Watercress- Any Season for Your Salad

watercress growing in a stream (photo by jhy)

Watercress is a member of the mustard family that can be found and harvested year round. Even in the Northern states, if there is open water in a stream you might find watercress available for picking.

It has a spicy flavor, and the leaves are great to add to salads. Watercress is nutritionally rich, having iron, calcium and folic acid, vitamins A and C, and it is high in iron.

The one thing to watch out for is the quality of the water source where you pick it. If it's growing in a contaminated stream there will be bacteria adhering to the leaves. Always be sure to wash the leaves in potable water. If the stream smells bad, or is downstream of something like a cow pasture, it's best to pass over that source.

I have found that the flavor varies from time to time and place to place. The leaves pictured above look just like any other bunch of watercress, but they weren't very spicy at all.

Canning Apple Cider

canned apple cider (photo by jhy)

You will need: apple cider
quart canning jars
lids and rings
canner
jar lifter
funnel
paper towel
utensils

Canning apple cider is one method to preserve the goodness of cider all winter. The ones I canned have a small amount of floating "stuff" on top, but I can easily strain that out when they are opened. It's the result of not skimming the foam quite completely enough.

Prepare canning jars by washing and sterilizing. Then fill with hot apple cider leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Follow general directions for hot water bath canning, and process for 20 minutes.

Remove from water, cool, remove rings, label and store.

Pasteurizing Fresh Apple Cider

apple cider at 180 F (photo by jhy)

You will need: fresh homemade apple cider
large kettle
jelly thermometer

If:

• you have concerns about your fresh cider being safe
• you want to store it for a week or so
• you plan to can the cider

you need to pasteurize it.

This simply means to raise the temperature high enough to kill most bacteria. It is not necessary to boil it, as this can change the flavor of some foods (for example, pasteurized milk is not boiled). The critical temperature is 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).

Put the cider in a large kettle, and clip a jelly thermometer on the side. Be sure that the bulb of the thermometer does not rest on the bottom of the pan. At least an inch clearance is good. Heat the cider over medium high heat until the correct temperature is reached. Skim off the foam with a metal spoon. If you are going to can it, pour immediately into hot glass jars. If you are going to store it, you may need to let it cool. Particularly if you are putting it in plastic containers.

Freezing Autumn Olive Berries

autumn olive berries after being frozen (photo by jhy)

You will need: autumn olive berries picked after first frost, any amount
a cookie sheet or tray with edges
space in your freezer to lay the tray flat
freezer bags

The preparation for freezing is a bit time consuming, but you can do a bowl full while watching TV or something. It's quite mindless. I think the flavor is worth it.

Collect autumn olive berries after the first frost. You can continue to collect them until they begin to be soft and mushy.

I don't wash the berries because you want them to be completely dry, and they don't get dirty on the bushes. You can throw out any that concern you when you pick them over. Remove all the little gray stems, and any debris from your collection efforts. This is the tedious part. Discard any berries that are shriveled or hard. Your goal is berries that will be eaten raw.

autumn olive berries ready for the first freezing (photo by jhy)

Place berries on a cookie sheet or other metal tray with a lip, in one layer. Don't spread them more than one layer deep. Put the tray of berries in the freezer, uncovered for about a day. This will freeze the berries solid, but they will still be loose, not clumped together or squashed.

frozen packet of autumn olive berries (photo by jhy)

Remove berries from the tray and double bag. Label and return to the freezer. The berries pictured in the bag are what is left of the ones I froze last year, and they are still loose and perfectly good to use.

I like to use these as a garnish on yogurt or salad. I think the flavor is particularly nice on salad and the slight crunch of the seeds is masked by the crunch of the salad. I just open the bags and take out what I want, then press the air out of the bags, reseal and place it back in the freezer.

Low Fat Apple Crisp

apple crisp (photo by jhy)

You will need:

• 7 c apple slices
• 1/3 c sugar (or sugar substitute)
• 2 T flour
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1 c quick rolled oats
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/4 c oleo (margarine)

9x13 inch pan bowls spoons, scraper, etc sharp knife This apple crisp is delicious, having all the goodness of apple pie without the calories of the pie crust. It's very basic, and you probably have all the ingredients on hand if you bake regularly. I made the mistake of using oats that were not "quick" the first time I made it. They do not soften, despite the long baking time, and the topping was very crunchy. I didn't mind, but hubby did not like that. You could add some nutmeg too, if you like.

apples and spices mixed (photo by jhy)

Peel, core and slice apples till you have 7 cups. Toss them with the white sugar (or substitute), flour, and 2 t of the cinnamon. Spread this mixture in the bottom of a baking pan. Cut together the oats, brown sugar, 1 t cinnamon, and the oleo, until crumbly. Sprinkle this on top of the apples. Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes. This is great with ice cream, whipped topping, yogurt, or just plain.

Cold Pack Easy Autumn Olive Juice

autumn olive juice right after processing (photo by jhy)

You will need: autumn olive berries- 1 c for each quart
3/8 c. sugar, or 1/8 c sugar and 1/4 c sugar substitute for each quart
quart canning jars
lids, rings
canner
jar lifter, potholders, etc

This method of making juice does not result in a beverage you can drink immediately, but it's incredibly easy. You have to wait a few months to drink the juice. When I discovered that autumn olive berries were edible, I had to try this, and the results are very much like a fruit punch.

I've used this method of making juice with several different kinds of fruit, but this post will focus on autumn olive. It is very easy, and doesn't require much work.

Wash and sterilize as many quart jars as you think you will need. You can cover with a clean towel and let them rest until you have the fruit ready.

You'll need one cup of clean autumn olive berries for each quart. Try to remove the small gray stems, but it won't matter if you miss a few. Most of them probably came off when you stripped the berries from the trees. See Harvesting Autumn Olive

autumn olive berries and sweetener, before adding boiling water (photo by jhy)

Set water to boil- enough to fill all the jars you plan to use. Then, in each quart jar put 1 c of berries and 3/8 c of sweetener. This can be all sugar, or part sugar and part substitute. I have not tried it with all sugar substitute, but it would probably work since there is no texture issue in this recipe as there is with baking.

Fill jars with boiling water, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Clean rim, put on lids and rings. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. See basic instructions for hot water bath canning. canning.

a glass of autumn olive juice with the berries crushed slightly to release some color (photo by jhy)

The just-processed juice will be clear to translucent. When the jars have cooled, remove rings and place the juice in a pantry or somewhere to store for at least three months before opening. Over this time, the juice will develop.

When you are ready to open the jars, the juice will still be almost clear. I found that crushing the fruit just a bit, to release some of the red coloring, makes a more attractive juice, although the taste is the same.

Strain and remove the remaining fruit. The juice is then ready to drink.

Basic Traditional Apple Pie- 10 inch

traditional apple pie (photo by jhy)

You will need:

• 7 c apple slices (10-20 apples, depending on size and damage)
• 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 c sugar (or half sugar substitute)
• 2 T brown sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• butter or margarine
• pie crust for a 10" pie, double crust- ready made or your favorite recipe

10-inch pie plate rolling pin sharp knife large bowl spoons, scrapers, etc Preheat oven to 375 F When you are grazing the ditches, you don't ask questions about which variety of apples make the best pie. You just make the pie. That said, if your apples are really sweet they are going to make a really sweet, mushy pie. Crisp and tart apples will be best. This recipe has no frills. It's just a basic, all-American, traditional apple pie. Eat it for dessert, or for breakfast!

basic apple pie ready for the oven (photo by jhy)

I rarely make 9-inch pies. If I am going to enough work to make a pie, I make one that will last a few days. However, I've basically found that a 10 inch pie will hold almost twice as much fruit as a 9-inch pie. Peel, core and slice apples about 1/8 inch thick, until you have 7 cups of fruit. Add flour, sweeteners and spices. Stir to coat. Put bottom crust in pie pan, fill with fruit mixture. Dot with butter or margarine

slice of apple pie with whipped topping (photo by jhy)

Add top crust and seal. Be sure to cut a few vents in the top crust. Bake at 375 F for one hour. A slice of 10" pie (made with 1/4 c. sugar and 1/4 c sugar substitute), and equal to 1/10 of the pie has about 375 calories.

Harvesting Autumn Olive

Autumn Olive berries are edible and delicious if they are harvested after the first hard frost. This causes the sugar to move into the fruit. Watch the video for a demonstration of picking the berries.

Plant identification post coming soon.

Low-Fat Apple Bread

slices of apple bread (photo by jhy)

You will need:

• 2 c chopped apples
• 1/2 c chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
• 1/4 c oil
• 1/2 c yogurt
• 1/3 c honey
• 1 egg (or 1/4 c egg substitute)
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t soda
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 c white flour
• 1 c whole wheat flour

9x5 loaf pan or equivalent bowl measuring cups sharp knife spoons, scrapers, etc This bread is less sweet than the Pear-Almond Bread. I really like them both. I think this apple bread is good for breakfast, or to go with a vegetable-based soup. Peel and chop the apples. I usually make the chunks 1/4- 3/8 inch on a side- something between what I would call fine and coarse. Prepare the pan by greasing, lining with wax paper and grease again. Breads with large chunks of fruit tend to stick to the pan, and the extra minute it takes to line with wax paper is well worth it. Mix the wet ingredients and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until they are all moistened. Add the apples and nuts and stir in. The batter will be very thick.

spread the dough in a loaf pan and level (photo by jhy)

Spread in a loaf pan. (I doubled the recipe, which is why there are two pans in the picture). You will need to level the dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick or tester comes out clean. Remove from pan and peel the wax paper immediately. Cool before slicing.

You may be able to tell that my pans are not 9x5. They are approximately 10x4, and have no brand label, but they make a nicely shaped loaf. The only ones of a comparable size that I find on line are these ridiculously priced ones. What can I say? I really prefer this shape for quick breads because the slices are more nearly square instead of low rectangles. Glad I found these somewhere in my past!

Making Applesauce with No Food Mill

pan full of apple chunks (photo by jhy)

You will need:
apples
pan with a tight lid
sharp knife
potato masher or strong fork

This is actually my preferred method of making applesauce. Since almost all the apples I use are free, low-quality apples, I would have to do a lot of trimming anyway, and I think it's just easier to peel and core them as well. The food mill is a lot of mess (in my opinion).

Peel, core, and remove bad spots from the apples. There is no set amount- it makes no difference, but you wouldn't want to fill a pan to the very top. You need some expansion and stirring space for cooking.

Place the apple chunks (I cut apples into quarters if small, or eighths if larger) in the pan, and add just a skim of water to the pan. Really, just a tiny bit. In this 6-quart saucepan I used maybe a quarter-cup of water. This is just enough to get the juices to start flowing in the apples with out burning.

Put the cover on the pan and place over the lowest heat possible. Check in about 5 minutes. Remove the cover, and the apples should have started creating their own liquid. At this point you can raise the heat a little bit, but keep it no higher than medium. Leave the lid off, and continue cooking until the apples are soft. Stir occasionally to redistribute the apples at the top down into the liquid.

When the apples are soft- usually in 5-10 minutes, use a potato masher to turn them into sauce. You can leave it as chunky as you like.

homemade applesauce- this batch is quite chunky (photo by jhy)

You can't get all the chunks out with this method. However, my husband likes extra-smooth applesauce, so I usually put some in the blender for him.

The flavor of the applesauce will depend on the variety of apples used. It's up to you- sweet or tart- or just whatever you can get! Sweeten to taste and/or add a dash or cinnamon or nutmeg.

Shaggy Mane Mushrooms- First Impressions of Edibility

shaggy mane mushrooms, just harvested (photo by jhy)

I have read, and been told by several people that shaggy mane mushrooms, Coprinus comatus, are some of the best there is, but I had never tried them. They pop up in my own lawn once every few years, so I decided to give them a try. See Identifying Shaggy Mane Mushrooms for tips on harvesting them.

The trick is to get them before they self-digest. In the first picture you can see that two of the ones I picked are beginning to turn black at the lower edges. I simply cut that part off. Supposedly it won't hurt you, but will affect the flavor. I was happy enough to cut it off. You can also see the characteristic hollow stem.

shaggy mane mushrooms, halved (photo by jhy)

Next, I cut them in half. Here's what they looked like.

shaggy mane mushrooms, scraped (photo by jhy)

Since I didn't really have any further instructions on what to do, I decided to scrape off the shaggy outer layer. This was easy to do, I rubbed it with the back of my knife and it peeled right off. I don't know if you really need to do this or not, but it was an easy way to remove the superficial dirt. The mushroom was fairly fragile, but not crumbly. I then cut it in small pieces and fried it in a little butter.

shaggy mane mushrooms, fried (photo by jhy)

The pieces cooked quickly but didn't really brown because they exuded this milky white juice. I wondered if I did something wrong. I had collected them on a very cold morning, and wondered if I should have let them come to room temperature before cooking. But some later research revealed that this is just what these mushrooms do. They are recommended for mushroom soup, and I can see why. If I have a chance to collect some more, I will probably try that.

shaggy mane mushrooms, fried with an egg (photo by jhy)

As it was, I simply cooked them with an egg for my breakfast. The flavor is mild and sweet, and the texture is silky. I can see why they have such a good reputation. I will definitely make it a point to collect these when I see them in the future.

They need to be cooked right after collecting. They will continue to self-digest even after picking. Cooked ones can supposedly be frozen. I simply put the extras in the refrigerator and had them for breakfast the next day.

With any wild food, it is a good idea to only eat a small amount the first time you try it, to be certain that you don't have some personal allergy, even if the food is considered to be edible. I had no adverse reaction to these mushrooms, and since they are quite easy to identify, I'll be watching for them.

Identifying Shaggy Mane Mushrooms

young shaggy mane mushroom (photo by jhy)

Shaggy Mane mushrooms are one of the easy-to-identify species. Beginners can't really get in trouble with this if they are paying attention. The top picture is what the mushroom should look like when you collect them- a tall (about 3-4 inches tall) oval with shaggy, curled edges- sort of like old shingles- on the outer layer. This appearance also gives it the common name of Lawyer's Wig.

The scientific name is Coprinus comatus, and it is one of the strange self-digesting mushrooms. This will give you the means to positively identify it. This also means that if you find some, don't go back another day to collect it, because it will be unusable, if not gone. The black parts are not poisonous, but the good flavor is ruined.

mature shaggy mane mushroom (photo by jhy)

As the cap opens out you can see that it is already turning black, and there are stringy threads "flowing" down the outside. At this point it's way too late to eat. However, this appearance, coupled with the tall oval shape of the young mushrooms, will guarantee that you've found the correct species.

It grows in lawns and waste places, and you may see fruiting bodies from spring through fall. I've usually seen them from August onwards, but they can appear earlier. Avoid eating mushrooms that are growing in soil that is polluted- for example, a brownfield. The only real lookalike is Coprinopsis veriegata (also known as Coprinus variegatus and Coprinus quadrifidus and Coprinus ebulbosus. Taxonomy is in real flux with DNA testing.) The lookalike tends to grow on logs, not from the ground, and is not as white. It is also edible, so this is not a deadly mistake, but some references say to not consume alcohol with the lookalike.

self-digested shaggy mane mushroom (photo by jhy)

These Shaggy Manes are almost completely gone. The self-digestion process has continued until there is only a tiny cap left, and strings of the black "ooze."

Collect the white, shaggy ovals, and use right away. They will self-digest even after picking, sometimes within a few hours.

If you find a place where they grow, visit it each year because the underground mycelium will keep sending up the fruiting bodies (the part you see) annually.

Found a Yellow Crabapple Tree

yellow crabapple tree (photo by jhy)

This tree was literally in the ditch. I was driving down a country road and saw yellow fruits, about an inch in diameter flash by. I resolved to stop there on my way home. I did just that, and found a yellow crabapple tree. Until a couple of weeks ago I didn't know they exist. Now I know that there are several varieties, although I'm not sure which one this is. I suspect it may be the cultivar "Golden Hornet."

yellow crabapple fruits (photo by jhy)

That is described as having huge crops of conspicuous yellow fruit with branches bending under the weight. These obviously ripen much later than the red crabapples, as they are just now turning golden. They are often planted simply to be ornamental, since the fruits stay on the branches through the winter. Apparently, they are also a good tree to plant with other apples to aid with cross-pollination.

I sampled one and brought a few home. The fruit is much sweeter than red crabapples. It's almost like a golden delicious apple. Of course, what I love about the red ones is their tart taste, so I don't think these will make my list of favorites.

yellow crabapple fruits (photo by jhy)

The ones I brought home turned completely yellow in two days and are beginning to get spots already. I cut them up in pieces to eat on my yogurt this morning.

No Mess Grape Juice

jars of juice just after processing (photo by jhy)

You will need:
Wild (or domestic) grapes
sugar (and optionally, substitute)
quart canning jars
lids, rings
canner
measuring cup
pans, utensils, etc

This method of making juice does not result in a beverage you can drink immediately, but it's incredibly easy. You have to wait a few months to drink the juice. I can hardly describe how wonderful wild grape juice is... it's like stepping into the autumn woods in mid-winter every time you take a sip.

A friend told me about this method. I've tried it with several different kinds of fruit, but this post will focus on grape. The great advantage is that you don't have to squeeze and strain grape juice which can stain things very badly.

Wash and sterilize as many quart jars as you think you will need. You can cover with a clean towel and let them rest until you have the grapes ready.

The part of this job that takes a lot of time is taking the small, wild grapes off the stems. Wash the grapes- it's easiest to do this while they are still in bunches. The main things to watch for on wild grapes are mold or spider webs. You'll need one cup of clean grapes for each quart. OK, your fingers will get purple doing this, but it's nothing like the mess of boiling grapes and squeezing the liquid through a jelly bag.

grapes, sugar and sugar substitute in a quart jar (photo by jhy)

Set water to boil- enough to fill all the jars you plan to use. Then, in each quart jar put 1 c of grapes and 1/2 c of sweetener. This can be all sugar, or half sugar and half substitute. I have not tried it with all sugar substitute, but it would probably work since there is no texture issue in this recipe as there is with baking.

Fill jars with boiling water, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Clean rim, put on lids and rings. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. See basic instructions for hot water bath canning.

juice that's been in the pantry for a year (photo by jhy)

The just-processed juice will be very pale. The picture doesn't show it very well, but if you look at the left-most jar in the front row (top picture), you can pretty much see how translucent it is. When the jars have cooled, remove rings and place the juice in a pantry or somewhere to store for at least three months before opening. Over this time, the juice will develop. When you do open the jars, strain and remove the fruit. The juice is then ready to drink.

Autumn Cobbler

dish of autumn cobbler with whipped topping (photo by jhy)

You will need:
For the Filling:

• 3 c sliced apples
• 3 c sliced pears
• 3 c halved and seeded grapes (any will do, but Concord is divine)
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 T orange juice

For the Topping:

• 2 c flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c milk
• 1/2 c butter or margarine (melted)
• 2 t fresh grated orange rind

9x13 baking pan bowls measuring cups, spoons, scraper etc. We love this dessert. However, it's not a low-calorie treat. The part we love most is the filling, so I'm going to work on a different topping. You could even fix the fruit alone as a compote, and use half sugar substitute. You can easily cut this in half for an 8x8 pan. I have made it with several kinds of grapes. Our favorite, by far, is Concord. Although these do have seeds you have to remove, the flavor is amazing. It takes some prep time to cut the fruits, and baking time is a total of one hour. Sometimes I forget to buy the orange. You can leave it out without dire consequences.

autumn cobbler prepared fruits (photo by jhy)

Prepare the fruit and mix together in a large bowl with the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and juice.

autumn cobbler filling, before baking (photo by jhy)

Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 425 F for 30 minutes Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients for the topping. In a separate bowl combine the liquid ingredients, mixing to combine. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir well. When the fruit is cooked, remove from oven and spoon the topping over the fruit. Bake an additional 20-30 minutes until golden.

autumn cobbler in the pan (photo by jhy)

Serve hot or cold. Whipped topping or ice cream is great with this. You can cut into any serving size you want, but we find that 12 portions is about right for adults.