Monthly Archives: September 2010
Spiced Apple Butter
| September 26, 2010 | Filled under Breakfast, Fall, Fruit |
Yesterday, Shawn and I met up with some of our local blogger friends for brunch and apple picking at Indian Ladder Farms in Altamont. It was a beautiful day and we had a ton of fun, but I didn’t really like the way the farm was set up. Unlike other pick-your-own places I’ve been to where you weigh your apples and pay as you exit, Indian Ladder charges you for a bag as you go in — you can fill it as much or as little as you want, but either way it costs $14. I had only planned on buying 4-5 pounds of apples, but since I had to pay for them anyway I filled my bag almost to the top (I was really more interested in taking pictures than picking apples).
Despite leaving some room in my bag, I ended up bringing home 17 pounds of apples! Since I knew I would never be able to eat that many apples before they went bad, I immediately made a big batch of apple butter, which is one of my favorite fall foods. If you’ve never had it, apple butter is a thick spread that’s made almost entirely of apples — it’s essentially applesauce that’s reduced down until it becomes spreadable (there’s no actual butter involved). The sugars in the apples caramelize and, when it’s seasoned with warm spices like cinnamon and ginger, it’s one of the most delicious things ever! Enjoy it on toast or biscuits, mixed into yogurt or oatmeal, or as a compliment to a cheese plate (it pairs especially well with sharp cheddar).
I use a lot less sugar in my recipe than others that I’ve seen (some of which use over twice the sugar I do!) because I don’t like it to be super sweet. Because of the reduced sugar, the apple butter shouldn’t be canned — it will keep for a while in the fridge though and it also freezes very well.
Crab & Corn Chowder
| September 22, 2010 | Filled under Fish and Seafood, Lent, Light, One Pan, Quick Weeknight Meals, Shawn's Favorites, Soups and Stews |
Is there anything as comforting as a big bowl of nourishing soup after a long day? Not in my book!
I like to make a giant pot of soup every week throughout the fall and winter. In addition to making a delicious dinner, there are always plenty of leftovers to bring for lunch the rest of the week. It’s also a great way to get a few extra servings of vegetables when it seems like there isn’t much in season. One of the first soups that I make every fall is crab and corn chowder. We look forward to it all summer! Sweet end-of-summer corn pairs perfectly with smokey poblano peppers and spicy Old Bay seasoning to make a deeply satisfying meal (especially when you serve it with cheddar & green onion biscuits).
I usually buy 4-ounce cans of crab from the tuna fish aisle for this soup, but I recently discovered the Chicken of the Sea crabmeat that was in the refrigerator case near the seafood counter and I couldn’t be happier with it. A 16-ounce can costs me $8.99, which was cheaper than buying the smaller cans, and the can is jam-packed with big, sweet pieces of claw meat. I did find a few pieces of shell in my can though, so you’ll want to be sure to take a good look at it before adding it to the pot.
I’m always taken back by the price of the crab when I make this chowder, but the rest of the ingredients are super cheap and the cost per serving is a lot less than canned soup. And yes, I consider 1 serving of soup to be 1 can of soup — whoever decided there are 2.5 servings in those cans in nuts! 
Click through to read more and get the recipe for Crab and Corn Chowder –>
Crab & Corn Chowder
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 Tbs butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 2 potatoes, cubed
- 2 Tbs old bay
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbs flour
- 2 oz sherry
- 32 oz fish stock
- 16 oz crab (claw meat)
- 3 ears corn, cut away from the ear (about 1.5 cups)
- 2 c. fat free half and half
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 2 green onions, chopped
Place a large soup pot over high heat. Add the poblano and cook, turning occasionally, until the skin begins to blacken and blister — about 5 minutes. Remove the pepper and chop.
Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften. Add the celery, red pepper, potatoes, old bay, cayenne, and flour. Stir to coat the vegetables with the spices. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Add the sherry and scrape up any bits of vegetables that stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the fish stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and cooked through. Add the crab, corn, and half and half. Heat through. Stir in lemon juice. Garnish with green onions and additional Old Bay, if desired.
Yields 10 servings (about 2 cups each)
Approx. 175 calories, 3 grams fat, 2.5 grams fiber, 13 grams protein
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I’m submitting this recipe to Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen
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