Marisa McClellan's Blog, page 102

Giveaway: A Kitchen Box + Discount Code

One trend that I’m very much enjoying these days is the rise of the curated subscription box. It used to be that subscriptions were limited to books, magazines, music, and occasionally, cheese. These days, you can sign up to receive all manner of items on monthly or quarterly basis.

A Kitchen Box is one such subscription box company. They focus on products and recipes designed to inspire you in the kitchen and they make sure to include something to see, taste, learn, and try in every box.

Recently, I teamed up with the folks at A Kitchen Box on a Food in Jars-themed box and it turned out even more beautifully than I could have imagined.

The box includes a gorgeously printed copy of my recipe for Orange Tomato and Smoked Paprika Jam, a pretty picture postcard of that jam, a packet of Sweet Smoked Paprika from Whole Spice, two Le Parfait 324 ml French Jam Storage Jars (you treat these like any other lug lid jar), canning labels, music downloads, and a grey flour sack towel. They also donate $1 from each purchase to Rogue Valley Orphanage Outreach.

Brooke and Ang from A Kitchn Box have offered one of these Food In Jars Box for this week’s giveaway. Additionally, they’re offering all Food in Jars readers $10 off the first month of any new AKB Subscription, along with a free Mini Box (while their limited stash lasts). If you want in on the deal, use the code ‘foodinjars’ in the coupon field at check-out.

Here’s how to enter:

Leave a comment on this post and tell me about either something to which you subscribe, or something you wish you could subscribe to (I once had a subscription to toilet paper through Amazon. It was an amazing way to never run out).
Comments will close at 11:59 pm east coast time on Saturday, October 25, 2014. The winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog by the end of the day on Sunday, October 26, 2014.
Giveaway is open to US residents.
One comment per person, please. Entries must be left on the blog, I cannot accept submissions via email.

Disclosure: A Kitchen Box sent me one of the Food in Jars boxes for photography purposes. No additional compensation was provided.

View more on Marisa McClellan's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 20, 2014 14:00

Giveaway: Bake Your Bundt Off with MightyNest

This blog post is sponsored by MightyNest. They are an online retailer with a mission to provide the natural, organic, and non-toxic products that parents seek for their home while also giving back to schools.

I like glassware. Truly, this should come as no surprise to anyone who has read this blog for longer than five minutes. I love a good jar like nobody’s business. I’m a big fan of vintage glass Pyrex bowls and bakers, as well as the newer glass food storage containers. I’m even a sucker for a well-made drinking glass (oh Duralex Picardie, you will always have my heart).

So, when the non-toxic avengers over at MightyNest asked if I might be interested in replacing my ancient avocado green, Teflon-coated bundt pan with one made of glass, I was helpless to resist. I said yes and signed on to participate in their “Bake Your Bundt Off” promotion.

The bundt pan arrived late last week and it sat on my coffee table for most of the weekend, looking more like modern art than bakeware. I had an itch to bake, but wanted to make sure that I chose just the right thing for the maiden voyage of this glamorous pan. Needing to use a recipe from a cookbook I owned (Scott and I have been purging books lately, and so if it’s not getting used, it can’t stay), I turned to Eat Your Books and searched for bundt recipes.

The search turned up a number of options, but wanting to incorporate the flavors of fall, nothing sounded more perfectly on the nose than Dorie Greenspan’s recipe for Double Apple Bundt Cake (it’s from her fabulous book, Baking). I made just a few small changes, it is essentially still hers.

I swapped out some of the AP flour for whole wheat, reduced the sugar a tiny bit, and used my own homemade apple butter for the store bought version for which she calls (and any time I can shoehorn homemade preserves into a baked good, I am a happy girl).

I also skipped any kind of frosting, because I want to be able to justify eating a slice of this cake for breakfast, and I just can’t make the rationalization work if it’s got a powdered sugar glaze drizzled over the top.

And just a note about the bits slight charring on my cake. This is not the pan’s fault. I forgot to set a timer after deciding that the cake needed a few more minutes. I got distracted and let five minutes turn into more than ten (and I am not the type to remake a cake for pictures). Happily, thanks to the apple butter and grated apple, the cake was still entirely moist inside. I just use a serrated edge knife to scrape away the worst of the burnt bits before eating.

Another reason this particular cake spoke to me was that Dorie mentions that it improves in both taste and texture when you let it rest for a bit. I keep a mental list of baked goods that just get better over time, because they allow me to take advantage of a sliver of free time mid-week to bake for parties and gatherings scheduled for the weekend.

So, on to the giveaway portion of this post. MightyNest is offering one lucky Food in Jars reader a chance to win a 10 inch glass bundt pan, a Cakebox (from the makers of Piebox), a sweet tea towel, and a sturdy stainless brownie spatula (also good for cake!).

The prize pack has a retail value of $100, and to sweeten the deal, MightyNest is also going to donate $100 to the winner’s school of choice. It’s a mighty good deal. Use the widget below to enter.

A little more about MightyNest, the sponsor of this post:

Everything they sell is selected with the highest standards for safety and quality. Glass and stainless baking gear and food storage. Green cleaning supplies. Natural bath products, and other home essentials. And everything is selected to be free from known toxic ingredients such as: BPA, PVC, Phthalates, Lead, Formaldehyde, flame retardants, Parabens and more.

Anytime you order from MightyNest, they’ll give 15% back to the school of your choice. It’s a great way to be healthier and support your local school.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. MightyNest sent me a set of the gear that we’re giving away and is also an occasional Food in Jars sponsor.

Print
Apple Bundt Cake

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 half pint apple or pear butter
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and grated
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup gold raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 12 cup bundt pan.
Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Beat the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer or in a bowl using a hand mixer.
Once it is quite fluffy, beat in the eggs, one by one.
When the eggs are completely integrated, add the fruit butter, grated apples, and fresh ginger. Mix to incorporate.
Add the dry ingredients in batches, mixing just until they are combined.
Finally, add the nuts and raisins and mix until they are dispersed.
Scrape the batter into the buttered bundt pan and level the top with a silicone spatula.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Once the cake is fully cooked, remove it from the oven and invert the cake onto a rack to cool.
Well wrapped, the cake will keep for up to a week.

Notes

This recipe is liberally adapted from the recipe for Double Apple Bundt Cake from Dorie Greenspan's wonderful cookbook, Baking.

Dorie calls for a powdered sugar glaze to be drizzled over the cake, or for a light dusting of powdered sugar. I've skipped both options because I like to pretend that this cake is appropriate for breakfast and I can't justify it for my morning meal if it is frosted. Plus, it's plenty sweet on its own.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.6http://foodinjars.com/2014/10/giveaway-bake-bundt-mightynest/

View more on Marisa McClellan's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 15, 2014 08:48

Canning 101: How to Swap Vinegars

When I first started canning, I used a lot of distilled white vinegar. It was cheap, readily available, and a lot of the traditional recipes used it so I figured I should too. However, I found that I didn’t always love the flavor of white vinegar.

It was unrelentingly acidic and just didn’t bring anything interesting to the jars of pickles and chutneys in which I used it. Gradually, I started shifting from white distilled to apple cider, red wine, and white wine vinegars (I’ll use champagne vinegar when I can get it, but it’s pricy).

You might think that I was doing something potentially unsafe with my vinegar switch, but I wasn’t. That’s because I was making sure to only swap other 5% acidity vinegars in for the white distilled. As long as the vinegar has the same acidic concentration, you can always pull out one vinegar and replace it with another.

Whenever you buy a jug of vinegar, it should say right on the label (like the one in the picture above) that it has either been diluted or reduced with water to 5% acidity. There are a couple of cases when your vinegar won’t be 5%. Rice vinegar is typically sold between 4% and 4.3% acidity (however, Linda Ziedrich has a formula that allows you to still use it with all your favorite recipes) and in some commercial settings, apple cider vinegar is being sold at 4%.

The moral of the story is that as long as you read the vinegar labels carefully and make sure that you’ve got a bottle containing vinegar that has a 5% acidity, you can use whichever you’d like in your pickles!

Related Posts:

Canning 101: How to Shuck Corn Easily
Canning 101: Can You Safely Can on a Glass Top Stove?
Canning 101: The Easiest Way to Peel Tomatoes (Peaches Too!)

View more on Marisa McClellan's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 14, 2014 20:29

Upcoming Events: Philly, Carlisle, PA, and Harvest on Henry Festival

Upcoming events!

October 14, Philadelphia

I’m teaching a sauerkraut class at the German Society of Pennsylvania tonight 7-9 pm. Everyone will make their own quart jar of sauerkraut to take home with them. Class fee is $15 and you can register by emailing librarian@germansociety.org. More details about this class can be found here. I believe the class is full, but I know there was a waiting list, for any of you who feel moved to see if you can get in on a spur of the moment jar of sauerkraut.

October 15, Carlisle, PA

On Wednesday, I’m heading out to the center of Pennsylvania to do a canning demo at the Farmers on the Square market. I’ll be there from 3-5 pm and will have books on hand for sale and signature. I’m also happy to sign books you already own, so if you’re nearby and you’ve got copies, bring them with you!

October 18, Philadelphia

Canning demos and book signing at the Weaver’s Way Farm at Saul HS Harvest on Henry Festival. I’ll do a couple of demonstrations and will help judge the pie contest! More details can be found here. The festival runs from 1-5 pm and is open to all.

View more on Marisa McClellan's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 14, 2014 05:00

Links: Maple, Carrot Tops, and Winners

The days have gotten cool and cloudy here in Philadelphia. The sun is setting earlier and I’m feeling an overwhelming desire to bake quick breads and pear tarts. I’d say that those are all good signs that fall has well and truly arrived. It might even be time to start opening up the strawberry jam! Now, links!

Before the frost comes and makes them all slimy, puree up some carrot top pesto.
Roasted sage and onion jam. Imagine it with cheese!
This is a very old blog post, but one worthy of a little love. Maple sweetened black pepper ketchup.
Speaking of maple sweetened things, try on this cranberry sauce for size.
Ground cherry and fig jam. You just might be able to get the very last of the season fruit for this one.
If your fridge is overrun with jam, throw yourself a toast party! I’ve done something similar in the past, only with whole wheat biscuits.
The tomatoes are nearly at their end!
Long cooked plum paste.
We’re about a month into the school year. Need something new for lunch boxes? Might I suggest these figgy granola bars?
I am all about reducing food waste and I love these suggestions for using fermentation as a way to extend lifespan.
Crabapple jelly.
Last of the tomatoes not ripening? Pickle ‘em!

Time for the winners in last week’s reCAP giveaway. I loved reading all the ways that you guys are using mason jars these days! Such creativity! The winners are…

#56/Nancy Tidd
#213/Elizabeth
#306/Tina

If you didn’t win and want to get your hands on some reCAP lids, you can either check out their online shop, or contribute to their ongoing Kickstarter campaign to get the hottest and newest lids.

Related Posts:

Links: Grape Jelly, Peach Mustard, and Winners
Links: Plums, Tomatoes, Apples, and a Winner
Links: Figs, Peaches, Tomatoes, and Winners

View more on Marisa McClellan's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 13, 2014 18:01

Preserves in Action: Open Faced Kimchi & Egg Sandwich

Late last week, I came down with a cold. At first, I tried to pretend it wasn’t happening, but it was not to be ignored. And so I spent the last five days in a bit of a haze, doing only the things that absolutely had to be done. I taught my classes and did the demos I’d committed to doing, but I skipped all extras, including grocery shopping.

Today was the first day that I felt anywhere near normal. I woke up ravenous and headed to the fridge, hoping for something fresh and delicious. Instead, I found a number of weird odds and ends, and no fresh vegetables whatsoever.

There was slightly stale half a bagel, a few eggs, and some end of a jar of the most delicious kimchi ever (it was from the July food swap and was so darn good). And so, I toasted the bagel and spread all the kimchi goodness into it (probiotics!). A single fried egg went on top. And it was delicious.

Eggs and kimchi. Make sure to try it.

Related Posts:

Preserves in Action: Peanut Butter and Spicy Apricot Jam
Preserves in Action: Egg Sandwich with Spinach and Tomato Jam
Preserves in Action: Potato Salad with Pickles

View more on Marisa McClellan's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 09, 2014 20:45

Urban Preserving: Concord Grape Jam

Two or three times a year, I pack up a big box of jam and mail it off to my sister and her family in Austin, TX. While Raina knows the fundamentals of jam making (and I know she has at least two cookbooks that could show her how), my mom and I easily (and happily) meet the bulk of her fruit spread needs.

In the last shipment, one of the jars I sent was a squat little half pint of concord grape jam. I’d made it as a test batch sometime last fall and hadn’t thought much about it beyond assuming that my nephew might dig it. When Raina reported back on the winners, the thing she raved about most was the grape jam. They ate through it in record time and were all a little sad to hear that there wasn’t even a drop more.

So when concord grapes came into season this fall, I made a point to pick some up to make another batch of jam for Raina and her crew. I started with 2 pounds of concord grapes. I gave them a quick rinse, and popped them in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of water. I set the pan on the stove and brought it to a simmer. I let it go for a few minutes, just until the grapes popped.

Once the grapes where soft, I poured them into a food mill that I’d fitted with the finest screen and milled them through. This is the step that makes this preserve more of a jam than a jelly. It’s not going to have a ton of texture from the skin, but some gets through and gives the finished product a little more body.

Once I couldn’t mill any more, I measured out the pulp. In my case, I had a little more than 3 1/2 cups, but your results will vary. I poured the pulp into a low, wide pan and added 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar (roughly half the volume of pulp) and the juice of half a lemon. Then I cooked it until it was thick (times vary, use your judgment).

Once the jam was done, I funneled it into two half pint jars (there was a little leftover for the fridge) and processed them in a boiling water bath canner for ten minutes. They sealed perfectly and will be in my checked luggage when I head for Austin later this month to meet my new nephew (!!!). He was born at 7:59 this morning and everyone is well.

View more on Marisa McClellan's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 08, 2014 20:45

Giveaway: Mason Jar Lids from reCAP + Flip Cap Kickstarter News

Truly, it is a great time to be a mason jar lover. All those new products from EcoJarz that I featured last week are one good example. Another is the activity happening over that reCAP HQ these days.

They make those leakproof flip-top lids that are so good for using on jars that contain salad dressings, maple syrup, and really anything else you want to pour neatly from a jar. They also sell adaptors that convert mason jars into pumping dispensers and (my favorite) spray bottles. I have a bottle of orange-infused vinegar fitted with one of those spray lids that I keep on the kitchen counter for easy clean-ups.

The folks at reCAP are currently in the midst of a Kickstarter, working to fund their latest jar brainwave. It’s a flip-top lid that has a wide opening that can be popped open for easy dispensing of larger items. It can also be fitted with a shaker screen for sifting and dusting.

Their fundraising campaign is nearly halfway to the goal and if you’re so moved, they would love your help. Their campaign page can be found here (and don’t skip the video. It’s hilarious and once scene includes a copy of my first book).

One of the ways that the reCAP team is spreading the word about their Kickstarter is by sponsoring a number of product giveaways across the internet. This is one such giveaway. I have three sets of reCAPs to giveaway.

Each set contains one silver wide mouth reCAP, one silver regular mouth reCAP, and one of their new blue wide mouth reCAPs (pretend that the wide mouth lid featured in the image at the top of this post is a silver lid. I couldn’t find my silver one at picture time).

Here’s how you enter:

Leave a comment on this post and tell me how you’re using mason jars these days. Are you canning? Stashing leftovers? Using them for oatmeal? Painting them silver and filling them with flowers?
Comments will close at 11:59 pm east coast time on Saturday, October 11, 2014. The winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog by the end of the day on Sunday, October 12, 2014.
Giveaway is open to US residents.
One comment per person, please. Entries must be left on the blog, I cannot accept submissions via email.

Disclosure: reCAP sent me two of the lids you see above for testing and photography purposes (I had the black one floating around from a previous project). They are also providing the prizes for the giveaway. No additional compensation was provided.

Related Posts:

reCAP Winners
reCAP Mason Jar Lid Giveaway
Giveaway: New Products from EcoJarz

View more on Marisa McClellan's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 06, 2014 15:00

Upcoming Events: Princeton! Kennett Square! Lancaster!

I know I’ve been saying this for weeks, but the end of my season of classes and events is now firmly in sight. If you’ve been wanting to take a class or pick up a signed copy of one of my books, now is the time. I have seven events left in October, two more in November and then I’m taking most of the next six months from doing classes, events, or book signings so that I can focus on writing my next book.

I’d like to draw particular attention to the pair of classes I’m teaching at Fillmore Container this weekend. These will be active, hands-on classes and all participants will get be taking home fresh, hot jars of delicious preserved food. If you’re at all interested in one or both of these classes, register today.

October 8, Swarthmore, PA

I’ll doing a canning demo Harvey Oak Mercantile from 6-8 pm. There will be books available for sale and signature. Registration details to come.

October 9, Princeton, NJ

Thanks to a friend who has made all the arrangements, I’m headed to Princeton to offer a batch canning demonstration at the Whole Earth Center. Event is from 7-9 pm and tickets can be obtained here. Books will be available!

October 10, Kennett Square, PA

Every fall, Kennett Square throws a festival to celebrate all things fermented. I’ll be offering a quick sauerkraut demo and then will be appearing on a panel with some other ferment-friendly folks. The happenings will be at the Bayard Taylor Library. Demos will be from 6-7:30 pm, the discussion starts at 7:30, and admission is free. More details can be found here.

October 11, Lancaster, PA

I’m spending a Saturday at Fillmore Container, offering a pair of canning classes in their warehouse. The first class is from 10 am – 12 noon, in which we’ll focus on preserving pears in batches large and small (including information about how to use Pomona’s Pectin). From 1-3 pm, we’ll dig into how to preserve tomatoes, including how to make tomato jam and how to preserve whole peeled tomatoes. To register for both classes (they’re $35 a piece), click here. We’re also going to offer a book signing at the end of the day.

October 12, Cherry Hill, NJ

I’m hopping over the bridge to South Jersey for a small batch jam demonstration and book signing at Williams-Sonoma at the Cherry Hill Mall. The event is from 1-3 pm and is free and open to all.

October 14, Philadelphia

I’m teaching a sauerkraut class at the German Society of Pennsylvania from 7-9 pm. Everyone will make their own quart jar of sauerkraut to take home with them. Class fee is $15 and you can register by emailing librarian@germansociety.org. More details about this class can be found here.

October 18, Philadelphia

Canning demos and book signing at the Weaver’s Way Farm at Saul HS Harvest on Henry Festival. I’ll do a couple of demonstrations and will help judge the pie contest! More details can be found here. The festival runs from 1-5 pm and is open to all.

Related Posts:

Upcoming Events: Philly! Princeton! Lancaster!
Upcoming Events: New York! Philadelphia! Lancaster County!
Upcoming Events: New York! Philadelphia! Toronto!

View more on Marisa McClellan's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 06, 2014 05:00

Links: Grape Jelly, Peach Mustard, and Winners

For the last week, my body has been in Philadelphia, but my brain has mostly been occupied with happenings in Austin, TX. My sister is hugely pregnant with her second child and the baby-watch is on. I’m going to be heading down there at the end of the month to help and cook, but for now we wait.

Now, links.