Pasta Feed

Notes from XC pasta feed, Sept 27, 2016

Did 4 lbs of spaghetti noodles and sauce using 4 quarts of tomato sauce.
Three loaves of French bread, precut in thin slices

Just enough left over for us for dinner.   So exactly the right amount. 16 kids came.
I had hot water ready to do more noodles if I needed to and extra sauce in the fridge.

Bacon in the Oven

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line cookie sheet with foil.  It's ok for the bacon to overlap--it will shrink up as it cooks.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.  WATCH CLOSELY!  It burns fast.

Remove to paper towels and blot.

Wilton Buttercream Frosting

From: Wilton

1 cup of solid white vegetable shortening (you can use butter to make it taste A LOT better*)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
7-8 teaspoon of mik or water
1 pound of powdered sugar (3 3/4 cups)
pinch of salt (optional)

In large bowl beat shortening, vanilla and milk or water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thourougly mixed together. Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Chocolate Buttercream
add 3/4 cup cocoa powder or three 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares, melted, and an additional 1 to 2 tablespoon water to recipe. Mix until well blended.

*cut milk in half when using margarine or butter

Strawberry Freezer Jam

From:  Christina Arnold

Ingredients:

2 boxes low-sugar Sure-Gel (must be sure-gel brand--pink box)
8 C. Pureed Strawberries (about 4-5 lbs.  Can use some applesauce if you're short.  I usually use about  1/2-3/4 C.)
6 C. Sugar

Mix 1 C. sugar and two boxes of Sure-Gel-mix well and set aside.

Blend strawberries in blender, but leave chunky.  Don't overfill the blender or it will puree the strawberries too much.

Add 8 C. fruit to the sugar/sure-gel blend in Bosch.  Mix with dough hook.  Sir well.

Let set 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Add the remaining 5 C. Sugar and stir well again--3-5 mins.
  
Pour into containers.

Yield:  10-12 C. of jam

My family think this is the best jam out there!!

Results:

2017--I believe I made 49 cups--using 15.5 lbs strawberries and 7 boxes of pectin.  In June 2018, I had 14 cups left over.  ATE 35 CUPS
2018--Made 26 cups, to add to leftover 14 cups (40 cups total)--using 16 cups berries (and two applesauce cups) and 4 boxes of pectin.  ATE 22 CUPS
2019--Used 16 cups (8.5# berries, no applesauce) and 4 boxes pectin.  Made 28 cups.  Had 18 cups left over from last year.  ATE 31 CUPS OF JAM IN 2019--Sam not home this year
2020--Used 8# berries to make a double batch (4 boxes pectin.)  Made 24 cups.  Had 15 cups left from last year.   ATE  24 CUPS (Sam gone)

2021--15 cups left from last year.  Used 9# of berries to make a double batch (4 boxes pectin).  Made 26 cups (8.5 freezer containers) of jam.  ATE 26 CUPS (sam gone)

2022--26 cups left from last year.  Used 8# berries only made 1.75 batch (1.75?  boxes pectin).  Made 21 cups of jam.  (tried one 1/2 batch of the recipe on the pectin box just for fun)  ATE 29 CUPS (sam home mostly)

2023--20 cups left from last year.  Used 5.5# of berries to make a single batch (2 boxes pectin) to make 12 cups of jam.  

2024–only 9 cups left from last year.   Used 13.5# of berries and 6 boxes of pectin to make 42 cups of jam!  24 cups designated for the college kids

2025--19 cups remaining from last year.  Ate 32 cups last year (lots to college kids). Used 6# of berries and 2 boxes pectin (1 batch) to make 15 cups.

Bean Salsa

Source:  Maaike



15 oz can black beans
15 oz can black-eyed peas
15 oz can diced tomatoes
Drain all really well
Add:
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 pkg frozen corn
3-4 fresh tomatoes, diced
2-3 avocados, diced
1 C. Wishbone Italian dressing

Serve with tortilla chips

Guacamole

Source:  Becky



2 avocados
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lime juice
Chopped tomato and onion

Add salt to taste