HOT!!! Sugar Free Jello Popsicles, Slow Cooker BBQ Pork, and Barbie Sightings...

So... How's the weather where you are? Yep, it's been stupid hot outside... Let's ~try~ to cool off a little with these super simple Sugar Free Jello Popsicles:@) These are seriously as easy as the title sounds.

I think the slow cooker can be helpful when we're trying to not heat up the kitchen... Simply toss some boneless country ribs into the vessel (large or small batch), sprinkle on some dry herbs, cook, shred, add sauce, and within a few hours BBQ Pork Sandwiches are served:@)

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And I spotted a couple new Barbie items at the stores. These aren't Barbie dolls, but Barbie theme'd... First is a baseball cap at Dollar Tree. Light denim in color with the great embroidered pink profile. Cute!

And I'm lovin' these remote controlled cars at Walmart. Now your daughter can race her brother, or run it all over the back yard:@) Hot Wheels brand, but far from the little metal cars we are all familiar with. I didn't measure these trucks, but I'm guessing they are about 6-8" long. 

Like this little guy at my bird bath...

🌞Stay cool folks, and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Grilling Season! Pineapple Marinade, BBQ Sauce Pineapple Slices & Pina Colada Carrot Salad

I thought we'd kick of grilling season with a little round-up of pineapple recipes, sound good? Good:@) Let's pick up a can of sliced pineapple and use the juice in this three ingredient Pineapple Marinade for Chicken or Pork. It's a quick marinade that's a little sweet, a little savory. It's good for kabobs or bigger pieces of meat.

As for the slices, let's grill them too... This Savory Grilled Pineapple with BBQ Sauce makes a great side dish that's a little unexpected. Simply use your favorite bar-b-que sauce. Even if you opt out of the sauce, toss some slices on the grill to get a nice char. Good stuff folks!

If you happen to reserve a slice or two, dice it and add it to this Pina Colada Carrot Salad for a refreshing side dish:@) This salad would be perfect with any grilled meal, and is extra easy if you start with store bought shredded carrot. 

My Pineapple Pinterest Board here.

And I'm still lovin' this Pineapple Coconut Water at Walmart, 

splash of rum optional:@)

🍍Let's Fire Up the Grill and,

Have a Great Weekend:@)

Garden Trash to Treasure, Grilled Chinese Food & Barbie...

I've mentioned before that sometimes I find a real treasure at the curb on trash day:@) I've been looking for a picnic table bench to place behind the raised bed garden to hold a couple pots of string beans. Well, I almost put my foot through the floor of my car hitting the brake when I saw this gem in the trash! Even better than wood, it mimics my cement table and benches on the patio. It's a very sturdy resin type material and a good weight, but manageable so I could put it in my trunk myself. Pulled into the driveway and got it situated in it's new home...

My before pic, temporary set-up:

Ugly but functional...

I like the new look much better💗

If you're anything like me you've been itching to fire up the grill and enjoy a little time outside... May I suggest this Grilled Chinese Food recipe. The marinade is very good and would work well with chicken, pork, or beef. I'm not a big seafood person, but have a feeling it would be good with salmon too? I did give it my darn good label, and you could make shish-ka-bobs or just toss everything right into a screaming hot grill pan. Good stuff folks:@)

Yep, I'd say ~everyone~ is ready for a BBQ...

What I did for Barbie Ham Steak from Clay:

1. Shape clay into an oval, but have it big enough to cover what was printed on the grill grates by Mattel.
2. Added a mini white pony bead to mimic the bone.
3. Scored some grill lines across it and let the clay dry out.
4. Added a little white paint to look like fat...
5. And used a Sharpie for the grill marks-Barbie says dinner is served!

🌞Have a Great Weekend:@)

Weight Watchers 2 Ingredient Pizza Dough, BBQ Pork & Rice Krispy Treats-Small Batch Cooking

G-Mom-B always said, even if you live alone, you still have to cook for yourself. Yep, I do like to eat:@) So for today's ReView I thought I'd share a few easy ideas for serving one or two people. I was intrigued by this Two Ingredient Weight Watchers Pizza Dough and just had to give it a try-it's pretty darn good folks! Just unflavored Non Fat Greek Yogurt and self-rising flour... No self-rising flour? No worries, I've added a homemade version of that too. Boy I ♥ Pizza...

We don't have to make a huge pork shoulder to enjoy a nice BBQ Shredded Pork Sandwich... I simply tossed some country ribs into my 2 quart Crock Pot, sprinkled with equal parts garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, smoked paprika and two times as much seasoned salt. Add a few grinds of black pepper, add the lid, and cook on high for about 4 hours. Shred, slather with BBQ sauce, and enjoy:@) Even easier using a liner, just sayin'...

And for a snack...

An easy Half Batch of Rice Krispy Treats.

Eat well and

Have a Happy Weekend:@)

Kansas City Style Pulled Pork BBQ Chili

As soon as I saw this recipe in Food Network Magazine I immediately knew I'd be making it on Super Bowl Sunday:@) What makes Kansas City Style Pulled Pork BBQ Chili a little different? A. Pork in chili, and B. It's non-apologetically sweet. The boys ate it with sour cream, I added some pickled jalapenos and really enjoyed the fresh scallions. This is very nice if you're looking for something that cooks for a few hours making the house smell great, and is a good variation of chili. 

Full disclosure: I used pork stew meat, and cut back on the meat and added an extra can of beans. The only other thing I might do differently, hold the BBQ sauce until the meat has cooked and been shredded. I'd just heat that through with the beans.

Kansas City Style Pulled Pork Chili-from Food Network Magazine

3 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4 chunks

S&P

Vegetable oil for frying

2 medium onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large serrano chili, minced

3 Tblsp tomato paste

3 Tblsp chili powder

2 Tblsp brown sugar

1 Tblsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

12 oz bottle lager

28 oz crushed tomatoes

1 C sweet BBQ sauce

2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans

Sour cream, scallions, cheddar cheese, avocado, pickled jalapenos, tortilla strips and/or cornbread for serving.

1. S&P meat, add oil to dutch oven, brown meat. Remove to plate.
2. Cook onions for about 5 minutes, add pepper and garlic. Stir constantly and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add tomato paste and chili powder, cook and stir for a minute.
4. Add brown sugar, cumin, oregano, beer, tomatoes and BBQ sauce. Also 1-2 C water, start with one, can add more if you want more broth.
5. Bring to boil, reduce heat, add lid to dutch oven. Cook on very low bubble for 2-3 hours.
6. Shred meat, add meat and beans to pot, heat through.
7. Serve as desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Bar-B-Que Pork Stew (or Burrito Filling, or Dip...)

Did you make pulled pork this holiday weekend? This BBQ Pork Stew is a great way to use up some leftover meat, and can be whipped up in no time. Use pork chops, cooked loin, or leftover shredded pork from sandwiches. In large skillet, simply cook up some onion and peppers, add corn and enough Bar-B-Que sauce to create a nice juicy meal. Want more gravy? Add a little cornstarch to the drained Rotel juice, and adjust BBQ sauce to your taste. There aren't any rules here folks, cooking doesn't need to be complicated, let's just add what we like and use those leftovers in a different way:@)

I can think of several serving options... I used a yellow rice here. I can see this served over polenta, or over hoe cakes or cornbread. How about rolled in a flour tortilla as a burrito. Or, if feeling a little naughty, maybe spooned over Fritos:@) And ~it's h-e-r-e~... Football season!!! If using shredded BBQ pork, this could even be a dip served with tortilla chips! Just small dice the peppers and onions.

Good stuff folks,

my favorite meal in a while:@)

Bar-B-Que Pork Stew

Up to 1 lb pork, any cut of meat or leftovers you have

Drizzle olive oil

Large onion, diced

Large green pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

10 oz Rotel, drained

14.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 C corn, either frozen or canned drained well

1 C BBQ sauce, your favorite brand

1. Quick saute pork if not using leftovers, remove from pan. Or dice/shred leftover meat.
2. Drizzle pan with olive oil, add onion and pepper. Fry for about 5 minutes or until lightly softened.
3. Add garlic, cook a minute.
4. Add everything else and heat through.
5. Serve over rice.

Eat well, and Have a Happy Day:@)

Teriyaki Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Grill Pan Vegetables -Homemade Teriyaki Sauce & Barbie's 4th of July

My crew is in agreement, the best way to cook a tenderloin is on the grill, and we have several different types of homemade marinades here on PIM. But an old favorite is this Teriyaki Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Grill Pan Vegetables. Once you make a homemade teriyaki sauce, I don't think you'll ever go back to the bottle folks:@) And I do like to leave the meat marinate overnight, longer is better! As for what vegetables to grill, peppers and onions are a must, from there anything goes... Zucchini, yellow squash and broccoli are all good options.

This truly was a lovely meal,

and a nice way to use up some snow peas from the garden:@)

Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced-I use a garlic press
1 tsp ground ginger-Pick up a new jar if you've had it for a while
1 Tblsp molasses
~Mix well

For Dinner:

One unflavored pork tenderloin

3 large bell peppers, colors of choice, large chopped

1 large sweet onion, large chopped

1 small zucchini, 1/2" chunks

20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained

handful snow peas, optional

1. Add teriyaki sauce to large zip top bag and add tenderloin. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
2. Heat grill to medium high.
3. Remove meat from bag, place on plate. Add vegetables to bag and coat in sauce.
4. Grill meat: Think of it as a rectangle, 4 minutes on each side. Remove to carving platter, cover with foil for 10 minutes.
5. Towards end of cooking time add vegetables to heated grill pan. Stir occasionally until cooked to your desired level of doneness.
6. Add veggies to serving platter, add carved meat and pour any juices over everything.

And Barbie hopes you have a nice place

to cool off this 4th of July too:@)

Pic in my solar fountain 2022.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Instant Pot Pork Chop Soup (or Stew) with Potatoes and Vegetables

I love pork and I'm always looking for new things to make with it... This Pork Chop Soup with Potatoes and Vegetables was very good:@) I adapted a popular recipe so I could use my ♥Instant Pot pressure cooker. It's pretty versatile, the original called for broccoli, I used green beans from the garden, and you could easily sub some frozen peas at the end. The only thing to be mindful of, there is a lot of sodium, so you might want to cut back where you can. Oh and, I added stew to the title, I can see this with the broth a little thicker, loaded with extra vegetables as a Sunday dinner. A nice change from beef stew. Very tasty stuff folks!

Recipe easily cut in half.

I'm going to list what I did, 

click the link for the original stove top version.

The original uses bone-in chops, I used boneless.

Pork Chop Soup with Potatoes-adapted from Allrecipes

1 lb boneless pork chops-I used country ribs, fat trimmed

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 bay leaf

2 Tblsp soy sauce

*3 C chicken broth

*2 C water-can use all water and add chicken bouillon

3 potatoes, cut into 1/2" chunks-I used russets and do suggest peeling them

2 stalks celery, 1/4" slice

1 C fresh string beans, cut

1 carrot, 1/4" slice

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 C A/P flour

S&P to taste

1. Add everything through water to pressure cooker vessel.
2. Add lid, seal, and cook on high for 18 minutes. Automatic release.
3. Remove meat to cutting board. Cut into bite size pieces or shred.
4. Reserve 3/4 C cooking liquid.
5. Add vegetables to vessel, lid and seal. Cook on high for 2 minutes, automatic release.
6. Stir flour into reserved liquid, add back to pot. It will most likely thicken up as you stir it, if not, use saute feature to thicken.
7. Add pork back to soup.
8. S&P to taste.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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War Pig BBQ Sauces & Dry Rubs for Grilling and More -Review

I had to chuckle when the folks from War Pig BBQ reached out to see if I'd like to try their line of specialty BBQ sauces and dry rubs, it sounded like a match made in heaven:@) The product line started after an Army veteran began entering (and winning) grilling competitions. Each flavor has a fun name that's a play on words, and they give back to the armed forces community by contributing a portion of sales to three charitable causes. A great product line started by great people!

While it's true that I do my fair share of grilling, I decided to try something a little different since not everyone BBQ's. I heated up the SNAFU flavor -Situation Normal All Fowled Up- on some leftover chicken, and made a nice hearty sandwich. A crock pot of shredded BBQ chicken would be great as the weather begins to cool off. I also think this sauce would be very good in chili.

SNAFU is a chipotle, pineapple, and orange flavor profile,

with a little sweet heat.

Much like hot sauce,

if you enjoy BBQ sauces you probably have a few bottles in the fridge...

May I suggest you click over to War Pig BBQ,

and add one more!

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Saturday ReView: Barbie Beaded Necklace Halter Top & Pineapple Marinade for Grilling

We're into the dog days of summer folks... Here's a quick little halter top that's just a tad fancier because there's a beaded necklace that holds it up around the neck. I found these aqua beads in the 98¢ bin at Walmart and thought they were the perfect color for summer. One pattern piece, a few hems, string some small beads on wire and wa-la, we have a cute Barbie shirt! The most involved part is adding the shirt to the necklace... But it's really not difficult.

What I did:

1. Cut one piece.
2. 1/4" hem all around. Suggested sewing order: Sides, bottom, under arms.
3. Fold tip towards inside, with needle and thread, gather the very top and scrunch it together, sew it together.
4. Create necklace using my technique HERE, being sure to keep your beads to an odd number**.
5. Sew top onto middle bead of necklace. You have options... Sew thread around each side of the middle bead as I did for this top. **Or, when you're making the necklace add a long piece of string to the middle bead ~before~ you add it onto the wire. You'll use that string to sew the top to the necklace.
6. Add a snap or velcro closure to the top of the back.
7. Done😊

The pattern:

The finished top:

(I sewed my bottom first on this one, I do suggest the order given above.)

The back:

How to make a super easy, no hem, Ken tank top here, 

Now Barbie and Ken have matching outfits for the luau😎

And this Three Ingredient Pineapple Marinade for Grilling Chicken or Pork couldn't be easier and was very good! Sweet, salty and fruity... What's not to love:@) Be sure to give it at least 30 minutes of marinating time, but longer would be even better. Good for kebabs, cubes of meat, thinner cuts of meat, or butterflied chicken breasts. And if you use the pineapple juice from canned chunks you can use the pineapple on kebabs or in a grill pan too.

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🌴Make something summery and have a happy day🌴

Pineapple Basil Salsa for Grilled Meat & Leftover Salsa Rice

I was grilling a couple ham steaks and wanted to serve something a little summery as a condiment to go with them. This Pineapple Basil Salsa was perfect. Why basil instead of cilantro or parsley? Because it grew very well in the planter with tomatoes this year:@) This was super simple using canned pineapple, I just had to cut up a few vegetables and squeeze a lime. Wa-la, dinner was served. Now, you know your crowd, not jalapeno fans? Use all sweet peppers. Fire lovers? Use all hot peppers. This is a nice fresh tasting side dish, perfect with grilled ham, chicken or pork. It's probably pretty good as a dip with tortilla chips too.

Salsa Rice:

I'd guess one 20 oz can of pineapple made about 3 C of salsa.

I had 1/2 C salsa leftover.

Cooked 1/2 C long grain rice with 3/4 C water in my 3 quart ♥ Instant Pot.

Then mixed it with the salsa. 

A very nice way to use up leftover salsa folks, any flavor of salsa (Pico de Gallo Rice here).

Pineapple Basil Salsa

20 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, drained (a mesh strainer is best)

1/2 C peppers, any combination-I used 2 jalapenos and some red bell pepper for color

1/2 C diced sweet onion

juice from one lime

1-2 tsp sugar

2 Tblsp fresh basil, minced ~or~ fresh cilantro ~or~ fresh parsley

pinch salt and some freshly ground black pepper

~Mix everything and serve.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Buffalo Shredded Pork Stuffed Jalapenos with Celery and Blue Cheese Dressing & New Jalapeno Plant

~Many years ago~ when I started my stuffed jalapeno series for the blog, I simply doused chicken with hot sauce and baked some 'penos... These Buffalo Shredded Pork Stuffed Jalapenos call for just a couple more ingredients and are a very nice variation. Another thing I tried, notice the disposable tray? Yep, I cooked these on the grill:@) My pork was just some very inexpensive "pork cubes" I picked up at the supermarket and cooked in the Crock Pot until it reached shredable stage. Then froze it flat in a zip top bag, that way I could still break off only enough as I needed at one time.

While I love the flavor of jalapenos, I do like to clean mine well to tame a bit of the heat:

I added a new pepper to the planters this year,

Tricked You! They say it has all the jalapeno flavor but no heat, we'll see:@)

I tried a Coolapeno a few years ago but the critters ate it-no bueno.

Shredded Pork Stuffed Jalapenos

Jalapenos, sliced in half lengthwise and cleaned-or leave the seeds in, you know your crowd

Enough pork to stuff the amount of peppers you have

Celery, small dice, about 1/4-1/3 as much as meat

Wing sauce, or hot sauce, your favorite brand-I used Frank's today

Blue cheese dressing for drizzle

Extra hot sauce for serving

1. No real recipe here folks, just mix meat and celery with enough hot sauce to coat well and make wet. 
2. Stuff peppers, place on tray and cover with foil. Bake on covered grill, medium heat, 15 minutes for firmer peppers, 20 minutes if you like them softer. I turned the tray half way.
3. Drizzle with blue cheese dressing and serve with bottle of hot sauce on side.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Saturday ReView: Easy Three Seam Barbie Skirt & Sesame Grilled Pork Tenderloin

These simple Three Seam Elastic Waist Barbie Skirts whip up in no time! I've made a couple and think I might make more in solid colors so they go with any top or occasion, if you're trying to build an inexpensive doll wardrobe, this is a nice way to start. What I love about this most is, it only requires a 6" x 3-4" piece of scrap fabric. The variation being, you can make the skirt as long, or short, as you'd like (or using whatever amount of fabric you have for the length).

Supplies:
6" x 4" rectangle of thin fabric
4" long piece of 1/4" wide elastic

What I did:

1. Fold top and bottom (6" sides) of fabric over about 1/4", crease with nail or iron.
2. Sew 1/4" bottom hem.
3. Pin elastic to center, then to each side of folded top.
4. Place one end of elastic under presser foot, lower needle, Stretch elastic with both hands and stitch, removing pins before you get to them if desired. Ideally we'd use a zig-zag stitch which creates a waistband of sorts. If you're having difficulty with the zig-zag stitch (and I did), a straight stitch will work fine for this small doll garment.
5. Fold so right sides are together and sew 1/4" back seam (creating a tube shape), back stitch top and bottom.

I think this pic gives a good idea of the procedure:

Bottom seam, stretch elastic and sew, then just fold in half and sew wrong sides together to create the skirt.

Turn right side out-done😀

I used the zig-zag stitch for the waistband on this one:

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And this Grilled Sesame Pork Tenderloin goes way back to the early days of Pig In Mud:@)

The marinade is fantastic and it goes equally well with chicken, and I hear it's great with beef too.

I also share an extra flavorful tip that really works!

Let's fire up the grill and have a happy weekend:@)

Any Day (No Clean-Up) Slow Cooker Stuffing -Vegetarian Option

I've been trying to come up with a Slow Cooker Stuffing that I was happy with, and to date that has been challenging... But I think I've cracked the code:@) I'll share what I did but please note, I did use a bag of frozen seasoning vegetables, not fresh veggies, so I really can't share measurements for fresh. The idea here is, everything gets mixed right in a Crock Pot liner and cooks on low for 3-4 hours. This is a very basic stuffing that would go well with everything from turkey, to chicken, to pork, to ham for Easter dinner... So don't hesitate to give it a try folks, but like me, you may need to do a little experimenting before you come up with what works best for you (and the slow cooker you have).

I found that using a store bought bag of stuffing cubes worked better than drying my own for Crock Pot stuffing. 

Also, since slow cookers create condensation, and frozen veggies give off more liquid, 

I didn't add a whole lot of broth. 

Pillsbury (my starting point) calls for a 3-4 quart slow cooker, I used my 2 1/2 quart oval casserole with no problem.

This would be a nice stuffing to add some cooked Jimmy Dean Sausage if desired.

The veggies I used:

The best tip: Pillsbury suggests that if you want slow cooker stuffing a little moister, 

sprinkle with extra chicken broth ~after~ cooking. 

Any Day Slow Cooker Stuffing

12 oz bag dried stuffing cubes-I used Pepperidge Farm herb cubes

10 oz bag frozen seasoning blend vegetables-onion, celery, bell peppers and parsley

1 C chicken broth-can use vegetable broth for vegetarian

2 Tblsp or up to 1/4 C butter, softened or melted-I used 2 Tblsp, you know your crowd:@)

1 tsp poultry seasoning

3/4 tsp celery salt

few hearty grinds black pepper

1. I literally added everything to the liner bag and gently smooshed it around to mix well.
2. Add bag to Crock Pot, cover with lid, set to low for 3-4 hours. I checked it after two hours, and gave it a gentle stir so the browned crispy sides would be a little distributed.
3. Called it dinner around 4 hours, there is wiggle room in the timing. I also did not need to add extra liquid.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Crock Pot Pork Loin with Gravy -Easy Three Ingredient Slow Cooker

I had a small pork roast in the freezer and decided to treat myself to the house smelling extra yummy on a recent day off from work... This Crock Pot Pork Loin Roast with Gravy was the ultimate in comfort food, and using a slow cooker liner made clean-up a breeze too:@) It can be served over any type of potatoes, rice or noodles. I did end up adding one more ingredient, a few shakes of dill went into the gravy before serving! Also, slow cookers create condensation... I cut the water back to 1/4 cup but next time, I may not add any water until it's done cooking. Then I'll only add enough to thin the gravy as desired. Don't hesitate to give this super simple recipe a try folks, I really did enjoy it!

After the meat rested out of the Crock Pot for a while I did get a few slices,

but honestly, it really does fall apart nicely:@)

I steamed the veggies in my ♥Instant Pot. 

I see they updated this recipe for a complete slow cooker meal here.

Crock Pot Pork Loin with Gravy-from Recipes That Crock

1.5 lb pork loin

10 oz cream of mushroom soup

1 envelope pork gravy mix

1/2 C water-I started with 1/4 C but would use less or none the next time

1. Add meat to vessel, mix both gravies and water if using. Pour over meat.
2. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours.
3. Remove meat, stir gravy in vessel, add water to thin a bit if desired-slice and serve. 

Enjoy an easy meal and have a happy day:@)

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Macintosh Apple Pie Jam

If you're looking for a great little gift to make now and tuck away for Thanksgiving or Christmas giving (it's coming folks... just sayin'), you can't go wrong with this amazing Macintosh Apple Pie Jam. Especially now while apples are on sale. It's sweet and cinnamon-y and perfect with so many things (besides just a spoon:@) I've added the dip label, yep, go ahead and pour this over some cream cheese and serve with crackers. Or, spoon some over vanilla ice cream. How about on French toast or serving over pork chops... As you can see, this jam is very versatile and good for both sweet and savory uses. 

Jam is so much easier than making jelly, just add everything to the pot, 

bring to a boil, then process for 10 minutes in a water bath. 

Do you add more spices to your apple pie? Go ahead and add them to the jam too!

There are lots of recipes out there folks, I'll just share mine using Macintosh which are softer apples that cook down.

Tip: Save your peanut butter lids, most 18 oz jars fit regular canning jars. 

Some brands even use red which is great for the holidays. Gently screw them on over the canning lid for gifting. 

This way once folks pop the lids off, they can store the jar in the fridge with out the metal canning rings getting rusty.

Macintosh Apple Pie Jam-what I did... made seven 8 oz jelly jars.

3 lbs whole Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and approx 1/4" diced-Macintosh goes on sale often here

juice from 1/4 large lemon

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 C water

1 box dry pectin

3 1/2 C sugar, can add up to 5 C but we find 3 1/2 plenty sweet

1. Bring canning pot of water to a boil.
2. Combine apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, water and pectin in 6 quart pot. Cook over medium/high heat until mixture comes to a full rolling boil (can't be stirred down). Stirring occasionally.
3. Add sugar and bring to another full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute after rolling boil.
4. Remove from heat, skim foam from top. 
5. Fill sterilized jars to within 1/4" headspace. Wipe jar rims clean, add lids and rings, finger tighten.
6. Boil in water bath canner for 10 minutes.
7. Remove from water, place on folded towels, count the lid pings and love life:@) If a jar happens to not seal, store in fridge and enjoy it first.

Gift well and have a happy day:@)

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Fruity Cranberry Apple Rosemary Stuffing

I love stuffing folks! It's something I'll even eat for breakfast with an over easy egg. My aim is to try different recipes and maybe come up with a series of keepers to make any time of year. I always look at the recipe advertisements in magazines for ideas and inspiration, and this Rosemary Cranberry Apple Stuffing is from McCormick. Love~love~love the apple in it! This is a nice, sweet stuffing that would be a fantastic side dish for a Sunday pork roast dinner (I served it with a ham steak), and it would be perfect with any holiday meal. Don't hesitate to give this one a try:@)

Notes:

• A half batch will fit in a standard 9" pie plate. I made a half batch.
• Use all of the apple juice, but cut back a bit on the broth if it looks like it's getting too wet. Remember the apples will give off liquid too.
• Butter is amazing... But I'll be cutting back to half next time. But that's just in the interest of saving a few calories. Go ahead and indulge for the holidays!
• I think a handful of chopped pecans would be very welcome. 
• I used Arnold Oatnut Bread this time (had it in the fridge), I still haven't seen the dried cubes at the store.
• All ovens are different, I'd use 350 degrees next time.
• I've added a 'stuffing' label to the blog here, linking recipes for homemade stuffing or those that use boxed as an ingredient.
• Friendly Disclaimer: While I do understand the technical difference between stuffing and dressing, my family will always call it stuffing:@)

Rosemary Cranberry Apple Stuffing-from McCormick

1/2 C butter-can cut back
2 C chopped celery
1 C chopped onion
2 medium size, tart red apples, cored and chopped
6 oz bag dried cranberries
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
6 C dried, unseasoned breadcubes
1 C apple juice
14.5 oz can chicken broth

1. Melt butter in skillet, cook celery and onion 5 minutes.
2. Stir in everything else up to liquids, mix. 
3. Use all of the apple juice, gently toss to mix.
4. Add chicken broth. I suggest holding back a bit, just to make sure the mixture doesn't get too wet. 
5. Spoon into sprayed 13x9 baking dish and cover with foil.
6. Bake at 325 degrees (350 for me) for 15 minutes, remove foil, bake for another 20 minutes. Or until heated through and lightly browned. 

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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