand the process of emulsification. Think about what happens when you try to mix oil and water. The oil will float to the top and will not mix in with the water. Emulsification is the process of blending the fat and liquid together. By drizzling the oil into the machine while it is running, we can emulsify the oil and create a smooth, homogenous dip.

Serves 6 people as a dip

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
Olive oil for drizzling
Paprika for sprinkling

1. Put chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and tahini in a food processor. Process until slightly smooth.
2. With the machine running, slowly stream in the olive oil.
3. Continue processing until hummus is smooth.
4. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt or lemon juice if necessary. Garnish with olive oil and paprika.


Whole wheat dinner rolls
Makes 12

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm (105 to 115°F) milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Stir in milk, butter, and egg. Beat until the mixture is smooth.
2. Add all-purpose flour and mix again until the batter is smooth.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
4. Stir the batter to deflate it slightly. Grease the muffin pans with pan spray. Scoop even amounts of batter into each muffin cup.
5. Cover with plastic and set aside. Proof for about 1 hour, or until rolls have grown up over the top of the muffin pans. Set the oven at 400 degrees.
6. Bake rolls for 15- 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with homemade butter.

Classic Dressings - Made At Home

Check out Sheryl's introduction to classic salad dressings and another writer's recipe for blue cheese dressing!

Thousand Island dressing
By Karoline Boehm Goodnick | June 30, 2010

Makes 2 cups

The origins of Thousand Island dressing are disputed. Some tales stem from the Waldorf Astoria in New York; others from Chicago’s Blackstone hotel. The most common version of the story credits Sophia LaLonde, a fisherman’s wife native to the Thousand Island region between New York and Canada. In the first decades of the 20th century, LaLonde reportedly served a mixture of ketchup, mayonnaise, and chopped pickles over a salad for shore lunch. The names Russian dressing and Thousand Island are often used interchangeably. They start with the same ingredients, although foodlore has it that Russian dressing once contained caviar and aspic (jellied consomme). While Thousand Island commonly partners with iceberg, Russian dressing is schmeared on rye as part of the famed Reuben sandwich. Put it on a double stacked burger, and it becomes a condiment not unlike Special Sauce.

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1. In a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir in the onion, green pepper, capers, and relish.

2. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

Ranch dressing

Makes 2 cups

A Santa Barbara couple started their own dude ranch in the 1950s, where visitors could take home a sample of the proprietary sauce. The combination of herbs and spices with mayonnaise and buttermilk became so popular that the consumer products giant Clorox purchased the rights to what is now known as Hidden Valley Ranch.

3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Pinch of sweet paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, parsley, thyme, oregano, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper.

2. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

French dressing

Makes 1 cup

In the 1920s, many hotels had their own version of this dressing, often adding ketchup, sugar, and paprika to commonplace oil and vinegar. Kraft made the sauce mainstream in 1938 by offering two bottled versions as a part of its dressings line.

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup tarragon vinegar or other white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 cup vegetable oil

1. In a bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, honey, ketchup, paprika, salt, and pepper.

2. Slowly whisk in the oil a tablespoon at a time. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

Shallots

I wrote this a little while back for Relish magazine, and while I did receive a check, I never saw the published article...hmmm...so, I thought I would share it with you (unedited, of course)...

An Overlooked Bulb
It was once believed that contemporary gourmands had to introduce the shallot to Americans. Julia Child described the unknown member of the onion family at length and often suggested mincing the white part of a green onion when the violet bulbs could not be found. The truth, in fact, is that cooks like Ms. Child re-introduced the shallot. Recipe collections dating back to the founding of this country contain countless entries which almost all call for “an Eschalot or two”. Yet, somewhere along the line, their use fell out of favor. Fortunately for us, they’ve been back for a while. Dry shallots (with papery skin like garlic) are available year round; fresh green youngsters pop up in the spring. Milder than their cousins, the cloves lend a subtle piquant nature to a dish. Roasted, they are sweeter and luscious. Raw, they are somewhat sharp and zippy. Often unnoticed, shallots are a gem on any plate.

Roasted Shallots

This technique yields two recipes from one. Adorn chicken or pork with the roasted shallots and garlic. Set aside two shallots along with the cooking oil to make a light vinaigrette, perfect for spring greens.

Makes 1 cup roasted shallots plus 1/2 cup vinaigrette

12 shallots, peeled
4 cloves garlic, peeled
3 sprigs rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
½ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Toss together all ingredients except for vinegar. Roast, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until shallots are soft and caramelized.
3. Drain shallots; discard herbs. Reserve oil and 2 shallots; cool.
4. In a food processor, combine 2 shallots with vinegar. While the machine is running, slowly drizzle in the reserved oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Shallot Gremolata

A simple garnish, the combination of punchy flavors will perk up any beef stew, grilled steak, baked potato, or braised lamb. To top tacos, substitute cilantro for parsley and lime zest for lemon.

Makes 1/2 cup

5 shallots, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Zest of 2 lemons
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients.

It's Like Buttah

Butter can be made at home easily. In the old days, butter was made by using a wooden churn. Cream is the fattiest portion of cows’ milk that is skimmed from the surface. Pioneers poured cream into their churn and beat the cream by hand until the fat molecules separated from the liquid, creating butter and buttermilk. Today, we can replicate the technique using a stand mixer or a hand held mixer. Homemade butter should be wrapped in plastic and can be stored in the refrigerator for as long as store bought butter.

1 quart heavy cream, cold

1. Pour cream into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk.
2. Beat cream on medium speed for about 20 minutes, scraping down the sides frequently, or until the butter separates from the buttermilk.
3. Pour both the butter and buttermilk through cheesecloth. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Discard buttermilk.
4. Wipe out mixer bowl. Return butter to the bowl.
5. Pour a small amount of ice water over the butter. Do not pour in any ice cubes.
6. Using your hands, knead the butter to release any remaining buttermilk. Drain water, and repeat process until the water is clear.
7. If desired, season the butter with salt, honey, herbs, or spices. Transfer to a container, and refrigerate.

Salsa Verde

Last week, we had a small fiesta in honor of Cinco de Mayo. It only seemed fitting given the ethnicity of the majority of our neighbors. We don't claim to be experts on their cuisine, but we certainly have a good time trying. A few margaritas and even more Negra Modelos washed down our meal of grilled snapper, jicama/cucumber salad, grilled nopales (hence the photo above in which Ben is removing the spines of the cactus), and the quintessential chips with guac. The super easy salsa verde recipe below made a great addition to the fish tacos. You could also pair it with enchiladas, chilaquiles, or schmear it on a good old American burger.

Salsa Verde
Makes 2 cups

4 large or 10 tiny tomatillos
1/4 cup green hot sauce (Try El Yucateco if you don't want to make your own)
1/2 avocado
1 scallion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a pot of salted, boiling water, blanch tomatillos for 4 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Combine all ingredients in blender.
3. Puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

Barbecue Sauce

This one's been on the to-do list for far too long. A by product of Quigs' birthday party prep back in February, this recipe requires many hours on the stove but is well worth the effort!

1 large onion, chopped
2 large ancho chiles, stems removed
7 cloves garlic, crushed
3 whole cloves
9 allspice berries
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 1/2 cups vinegar(we used cider)
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup date sugar
Salt, to taste
10 medium tomatoes, chopped

1. In a large, flameproof casserole, combine everything except for tomatoes. Bring liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is a thick syrup with large bubbles.
2. Add tomatoes. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. Using a potato masher, crush tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring often, for 2 hours or until very thick and similar to the consistency of ketchup.
4. In a blender, puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt if you like.

To My Readers:

You are a small but loyal crew. I must apologize for my absence. With 30 looming down on me, I've been busy making all the preparations to celebrate the fateful day -- and not by having a solitary pity party! In addition to the chaos of the celebrations of my birth and fortunate continued existence, I have been working like a dog, scrapping together recipes and photos for the Boston Globe (and 1 or 2 other publications that I will let you know about later). The really fantastic thing about the Globe is that they pay me. So, you will understand that is why I sometimes make my world revolve around the demands of said paying gig.

Fear not, though, my friends, unprocessed is still in full swing. A giant batch of hoagies sits on my counter next to an even larger bag of gaufrettes that Ben made at work. The remaining ingredients for an unprocessed birthday party sit in canvas sacks, ready to make their arrival into this world. We'll be sure to post a few new recipes that came about as a result of this soiree. And, if you happen to be in the area, stop by and give an early Happy Birthday salute to me and my dear friend, Suzan. We'll be commemorating the big 3-0 all night long!

Below is a post from today's Boston Globe Short Orders section. You may have seen me touting the merits of Blue Grass Soy Sauce before, but this is the "professional" version.

Microbrewed, small batch, and single barrel are not terms usually associated with the production of soy sauce. But Matt Jamie, president of Bourbon Barrel Foods, is doing just that. Made with non-GMO soybeans and spring water, Blue Grass Soy Sauce ($5.99 for 5 ounces) is one of Kentucky’s finest. The condiment is fermented and aged in bourbon barrels; each label states the batch and bottle number, handwritten by Jamie’s father. The subtle smokiness, derived from its time in oak, perks up a simple stir-fry or rounds out a sharp balsamic vinaigrette. From the land of whiskey and thoroughbreds comes an artisan elixir deserving of space on your shelf. Available at Don Otto’s (formerly Lionette’s), 577 Tremont St., Boston, 617-778-0360; City Feed and Supply, 672 Centre St., 617-524-1799, and 66A Boylston St., 617-524-1657, both in Jamaica Plain; or from www.bluegrasssoysauce.com.

Enough with the Nut Butters, Already!

I realize that at this point, you must think that my infatuation with all things nutty and ground in the food processor borders on serious insanity. Well, I can assure you that I am certifiably crazy, but it has nothing to do with schmears intended for toast.

That being said, our latest venture into the nut butter world was cashew. Ben is interested in trying out one of Martha Stewart's recipes that calls for cashew butter. I must admit that out of the three that we have tried thus far, cashew butter is my least favorite, although I can't clearly articulate why. Perhaps there is a higher starch content, which in the end yields something slightly more difficult to spread than the good old Peter Pan standby. While this may not sound like a ringing endorsement, I do suggest you try it. Variety, after all, is the spice of life. Who knows? Maybe I will even venture into the world of Brazil nut butter. Does that even sound good?

4 cups raw, unsalted cashews
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup oil
4-6 tablespoons water

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the cashews. Roast for 20 minutes, or until nuts begin to brown and release their oils.
2. In a food processor, grind the nuts with the salt, scraping down the sides often.
3. With the machine running, pour in oil and water, again scraping the sides as necessary. If the butter seems too stiff, feel free to add more water or oil.
4. When the cashew butter is smooth and homogeneous, transfer to an air-tight container. Store in the refrigerator.

Ranch Dip

Store-bought salad dressings and dips are chock full of corn syrup, other sugars, and nasty stabilizers. Save yourself the guilt by making your own. Sometimes a salad requires only a squirt of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Other times, your stomach cries out for a substantial partner which makes getting your daily dose of green veggies seem like a sinful indulgence.

Ranch dip is a party favorite - smothered on hot wings and coating baby carrots. If you already have homemade mayo on hand, this recipe requires less than 5 minutes to throw it all together - making it the perfect addition to your already lengthy party prep list.

If you wish to dress a salad, thin the dip by whisking in a stream of buttermilk until it reaches the desired consistency.

Makes 1 quart

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups creme fraiche or sour cream (see our upcoming post about how to make your own)
6 scallions, minced
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
Pinch paprika
3 tablespoons vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir well.
2. Taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper if you like.

Almond Butter

They say necessity is the mother of invention. Well, whoever comprises the proverbial "they" might just be right. My obsessive consumption of peanut butter meant that it was quickly time for round 2. Turns out that raw, unsalted, ungreased peanuts are kind of difficult to find at my local non-pretentious market. What I found instead were raw almonds, a tasty alternative that might remove some of the monotony from my day to day. I smeared some on toast and topped it with apple butter. It was a combination so right that I might be a lifetime convert -- until the next "necessity" comes along, that is.

Makes 1 pound of almond butter

1 pound (approx. 3 cups) raw, unblanched almonds
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast nuts for 15 minutes. Cool completely.
2. In a food processor, combine toasted nuts and salt. Process for 90 seconds.
3. Stir in canola oil. Process for an additional 3 minutes, stopping and scraping often, until smooth. The almond butter will be looser and slightly runnier than peanut butter.
4. Pour into an air-tight container, cover, and store in the refrigerator.

Ketchup

I could eat ketchup on anything and everything. French fries, in all their salty, greasy greatness, are nothing but a mere vehicle for the sweet, tangy rush of gobs of ketchup. One tiny matchstick requires at least 1/4 cup of the crimson sauce. Burgers should ooze scarlet -- and not just bovine blood. Hot dogs should force the condiment to envelope your chin. Eggs, rice, toast, hell even the most perfectly roasted potato is taken to heavenly heights when dragged through a pool of ketchup.

Addictions are meant to be fed, and if I couldn't get my fix from a corn-syrup laden plastic squeeze bottle, then we certainly had to come up with something close or risk the unbearable symptoms of total withdrawl. This recipe was not an easy one. We cooked up 3 or 4 batches before Ben would even deem it "bloggable", and he still isn't completely satisfied. I, however, took one look at it, dipped in one finger, and then another, savoring the sweet relief, closing my eyes while my veins delivered everything I had been craving. Sometimes, ketchup is so good that it doesn't even need a vehicle.

Makes about 3 cups

1/2 cup honey
1 cup vinegar
2 small yellow onions, minced
1 medium chili pepper, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
10 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 whole cloves
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a flameproof casserole, combine honey, vinegar, onion, chili, and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to thicken. The bubbles will come slower and be larger.
2. Stir in tomatoes, paprika, cloves, ginger, and salt and pepper. Cover with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove the lid. Smash the tomatoes with a potato masher until a chunky salsa-like puree forms. Simmer for an additional 2 hours and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have a splatter screen, it will come in handy during this stage of the cooking.
5. Transfer the contents of the pot to a blender. (You may want to do this step in batches. Hot items in the blender tend to expand and splash upwards. Cover with a lid, leaving the center open to release steam. Hold a towel loosely over the center hole.) Blend for at least 3 minutes on high, or until the ketchup is smooth.
6. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge until the next time you're jonesing for a burger.

Preserved Meyer Lemons

Meyer lemons are believed to be a cross between an orange and a lemon, originally grown in China. Slightly sweeter than standard lemons, they are also a deeper yellow-orange hue with a smooth exterior. Praised by restaurant chefs for their unique flavor, they can be used in both sweet and savory applications.

Preserving lemons in salt is a North African tradition. The cure allows for longer storage of the fruit in addition to making the skins more palatable. Before using, remember to rinse the excess salt. The pulp is typically discarded. Should you not find Meyer lemons, feel free to sub regular lemons, limes, kumquats, or really any type of citrus. The chopped rind pairs well with cooked garlic. Stir it into braised greens, stewed chicken, salad dressings, or a pot of rice or couscous.

Makes 1 pint

2 Meyer lemons, cut into quarters
Juice of 2 Meyer lemons
1/2 to 3/4 cup salt

1. Pour 1/4 cup of salt into the bottom of a 1 pint jar. Press 4 lemon wedges in tightly. Pour an additional 1/4 cup salt over the wedges. Press in the remaining 4 wedges. Pour approximately 1/4 salt over the top of the additional wedges. You may need to use slightly less salt, depending on the exact capacity of the jar and how you packed the lemons.
2. Pour in juice of the other 2 lemons. Seal with the lid, and shake aggresively to distribute the salt and juice.
3. Refrigerate for at least a week. Before using the lemons, remove the pulp, rinse the skins, and julienne or chop. The lemons will last in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Celery Root Remoulade

Homemade mayonnaise, while it may seem like a ridiculous concept, is far better than its store-bought counterpart. When all is said and done, it really only adds an extra 10 minutes to prep time. Our version uses a cooked egg -- traditional recipes use raw -- so that it is safe for pregnant diners or anyone else concerned about the consumption of raw eggs. The addition of water keeps the white bright and lends an extra fluff to the final product. This mayo is unadorned, best used as a base for sauces and other dishes. If it seems like too much of a pain in the butt to you, feel free to substitute your favorite brand when making the remoulade below.

Laying in bed last week, I stumbled across Molly Wizenberg's piece on celery root in Bon Appetit magazine. Firmly attached to some craving center in my brain, I just had to have celery root remoulade. The dish is quite simple, with the only key being the draining of the celery root. If you don't squeeze hard enough, the end result will be loose and watery. Think of CRR as an elegant coleslaw, served in the winter months as a teaser for the barbecues to come later in the year. I enjoy it most with roast chicken and deeply caramelized potatoes. The next day, rub two slices of toast with garlic, chop a few anchovies, and layer the remoulade with leftover chicken. The sandwich might even be tastier than the previous night's dinner.

Mayonnaise

Makes approx. 1 quart

1 egg, poached
2 tablespoons vinegar
4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch paprika
3 cups canola oil

1. In a food processor, combine egg, vinegar, water, salt, and paprika. Run the machine for two minutes.
2. With the machine still running, slowly drizzle in oil. Stop the machine. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and paprika if you like.
3. Store in the fridge, covered. It will last for at least a week.

Celery Root Remoulade

Makes approx. 1 quart

1 pound celery root, peeled and shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1 large shallot, minced
6 tablespoons mayo (from above recipe)
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard (we will be posting a recipe for this once we have perfected the proportions)
1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. In a large bowl, combine shredded celery root and salt. Let stand for 1 hour.
2. Transfer celery root to a colander placed in the sink. Rinse celery root. Using your hands, wring out excess liquid.
3. In a clean bowl, combine celery root, shallot, mayo, vinegar, mustard, and parsley. Stir well. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt, if you like.

Hot Sauce

There are very few things that cannot be bettered by the addition of a splash (or 10) of hot sauce. So, last week, we quickly whipped up a batch to alleviate our suffering without it. There are a million ways to make hot sauce. This is only one version, but we will surely test many more...especially since the bottle broke last night, and we are once again without hot sauce -- a total bummer.

When you are blending the hot sauce, be sure to use the lid. Just remove the center piece so that you can drop the peppers in while the blender is running. This makes is much easier to liquefy the peppers. It is best to let the flavors meld and mellow for a few days before using it.

1/4 pound (about 15) serrano peppers
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon salt

1. Wash the peppers and remove the stems.
2. In a blender, combine the salt and vinegar.
3. With the blender running on low speed, drop in the chiles, one at a time.
4. When all the peppers are in the blender, run it on high for at least 3 minutes. The final product should be homogenous and free of lumps.
5. Pour hot sauce into jar. Store in the refrigerator.

The top photo was taken at a market in Cuernavaca, Mexico while I attended classes at La Villa Bonita Cooking School. The bottom photo was taken at St. Louis, Missouri's Soulard Market. (Forgive the quality. I was unable to locate the digital copies, and I was forced to scan in the printed photos. I vow to be more organized in 2010!)

Apple Butter

Making apple butter is fairly simple, but it takes a long, long time. I recommend using a Crock-pot. Stove-top versions are ok, but they tend to burn if you don't watch them carefully. I've read that you should not use granny smiths, instead choosing sweeter varieties. However, we threw in a bunch of granny smiths (just to use them up), and this batch was delicious! The only other trick is to use a scant amount of cinnamon. The apples are extremely flavorful once they have cooked down all day -- no need to overpower them with baking spices.

In an effort to make things healthier, we used fruit sweetener instead of cane sugar. It is a syrup made from concentrated fruit juices. The sweetener is great for baking, and tastes sweeter than cane sugar. So, you can use less.

Makes about 2 cups

8 apples
1/2 cup fruit sweetener
2 cups water
Pinch salt
1 stick cinnamon (about 1.5 inches long)

1. Scrub the apples. Do not peel them. Cut them (cores and all) into chunks.
2. Combine apples with sweetener, water, and salt in a large pot.
3. Cook the apples, over medium heat, for 2 hours or until completely broken down. Stir often, breaking up the apples with a spoon. Add more water if it becomes too dry. The final mixture should resemble apple sauce.
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Use a ladle or a rubber spatula to push the pulp through the strainer, leaving the seeds and skin behind. Discard the seeds and skin.
4. Transfer the pulp to a Crock-pot. Turn it on low for 8 hours. Stir occasionally, making sure to scrape the sides well.
5. After 6 hours of cooking time, add the cinnamon stick. Leave the lid slightly ajar to allow for reduction.
6. Cook for an additional 2 hours. Remove cinnamon stick. Transfer to jars or plastic containers with lids. Store in refrigerator.

Peanut, Peanut Butter...n Jelly!

Second on my all-time favorites list of breakfast dishes is peanut butter and jelly. That's right...breakfast. But, have you ever read the label on the back of a jar of Skippy, Peter Pan etc. What is that stuff? Since processed peanut butter is out in 2010, the homemade version had to be made right away! Making peanut butter is actually very easy -- not quite as fast as ripping off the foil seal of a store-bought jar, but almost.

2 cups shelled, skinless peanuts
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons canola oil

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, roast the peanuts for 40 minutes or until they begin to color and glisten. Remove from the oven, and cool until the peanuts are room temperature.
3. Pour the peanuts into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Put the lid on, and run for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Pour in canola oil. Process the peanuts and oil for 1 minute; scrape down the sides of the bowl. Run the machine for 1 additional minute.
5. Scrape into a small jar and refrigerate. (The oil may separate out. Simply stir it back in before serving.)

Pictured here with Ben's homemade Huckleberry jelly.